You eat healthy and take care of yourself, so why do you need extra nutrients to stay well? Researchers around the world have delved into this topic of immunity-boosting vitamins, minerals, and even plants to understand their benefits for the body. Here’s what they found. 

There are certain immune boosting nutrients that help support your health. 

The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to keep the body healthy. This network is constantly working behind the scenes to defend us from viruses, bacteria, and pathogens. Chances are, right now, your immune system is fighting off something that you’re not even aware of! And when you get sick, your immune system is working on overdrive to get you better asap. 

In fact, the symptoms of sickness that you develop when you’re sick—a sniffly nose, a mucus-y cough, a fever, chills, or muscle aches and fatigue—are all a result of your body’s immune response fighting off a virus or pathogen to get you better.  

All this work takes a lot of nutrients, which is why poor nutrition can significantly impact immune function. That’s why, to work optimally, the immune system—as with every part of the body—needs the right nutrients. What’s more, if you do get sick, the body’s demand for key nutrients increases. Ideally, these nutrients will come from a healthy, balanced diet but most of us are not getting enough from diet alone. That’s when supplementation becomes important. 

Best supplements for cold and flu—and all year long? Try the Seasonal Defense Bundle with vitamins B12, C, and D, and minerals like zinc plus immune-supporting Onset. 

Top 5 Immune Boosting Nutrients Your Body Needs 

Numerous studies point to the benefits of key nutrients for immune health. The best supplements for cold and flu season? Some of these top nutrients are:  

1) Vitamin B12

This important B vitamin, also called cobalamin, is found in animal products like beef, fish, dairy (e.g., milk, cheese, and yogurt), and eggs. It’s also found in nutritional yeast for those who are vegan.  

When it comes to supporting immunity, vitamin B12 helps to balance immune responses to better fight viral infections. This is from a comprehensive review of research in the journal Nutrition Reviews. Inadequate levels of B12 can inhibit the activity of immune cells, says a team of researchers in Nutrition & Immunity. 

Who needs to supplement? If you eat a lot of animal products, you may not need to take additional vitamin B12. But if you’re vegan or vegetarian or limit animal products in general (e.g., you follow a mostly plant-based diet), daily vitamin B12 supplementation is a must to support overall health and immunity.  

Supplementing with vitamin B12 is also important for anyone with digestive disorders that prevent them from properly absorbing nutrients. And it’s a must for adults 50+. That’s because, as we age, the gut is less able to properly digest and absorb nutrients from B12-rich foods like beef. 

When supplementing, look for methyl cobalamin, a more highly absorbable form of vitamin B12. Methyl cobalamin is the natural, active form of B12; this is the form best utilized by the body.  

A good methylcobalamin B12 supplement? Methyl B-12 contains the most absorbable form of vitamin B12 in a convenient spray form. Try it now. 

2) Vitamin C

A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, helps to fight oxidation in the body. (Imagine an apple turning brown when exposed to air; this is oxidation.) Oxidation damages cells in the body due to exposure to pollution, toxins, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet, and more. Infections in the body can also cause oxidative stress.  

Should I take vitamin C when I’m sick? is a question you may be asking. Vitamin C can help support, and protect, immune cells when fighting infections to keep us well. More specifically, vitamin C supports the production of white blood cells, immune cells that help protect the body against infection, according to research in the journal Nutrients. Not getting enough vitamin C can impair immunity and increase your chances of infection. 

Who needs to supplement? You can get vitamin C in your diet from citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges, and lemons; strawberries; red and green bell peppers, kiwifruit; and leafy greens like spinach and kale. 

But if you’re under the weather or feel sick, supplementing with vitamin C may help support your immune function. You may want to consider taking vitamin C year-round, too, as it helps the body grow and repair tissues and is essential to the formation of collagen, a protein needed for healthy, youthful-looking skin. (Collagen production decreases as we age.) 

Feeling under the weather? Boost your immune response with Onset, with 18 key nutrients including vitamin C, zinc, selenium, and botanicals. Try it now. 

3) Selenium 

Like vitamin C, selenium is a powerful antioxidant that helps support immune cells. Studies have shown that increased blood levels of selenium are associated with an enhanced immune response. More specifically, researchers have found that selenium activates immune cells called macrophages that help destroy viruses and bacteria that can make us sick. 

Not getting enough selenium may result in a slower immune response, which could result in you being sick for longer. 

Who needs to supplement? The best dietary sources of selenium are oysters, Brazil nuts, halibut, tuna, sunflower seeds, and eggs. Mushrooms, which are also a good source of selenium, have been shown to help support an optimal immune response.  

Do I need to take selenium? is a question many people have. A good daily multivitamin can help you to get enough. But if you’re feeling under the weather, taking extra selenium may help your immune system fight infections faster, so you can start feeling better fast. 

The daily multivitamin that gives you more? Multi Guard+ is formulated with essential nutrients, antioxidants, mood-boosting nootropics, and botanicals for stress support. Try it now. 

4) Vitamin D 

Known as the sunshine vitamin, this nutrient can be created in the skin from exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light. It’s such a critical nutrient for immune function that a deficiency of vitamin D has been linked to an increased risk for chronic illnesses. This is why researchers agree that vitamin D has “an indisputable relation” to the immune system. 

Why is vitamin D so important? It helps immune cells to function optimally. And it protects against infections, keeping us healthy. What’s more, it’s an important nutrient for keeping our bones strong as it helps to restore and maintain calcium in our bones. 

Who needs to supplement? One of the best sources of vitamin D is mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light for at least 15 minutes. Fatty fish such as salmon, as well as fortified orange juice and cereal, are also good sources. Eating foods with some vitamin D may not give you enough.  

This is why vitamin D supplementation may be best, particularly during the cooler weather months when getting enough sunlight is hard. Who needs to take vitamin D supplements? Older adults may need more vitamin D as well as the skin doesn’t make vitamin D as effectively as it does when you’re younger.  

What’s important to note is that there are two forms of vitamin D: calciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D3 is the form most recommended as it’s the form our body naturally produces. 

5) Zinc 

Researchers are in unanimous agreement: this mineral is essential for the development and function of immune cells, which is why zinc has been called “the gatekeeper of immune function”. Like vitamin C and selenium, zinc also functions as an antioxidant. A deficiency of zinc has been linked to immune dysfunction. 

Who needs to supplement? You can find zinc in legumes like lentils, seeds, nuts, meat, poultry, and seafood like oysters. If you’re also taking a multivitamin, you may be getting enough zinc for everyday needs. But because immune needs increase when you’re sick, taking extra zinc prior to, and for the duration of, your sickness is often a good idea. 

Zinc supplements for cold and flu? Zinc Up+ supplies just the right dose of zinc in a convenient spray form with immune-boosting vitamin C. Try it now. 

There’s also a reason why chicken soup is always associated with helping you feel better when you get sick! Getting enough protein from foods like chicken and other meat, as well as from fish, nuts, seeds, legumes and beans, helps boost immune cell function. That’s because protein contains amino acids critical for the optimal response of T-cells, immune cells critical for fighting infection. To power up your daily protein, try a natural, plant-based protein powder like Plant Protein+. 

Bottom line: There are easy ways to support your immune system when you need it most. A healthy daily diet is always the first place to start, but if you need additional support, the right immune boosting nutrients, say researchers, can definitely help you stay well and recover from sickness faster.