Natural immune boosters – herbs and supplements for the cold months

Myth or fact: can the cold really give you a cold?

With the start of school, children are locked back together and can hand anything over to the family when they get home. This alone is a strong basis for the spread of infections. What’s more, cold is now scientifically proven to predispose us to ’colds’.1 Studies confirm that cold air can overwhelm our immune system, i.e. impair the immune response of the respiratory tract.

So the fact is that we need to be even more vigilant about preventing infections in cold weather. Although we cannot avoid all infections, it is clear that a strong immune system will help you get through even the most stubborn illnesses more quickly and with a milder course. To understand the full immune boost, let’s take a biology class!

What exactly is the immune system?

The immune system refers to all the cells, organs an biological processes that protect our body. We inherit part of our immunity (we call it „innate immunity”), which includes not only cells and organs, but also specific defence mechanisms – for example: the function of the gut flora barrier, but also the mechanism of inflammation itself.

The other part of our immunity is „learned” through our interactions with pathogens.  We call this acquired immunity. Its function can be illustrated as follows:

1. Let’s assume that some foreign (antigenic) substance has entered your body.
2. T-Lymphocytes (a type of immune cell) recognise it. Antigen-presenting cells (also immune cells) help to do this. After recognition, the foreign material is processed, i.e.:
3. the B cells produce antibodies,
4. antibodies interact with antigens to form a complex. This antibody-antigen complex is important because it is the only way for the phagocytes to recognise and destroy the foreign material.
5. After the work is done, the phagocytes (white blood cells) die and pus is formed.
6. The foreign antigen is stored „in the immune memory” and B cells memorise the sequence (amino acid sequence) of the antibody to the foreign antigen.

This complex process requires not only energy but also important co-factors such as vitamins and minerals. Replenishing these nutrients will be a pillar of immune boosting – deficiences can lead to a drastically weakened immune system. Another particularly important aspect is to de-stress our immune system: preventing cell damage (antioxidants such as propolis, ginger, ginseng and garlic will help a lot).

So here are the ten commandments of a healthy immune system!

1. Get enough exercise, but not too much! Exercise can be overdone.

• Allow 1-2 days recovery time per muscle group
• It’s also worth doing the same form of exercise with 1-1 day rest
• Make sure you have 1-2 rest days per week when you are not exercising!

2. Don’t underestimate the power of cold-hot therapy! Saunas, cryosaunas and ice bath immersion have been shown to have immune-boosting effects.^2,3 While not everyone has access to saunas and ice baths, they don’t have to! Just play around a bit with the shower. Start with a nice warm one, when it starts to feel too hot (after 1-2 minutes) switch to cold and try to keep it cold for 1-2 minutes, then close with warm again. Cold therapies are most beneficial when done after exercise.

3. Ventilate regularly, never stagnate. This is always true, but even more so when there is a sick person in the family. Constant ventilation can help prevent the growth of viruses and bacteria.

4. Don’t underestimate the treasure of the sea! The Omega-3 fatty acids found in marine fish have incredibly powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Specifically, Omega-3s reduce chronic, low-level inflammation.  

• We have learnt from the discussion of the immune system that inflammatory cells (granulocytes, phagocytes) are necessary for the healing process (whether infection or injury), but that they can turn against us when we are „unattached”.
• Specifically, they have cell-damaging effects and drain the resources of the immune system. And Omega-3 helps to ensure that we don’t have too many „unattached” inflammatory cells at rest.⁴
• So Omega-3 relieves the immune system!

5. Carbohydrates are not your enemy, but beware of sugar!

• We do need carbohydrates, but the problem with sugar, white flour and sodium glutamate is that if you eat too much of them, you will hardly ever crave the quality foods that really nourish your immune system. In other words, vegetables, fruit, seeds and fish rich in fibre, vitamins and ’good fats’.
• Furthermore, the sudden rise in blood sugar caused by eating rapidly absorbed carbohydrates is also not good for chronic low-level inflammation. Specifically, diabetes can cause cell damage, think diabetic neuropathy. Quick tip: if you eat a protein-rich product, be sure to eat lots of fibre-rich vegetables with it. And eat unflavoured, odourless fibre powder with sugary sweets!

6. Eat varied, eat the rainbow! Who would think that the colour of food is so important? But the colors in natural (!!!) foods are due to the pigments that are high in antioxidants and super healthy (see the next subsection for why).

• Eat greens every day: broccoli, spinach, cucumber, brussels sprouts or lettuce (curly kale is best)
• Eat yellow: carrots, pumpkin, ginger, lemon or cabbage.
• Then have red ones: peppers, strawberries, currants, pomegranate or beetroot.
• And don’t forget the blue! Eat blueberries, blackcurrants, plums or grapes.

7. Use the power of multivitamins 365 days a year! Suppose you do eat a rainbow every day (which I doubt), but suppose you do! I’m still going to convince you why you should still be taking some kind of multivitamin supplement. I have several arguments:

• How much vitamin C are you taking? The average daily intake of vitamin C in the Hungarian population is significantly higher than the recommended daily intake. While the recommended daily intake is 80 mg, 40% of Hungarians consume 1000 mg per day, more than ten times the recommended amount.⁵ This high amount makes sense (even more during recovery from infections), but what if I told you that you’d be better off taking some of the other vitamins that work in a similar (yet slightly different) way? Albeit equally less of each, but would that cover the full spectrum of immune boosting?
• There is a shortage of vitamins that hardly effect the immune system. Vitamin D2 (which has little immune-boosting effect, unlike D3, but rather stimulates the action of D3)6, vitamin K (which plays a role in blood clotting, bone and cardiovascular health), vitamin B7 (biotin; which is more important for hair, skin and nail health) and vitamin B9 (which is important for cell division and nervous system health). Ám ezekről is egyre több immunerősítő hatást igazoló tanulmány érkezik.^7-9
• With a multivitamin and complex mineral supplement, you can make sure you don’t develop deficiences even with a demanding lifestyle. To do this, choose one that „doesn’t overdose”. You don’t need huge amounts in the long term, just enough to cover your daily needs. Since minerals have similar effects to vitamins, they should also contain trace elements in a complex way!

8. Accept the gift of the bees! Do you need more than the following effects to be convinced of the power of propolis?

• Antioxidant effect^17,18
• Anti-inflammatory effect^19,20
• Antibacterial and antiviral effects^21,22
• Wound healing²³
• The combination of these effects can lead to a boosted immune system²⁴

9. Eat garlic like you’re afraid of vampires! Garlic not only keep vampires away, but also infections. If you don’t like the taste, choose a supplement.

10. Use the Indian spices: turmeric, ginger and ginzeng: These herbs have tremendously powerful antioxidant effects and also each one works a little differently, here’s now!

How do antioxidants such as: vitamins, minerals, propolis, turmeric, ginger and ginseng work?

ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES. The antioxidant effect is a common feature of all the active ingredients listed above. From their name: antioxidants refer to compounds that are antioxidants, and oxidation is a process by which certain molecules (in this case cellular components) become elctron deficient, while molecules that take up electrons will have an electron surplus.²⁵ Molecules that arbitrarily "steal" electrons are called free radicals. Bacteria and viruses release more of these harmful substances, which our bodies defend against with antioxidants.

WHY DO YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE OF THEM? The electron accepting and transferring ability can be described by electronegativity, and this value varies greatly from molecule to molecule. So certain active substances (vitamins, minerals, terpenes and polyphenols) have different efficiences in neutralising different harmful substences.

As an example, let’s look at the main antioxidant active ingredients in the immune boosters mentioned above:

• Antioxidant active ingredients of garlic extract¹²:
  • Allicin: The main bioactive compound in garlic, produced when garlic is cutted or crushed.
  • S-allyl-cysteine (SAC): a compound produced by the breakdown of allicin, which has antioxidant activity, it can prevent the conversion of fatty acids into free radicals (lipid peroxidation).
  • Diallil-disulphide (DADS)
  • Diallil-trisulphide (DATS)

• Antioxidant active ingredients of ginseng¹³:
  • Ginsenoides: The main active constituents of ginseng, several of which have strong antioxidant activity, are ginsenoides of the type Rg1, Rb1 and Re.
  • Panaxans

• Antioxidant active ingredients in turmeric¹⁶:
  • Turmeric: This is the main bioactive compound in turmeric.
  • Demethoxycurcumin: a derivative of turmeric.
  • Bis-demethoxycurcumin: Another form of curcumin, known for its antioxidant properties and its role in cell protection.
  • Turmerone: Although known mainly as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity has also been observed, particularly in the inhibition of lipid peroxidation.

• Antioxidant active substances of propolis¹⁴:
  • Flavonoids (e.g. pinocembrin, galangin): the main plant owes its strength to these secondary metabolites. They are among the polyphenols.
  • Caffeic acid phenethyl ester: This phenolic compound has a strong antioxidant effect and inhibits lipid peroxidation.
  • Phenolic acids (e.g. ferulic acid)

• Antioxidant active substances of ginger¹⁵:
  • Gingerols: One of the main antioxidant compounds in ginger, which has a strong free radical scavenging effect.
  • Shogaols: A form of gingerol produced during heat treatment, which also has antioxidant activity and helps to reduce oxidative stress on cells.
  • Zingerone: particularly important in protecting against lipid peroxidation.

Antioxidants also have the ability to reduce chronic low-level inflammation in the body, further supporting the immune system. The principle is the same as we discussed earlier (with Omega 3) – that inflammatory cells can turn against us „unconstrained”, which is what natural anti-inflammatories prevent.  

The effects of these herbal extracts may go beyond antioxidant effects. The herbs listed above and propolis may also have antimicrobial effects by inhibiting the entry and growth of infections and the formation of bacterial biofilm.

Summary

With information dumping, we won’t leave you unsatisfied. We show you the best supplement combinations to boost your immune system. Pro tip: it is unnecessary to take everything at the same time, as excessive antioxidant intake can neutralise each other’s effects.^26,27 Do take a multivitamin and Omega 3 and alternate the herbal extracts (take one at a time).

Multivitamin: GAL Multivitamin (60.2 g)

Omega 3: GAL Omega-3 Eco (60 Lágykapszula)

And one of the following:

• GARLIC: Natur Tanya Fermented Black Garlic 800 mg (30 Capsules)
• PROPOLIS: Now Foods Propolis 1500 5:1 Extract (100 Veg Capsules)
• CURCUMIN: Life Extension Advanced Curcumin Elite Turmeric Extract, Ginger & Turmerones (30 Softgel)
• GINSENG: Puritan's Pride Ginseng Complex with Royal Jelly 1000 mg (50 Capsule)

For a specific disease, Vitamin360 recommends the following combination:

1. GAL Multivitamin (60.2 g)
2. Wise Tree Naturals MikrobaCID™ (30 ml)
3. JutaVit Vitamin C 1500 mg + Acerola + D3 + Zinc (100 Tablets)
4. In addition to antibiotic treatment: Wise Tree Naturals Gut Flora Friendly Supplement (30 Capsules)

It is also important to note that all of the extracts mentioned above (including propolis, turmeric, ginger and ginseng) can react with blood thinners^28-30, so consult your doctor before using them. Furthermore, none of the above-mentioned food supplements are a substitute for medical treatment, but only a complement to it.