There has been a lot of panic and misinformation surrounding the novel coronavirus. Experts recommend being alert, not alarmed. There are many things you can do, and may already be doing, to boost your immune system function and best prepare your body for fighting the virus.
Really though, with all the hysteria surrounding COVID-19, I thought I would shed some light on what YOU can do to boost immunity.
1. FOOD FIRST
Before you go out and buy a bunch of supplements, ensure that your diet is in check. This means whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean protein and healthy fat.
Focus on micronutrient dense foods. Do this by making your plate more colorful! Choosing fruits and vegetables of varying colors ensures you are getting a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Add in lean proteins and healthy fats to create balanced meals.
2. SLEEP SECOND
Listen, if you're not snoozing, you're losing. You want to ensure you are giving your body the rest it needs to repair and function properly. A body lacking sleep will be pushed into a stressed state, releasing cortisol and other fat-storage hormones. In this state, it's also hard for your body to digest foods properly and recover from training.
3. Ok, now you can think about supplements.
Don't go crazy and get sucked into a ton of supplements marketed as "immune boosting." Your immune system is primarily influenced by your overall health status (ie- maintaining a healthy weight, eating whole, nutrient rich foods and focusing on preventing/managing chronic disease), and no supplement is going to change that.
However, I understand how it can feel good to have an extra layer of protection. Some generally safe and scientifically-backed supplements include
- A general multivitamin
- Zinc
- Vitamin D
- A good probiotic
Supplement Specs
While a multivitamin won't correct the damage of a poor diet, it can be helpful for ensuring the gaps are filled when the diet isn't ideal.
Zinc is primarily helpful in fighting off infection. In a small double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving adults 65 and older, researchers found that 30 mg of zinc daily for 3 months increased both the number and effectiveness of T-cells (immune cells that protect the body from opportunistic infections and cancer).
Research has shown that Vitamin D in its active form (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) can help to strengthen the body's defense against infection through it's role in innate immunity. Additionally, it's work on T-cells (as mentioned above) suggests positive anti-inflammatory effects in autoimmune disease.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer benefit on the host. Our gut has millions of microorganisms living in it and feeding off of the food that we eat. The type of organisms in our gut can be beneficial or pathogenic. Probiotics can help add to the population of beneficial bacteria. The exact mechanisms for these beneficial effects haven't been well studied, but it is theorized that the competition for nutrients and starving out the bad bacteria confers a beneficial effect that is independent of the body's traditional immune response. Overall, more research needs to be done on probiotics but they are generally accepted as safe.
The Wrap Up
Try to eat a wide variety of healthy foods to ensure you are your main source of nutrients is food before you dive into supplements. Always consult with your registered dietitian or physician before starting a supplement regimen.
Sources:
Dayong Wu, Erin D. Lewis, Munyong Pae, Simin Nikbin Meydani Front Immunol. 2018; 9: 3160. Published online 2019 Jan 15. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.03160
PMCID: PMC6340979
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