5 vitamins and minerals that could boost your immune system this winter

Support your immune system this winter with an optimal nutrition plan that supplements your healthful diet with suitable high-potency vitamin and mineral products to compensate for any potential shortfalls.

These 5 micronutrients may help to support your immune response during this cold and flu season

READ MORE | Consider These 3 Supplements For Added Immune Support This Winter

1. Vitamin C

While working to fight an infection, immune cells (white blood cells like macrophages and neutrophils) metabolise large quantities of vitamin C.

Without adequate vitamin C from our diets, our immune cells can not function optimally, which is why supplementing with extra vitamin C when you are sick could support your immune response.

2. Vitamin D

The ‘sunshine’ vitamin plays roles in various bodily systems, including both the innate and adaptive immune responses.

Vitamin D stimulates immune cell expression and helps to maintain cell integrity. Boosting vitamin D levels and addressing a deficiency through sun exposure, your diet and supplements may help to reduce the incidence and severity of viral infections and URTIs.

3. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an important component of cell membranes, including immune cells, and also has antioxidant properties, which helps to prevent oxidation and manage free radical levels.

A lack of sufficient vitamin E can result in damage to white blood cells like lymphocytes, which can compromise your immune response.

4. Selenium

Selenium functions in synergy with vitamin E as an antioxidant. Due to its synergistic role with vitamin E, getting sufficient selenium from your diet and supplements is vital for a strong immune system. A selenium deficiency can also compromise vitamin E’s impact on immunity.

5. Zinc

Zinc functions as a co-factor to other antioxidants, which means a deficiency may compromise immune cell function due to damage from free radicals.

Zinc picolinate and zinc monomethionine aspartate (ZMA) are two highly bioavailable forms of zinc supplements, which makes them ideal for immune support during winter.