The Vitamins You Need for an Immune System Boost Articles | Supplements

By: J.Morgan

We take vitamins because we want them to help us become healthier and feel better. There are various different vitamins and supplements out there that can help us feel superior if we are lacking these vitamins or nutrients from our diets. If you tend to get colds and flu a lot or just want to boost your immune system during the sick season, there are certain vitamins that are tremendous for giving you an immune boost. Some of these include:
Echinacea
Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Zinc
These supplements can do wonders to help boost your immune system and make it more resistant to colds, upper respiratory infection and more. Every day our bodies are exposed to hundreds of viruses that our systems must work to fight off. To have the best chance of combating these viruses we need to have a healthy system. If you are not getting the right amounts of these vitamins from your regular diet, it may be important to supplement.
As with any other vitamin, you should not take it upon yourself to begin taking them. You could overdose or have an adverse reaction or a drug interaction to prescription drugs you are taking. However, if you feel you may be lacking in these vitamins and you want to give your immune system a boost with supplements, talk with your doctor today about possible solutions.
How do these vitamins and supplements work to help boost your immune system?
Echinacea is often used to treat cold and flue. It helps activate the body s T-cells which are an vital part of the immune response within the body. It is also believed that Echinacea has antiviral and anti-inflammatory qualities. There are certain dosages that should be taken so be sure to consult an expert to be sure and do not take large quantities of Echinacea for more than 8 weeks straight.
Vitamin C is also well known for helping to boost the immune system. It is suggested that 1000mg a day can help reduce the period of time of the common cold. These high doses should not be taken on a regular basis. The normal healthy daily allowance is more like 100mg a day.
Vitamin A can help fight infection and prevent infections in the first place. With a normal healthy diet, supplements are rarely required so please consult an expert if you think you may need vitamin A as a supplement.
Zinc helps with the production of hormones that support and aid the immune system when fighting viruses. When additional zinc is taken at the first sign of an infection it can reduce the period of illness.