Top 3 Supplements for Immune Support
Whenever the immune system needs extra support, whether it be cold and flu season, flying on an airplane, kids constantly bringing germs home from school, or the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, here are my top 3 supplements to optimize immune health. These are nutrients that my whole family takes daily during the winter and anytime the immune system needs extra TLC. Bonus: I’ve included ones that have been kid-tested and approved for taste.
1. Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral that plays an important role in numerous functions throughout the entire body. It’s especially important for healthy immune system function and defense against infections. Dietary zinc deficiency is common and affects an estimated 2 billion people worldwide. [1] Research suggests that zinc supplements are estimated to reduce diarrheal deaths by 13% and pneumonia deaths by 20%. [2]
Some of the populations that are at a higher risk for zinc deficiency:
premature and low-birth weight infants
pregnant and lactating women
children and adolescents
people with malabsorption issues like Celiac Disease and IBD
adults over 65 years old
those on medications (like Proton Pump Inhibitors) that may inhibit zinc absorption [3]
vegetarians
Common symptoms that may indicate zinc deficiency:
decreased immunity or frequent colds
low appetite or loss of appetite
depression or apathy
some skin issues like dermatitis
excessive hair loss
impaired memory or cognitive function
developmental delays and learning disabilities [4]
poor attention span
diarrhea
poor wound healing
My zinc supplement picks:
Our kid-friendly pick is Liquid Zinc from Pure Encapsulations because it’s in a base of apple and cranberry juice with a little stevia, which helps the medicine go down with ease.
For those who can swallow capsules:
Dosing considerations:
It’s important to note that more is not always better — there’s a therapeutic window, which is true for most supplements. A high intake of zinc (roughly 150mg/day or above) may induce copper deficiency by competing with copper for absorption in the intestine, which may lead to anemia or neurological issues.
The dose that’s right for you will depend on your age, weight and medical history. In naturopathic medical practice, a commonly recommended dose for an adult is 30mg/day, but during times of illness the recommendation is often higher. Schedule with one of our doctors or ask your health practitioner to advise you.
2. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a natural antiviral that appears frequently in scientific literature and even gets a recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the treatment of the measles virus. [5] Vitamin A deficiency is associated with an increased risk for infection and has been shown be an effective antiviral in the treatment of norovirus [6]
My Vitamin A supplement picks:
Our kid-friendly pick is Micellized Vitamin A
Other Vitamin A Options:
Dosing considerations:
Because Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, any excess dosing tends to hang around in the body inside fat stores — which differentiates it from water-soluble vitamins that will simply be eliminated when you urinate. This means that too much Vitamin A can be dangerous. You can find some basic info and guidelines for Vitamin A here, but note that the RDA’s [Recommended Daily Allowance] are not aimed to replete Vitamin A deficiency so in clinic we often will dose Vitamin A higher than the RDA and monitor the situation for any signs of excess.
In my naturopathic medicine practice, it’s common for me to consider a dose around 5,000IU per day for children and 10,000IU per day for adults, but I will dose higher when the situation is more challenging and requires more aggressive immune support.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends administration of an oral dose of 200,000 IU (or 100,000 IU in infants) of vitamin A per day for two days to children with measles in areas where vitamin A deficiency may be present. Take note: this high dose is only being recommended for two days — that amount will stay in the body for longer than 2 days, likely providing some protection even after the dose is given.
For reference, in case your curious to know about toxicity levels of Vitamin A, they are as follows according to Medscape, (and significantly higher than any dose I would ever recommend):
Acute toxic dose of Vitamin A is 25,000 IU/kg of body weight (one dose).
For example, for a 150-pound adult one single dose of 1,700,000IU or higher could cause toxicity.
For a 50-pound child, one single dose of 575,000IU or higher could cause toxicity.
Chronic toxic dose is 4,000 IU/kg of body weight (every day for 6-15 months).
For a 150-pound adult, 272,000IU or more of Vitamin A daily for 6 to 15 months could cause toxicity.
For a 50 pound child, 92,000IU or more of Vitamin A daily for 6 to 15 months could cause toxicity.
Check with your own doctor about what dose would be safest for you — if they are not sure, consider sharing this article with them and you can make the decision together.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for so many reasons and we need it on a regular basis. Normally we would absorb this multi-tasking vitamin through sunlight exposure but when the sun is away we need to find other ways for our bodies to absorb it. Vitamin D plays a key role in balancing the body’s immune system and can have a large impact in preventing infection. As a bonus, it can also help prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
My Vitamin D supplement picks:
My kid-friendly pick is Liquid Vitamin D3 with K2. Generally, most liquid versions are palatable and kid-friendly.
Other great Vitamin D options for adults or those who can swallow pills:
Some of the populations that are at a higher risk for Vitamin D deficiency:
people who experience seasonal changes where the quality and quantity of UVB rays is low, thus reducing vitamin D production in skin
those who limit sun exposure by wearing protective clothing and hats, and applying sunscreens often and to excess
older age individuals have reduced capacity to synthesize vitamin D in skin when exposed to UVB radiation and are more likely to stay indoors or use sunscreen, preventing vitamin D synthesis
people with inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease appear to be at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, especially those who have had small bowel resections
magnesium deficient people
exclusively breast fed infants who were not given a vitamin D supplementation
Common symptoms that may indicate Vitamin D deficiency:
muscle weakness, muscle aches and muscle cramps
bone pain, early signs of osteoporosis
weakened immune systems and inappropriate immune responses (i.e. autoimmunity)
fatigue
mood swings, depression
Dosing considerations:
As above, more is not always better — there’s a therapeutic window which is why I recommend that all of my patients get their Vitamin D levels tested.
The dose that’s right for you will depend on your age, weight and medical history. In naturopathic medical practice, a commonly recommended dose for an adult with is between 5,000IU to 8,000IU per day, but intermittent testing helps us dial in the right amount for each individual. Schedule with one of our doctors or ask your health practitioner to advise you.
For other immune support ideas check out Dr. Liz’s Immune Support Protocol!
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Orchard nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Liz Orchard is Chief Naturopathic Doctor, CEO and founder of Be Well Natural Medicine. After graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. in pre-medical studies from the University of St. Thomas (2001), Dr. Orchard earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine (2008), with honors, from the oldest fully accredited Naturopathic medical school, National College of Natural Medicine, in Portland, Oregon…