Your immune system is a cooperating assembly of biological structures and processes within your body that protects you from infection and disease by identifying and eliminating pathogens, toxins and cancerous cells. Your immune system employs three main layers of defense: physical barriers, an innate attack system and an adaptive attack system based upon previous exposure and immunological memory. Certain vitamins greatly support all layers of your immune system.
Vitamin A Support
Vitamin A is essential for your immune system's physical barriers. Vitamin A contributes to keeping viruses, bacteria and other pathogens from breaching your body through sustaining mucus membranes. The presence of vitamin A allows the membranes that line your nasal cavities, sinuses, eyes, mouth and intestines to keep moist and evenly dispersed, which effectively blocks, captures and eliminates pathogens and debris. Vitamin A also helps your immune system's attacking ability by aiding in the synthesis of enzymes that are capable of destroying microorganisms that manage to breach the physical barriers.
B-Vitamin Support
The B vitamins are eight unique water-soluble compounds that are primarily involved with cell metabolism, which is necessary to provide the vast energy requirements of your healthy immune system. Some B vitamins, such as B5, B6, B9 and B12, contribute to the attacking component of your immune response. For example, vitamin B6 is partially responsible for elevating the number of white blood cells, or leukocytes, circulating in blood. Some of these leukocytes are produced in your thymus gland and are called, killer T-cells, because of their ability to kill pathogenic invaders. A 2002 study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" found that women who increased their vitamin B6 consumption to over 2 mg per day also increased their circulating lymphocyte levels by about 35 percent.
Vitamin C Support
Thanks mainly to the research of scientist Linus Pauling, vitamin C is the nutrient most often associated with supporting or boosting immunity. According to "Subcellular Biochemistry," vitamin C stimulates the synthesis and enhances the function of many leukocytes, especially neutrophils, lymphocytes and phagocytes. Neutrophils aggressively attack pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. Vitamin C, as ascorbic acid, also increases the level of circulating antibodies within your blood's serum. Further, vitamin C contributes to the synthesis of interferon, a protein-based compound that disables viruses, and glutathione, an anti-oxidant that scavenges free-radicals.
Vitamin D Support
Vitamin D is another supportive nutrient for strong immunity. A 2010 study published in "Nature Immunology" found that vitamin D is essential for activating killer T-cells so they can properly detect and eliminate invading pathogens, which otherwise could develop into infections. Further, the researchers found that killer T-cells primarily rely on vitamin D to be activated from dormancy.
Vitamin E Support
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and considered a modulator of your immune system. A 2000 study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" found that vitamin E, in the form of supplements, improved cell-mediated immune response and oxidation stress in Asian people. Specifically, vitamin E boosts immunity by synthesizing interleukin-2, a protein-based compound that destroys bacteria, viruses and cancerous cells.
References
- "The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements, and Herbs"; Nicola Reavley; 1999
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Improved Vitamin B-6 Status Is Positively Related to Lymphocyte Proliferation in Young Women Consuming a Controlled Diet; Ho-Kyung Kwak, et al; November, 2002
- "Subcellular Biochemistry, Vol. 25: Ascorbic Acid: Biochemistry and Biomedical Cell Biology"; J.R. Harris; 1996
- "Nature Immunology"; Vitamin D Controls T-cell Antigen Receptor Signaling and Activation of Human T-Cells; M.R. von Essen et al; April, 2010
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Vitamin E Supplementation Improves Cell-Mediated Immunity and Oxidative Stress of Asian Men and Women; F. Wan et al; December, 2000
