Optimal Immune Support: What Have We Learned?

Optimal Immune Support: What Have We Learned?

What have we learned in recent research on immune support? Observation and research studies have strongly underscored the important relationship between nutritional status and immune function with a few new insights and details. Also, we’ve learned a lot more about the role of the microbiome in immune function and how best to support it.

While most of this information is not really new to integrative practitioners, changes are more in degree and priority rather than substance. So what are the most important take-aways for all practitioners to know and embrace?

1. is even more important than we thought!
2. We knew was important for immune health, but now we know works double duty to transport zinc into cells and support healthy inflammation.
3. and redox balance remain important for healthy inflammation and immune function
4. support makes a difference
5. We can’t ignore the importance of the microbiome to immune function
6. Obesity promotes unhealthy inflammation

What does a holistic approach for optimal immune support look like now? Has anything changed? Yes, there are a few significant changes, especially to incorporate flavonols like quercetin and supporting the microbiome with polyphenolic compounds and pre-and probiotics.

Diet: A healthy mediterranean style, anti-inflammatory diet, which provides plenty of nutrients, phytochemicals and fiber supports nutrient synergy and helps feed the good bacteria in your gut.

Stress management: Stress increases inflammation and affects the microbiome. Anti-stress activities such as deep breathing, yoga, exercise, meditation, reading, as well as learning coping skills through counseling can all help maintain better immune function.

Exercise: important for physical and mental health, as well as immune function. Skeletal muscle movement releases myokines, which are immunoprotective.

Sleep: 7-8 hours of sleep nightly is crucial to healthy immune function.

Supplementation: Vitamins A, C, D, and zinc are nutrients essential for immunocompetence and difficult to get in adequate amounts through the diet. In addition, we have learned about the multiple benefits of quercetin, which acts as a zinc ionophore to transport zinc into the cells, but also has antioxidant and healthy inflammation supporting properties. We’ve learned that NAC is a helpful glutathione precursor to help replenish the important master antioxidant. And we’ve learned that supporting the microbiome with probiotics, prebiotics, and polyphenolic compounds such as extract is more important to immune health than we realized before.

Increasing vitamin D and adding quercetin and are the most common new recommendations. , , and remain helpful daily adjuncts to the foundational immune nutrients, because they have multiple actions to support cardiovascular and overall health in addition to immune health specifically.  

The immune system is quite dependent on nutrients for proper function and requires a significant increase in nutrients to support its functions once activated, and these nutrient reserves can be easily depleted. What we have learned is that specific nutrient adequacy and repletion is an important factor to the optimal, sustained function of a healthy immune system, and that it can make quite a difference in progress and recovery.