Powerful Immune System Resources
Nutrients and Research studieS you need to know about
Are you struggling with chronic sickness? Worried about how to keep your family healthy? You’re not alone. Most of us have little-to-no understanding of how our bodies and immune systems are designed. Our bodies are truly powerful, and if we supply them with the nutrients they need we can turn the tides for our health at any time.
Hijacking the Supplies - Understanding How Pathogens Work
The best way to understand how pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites) work, is to view them as both scavengers and parasites. These terms are more relatable. When a pathogen gets into your body, it has one vicious agenda: to survive at all costs. In order to do this, pathogens must quickly work to use any available resources (our cells, our nutrients) and they must quickly work to replicate. If they can do these two things, their agenda will be completed. If they are not successful, they will not survive.
Although, of course, there are times that interventions are needed, we also need to remember that our body has been specifically designed to prevent these pathogens from succeeding. We have many different immune cells designed for each type of threat our bodies may face. We have the ability to dismantle, kill, and prevent the spread of pathogens within our bodies. If, however, we are lacking the supplies needed to make these cells and to keep them strong, our immune system will suffer.
Research Studies:
Hijacking the Supplies
Impact of Malnutrition on Infection
Diet and Immune Function
Fueling Our Immune Cells
Although I don’t recommend that anyone guess when it comes to their health or supplements, there are some key things that I think we all need to be aware of. If we understand how our bodies use key nutrients, we can truly work to support them.
Our immune system warriors need vitamins and minerals to be strong and effective. Whether we like it or not, what we eat on a daily basis determines our health status. And if we have ongoing cellular deficiencies, we will struggle.
Let’s talk through some of the most critical nutrients for immune cells.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a respiratory immune system nutrients. It is used most by those areas of our bodies that have mucous membranes - our sinuses, lungs, and gut. If we have a major deficiency of Vitamin A, we typically see prolonged respiratory symptoms during sickness. In my practice, when we identify and restore Vitamin A deficiencies, we see patients who struggled for years with things like recurring bronchitis, pneumonia, allergies, and asthma improve. Vitamin A has been used as a therapeutic treatment in infectious diseases like Tuberculosis, AIDS, and common childhood diseases.
Research Studies:
Vitamin A and the Immune System
Increased Mortality in Children with Mild Vitamin A Deficiency
Impact of Vitamin A on Mortality in Children
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a whole-body immune nutrient. It helps to initiate our immune system, and triggers our immune anti-microbial activities so we can stop pathogens before they turn into a full-blown infection. It has also been studied for it’s potential role in helping to prevent infections in the lungs.
Vitamin D also has immunomodulatory effects - it helps your immune system distinguish your own body’s cells from foreign invaders (helping prevent autoimmunity). The major problem when it comes to Vitamin D, is that so many people are deficient. Even with regular sun exposure, your cells can still struggle to take-in Vitamin D. That is why testing of this nutrient is very important.
Research Studies:
Vitamin D and the Immune System
Effects of Vitamin D on Influenza in Infants
Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is able to bind free-radicals, chemicals, and toxins that threaten to damage our cells. This is proposed to be one of the top reasons it is so beneficial during illness. When pathogens hijack our essential nutrients, especially in the presence of pre-exsiting toxicity, our bodies go into a state of oxidative stress - which is just a deeper level of toxicity and deficiency. Antioxidants like Vitamin C, Selenium, and Glutathione are critical to help our cells recover and combat this stress.
Although problems absorbing Vitamin C are rare (less than 5% of the population struggles here), it is always a great nutrient to keep around during times of illness and stress. It has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of the common cold, and to play a significant role in many other infections ranging from viral, to bacterial, and parasitic.
Research Studies:
Vitamin C and Infections
Vitamin C in Disease Prevention
GlutathionE, Selenium, And Antioxidants
Glutathione is our cells’ main antioxidant. It helps our them detox pathogens like viruses and bacteria, chemicals, and anything that may threaten our their survival. Because it is so important, our bodies have multiple ways of making glutathione. Some comes from the vitamins and minerals we absorb from food (Vitamin E, Selenium) and other sources come from key biochemical processes in our bodies (Methylation). Many people have problems producing glutathione in at least one of these areas; and many more are deficient due to poor diet and lifestyle. This is surely a widespread problem.
When it comes to supporting the immune system, Glutathione is critical. It stops viruses from being able to replicate (make copies of themselves). It helps modulate our immune system, balancing between aggression and repair. And, because of its antioxidant role, it helps our cells counteract the oxidative stress that viruses and other pathogens place on them.
Research Studies:
Antiviral and Immunomodulatory Effects of Glutathione
Glutathione and Flu A
Toxicities Promote Viral Infection and Are Reversed by Glutathione
Glutathione for HIV and Tuberculosis
Glutathione and Selenium Inhibit Viral Replication
Selenium and Host Defense Towards Viruses
Selenium Suppresses Viral Replication in HIV
Pantothenic Acid
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) has numerous roles in our bodies. It is truly an essential vitamin. For immune function, it is used to inhibit viruses, and it helps our cells to create energy - which we need in times of immune challenges. It has also been studied for its anti-parasitic role.
Research Studies:
Vitamin B5 and Viral Inhibition
Additional Support
There are many other nutrients that play a role in our health and immune system function, such as Iodine, Zinc, additional B vitamins, and other antioxidants. Although we have chosen to focus on just a few here, knowing which nutrients your specific body needs is key.
For those who are immune-compromised or who are required to be on immune-suppressing drugs, there are additional things to consider such as a need for colostrum or proline-rich polypeptides (PRPs), mushrooms, and other immune-modulating herbs.
When it comes to nutrients, we need to remember that it is always best to know exactly what your body needs, rather than to guess - especially with nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Iodine. Some nutrients can be harmful if already in a healthy range for you; others simply may not help if they are not a missing link in your health. Please lean on testing to better determine your exact needs.
Testing to Consider
When it comes to the immune system, the first and most powerful step is to look for nutrient deficiencies in the cells. If your immune cells are starving, it’s like trying to bake a cake with only half the ingredients - you’ll get something from it, but it won’t be right.
We use the Essential Vitamin Absorption Panel from GX Sciences to test for cellular deficiencies (Learn More). Traditional blood testing for nutrients can be very misleading, and can’t accurately tell us what our cells are getting. Nutrigenomic (genetic) testing gives us a better understanding of how your body is designed to take critical nutrients into the cells.
Another nutrigenomic test we use is the Immune/AutoImmune Health Panel from GX Sciences (Learn More). This test shows us how your immune system is wired - is it aggressive? Does it have brake-pedals built-in? Is it prone to over-react to allergens? When we know exactly how your immune system is wired, we have tremendous understanding of how to support it well. Whether you feel you have a weak immune system or a hyperactive one, this test is foundational.
One of the often overlooked tests to consider for immune health is a stool test. Knowing exactly what is going on in your gut is so important for immunity. We often see patients who have bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections that have been with them for years - and with little-to-no digestive symptoms in some! If your body is constantly battling a gut pathogen, your immune army is pre-occupied. You have less warriors available to fight! Plus, up to 70% of our immune system comes from the gut. This is such a critical area for health and immunity. In our office we use the GI-Map Comprehensive DNA Stool Test (Learn More). Although we have others available, this has been our best diagnostic tool.
Next Steps
If you haven’t read them already, take a look at our blog posts on supporting immunity (here), and our video on Attracting Illness (here).
If you need help navigating through these nutrients or getting testing done so you know for sure how to support your body, please send us a message. We are happy to help!