8 of the best vitamins to support your immunity 2022

8 of the best vitamins to support your immunity 2022

If you want to feel good, keeping your immune system healthy and functioning is essential.

This hardworking system is dedicated to protecting us.

Discover the 8 best vitamin formulas of 2022 to help support your immunity here, as well as some information on how they work.

The link between vitamins and immunity

One of the best ways to support your natural immunity is to nourish your body with the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive (the ones your body can’t make by itself).

It’s worth noting that you need a dose of some water-soluble vitamins and minerals every day as your body can’t store them, e.g., you can’t eat 20 oranges one day or pop a load of vitamin C pills and be covered for a few weeks; you need vitamin C every day.

The full spectrum of B vitamins also comes under this category.

Other vitamins are fat soluble, meaning they dissolve in fat and are stored in the body. These include vitamins A, D, E and K. Thankfully, if you consume a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables you should get most of the vitamins you need.

However, if you don’t eat a balanced diet regularly, actively avoid fruits and veggies, or have a restrictive diet, you may be low in certain vitamins that your immune system needs to function – keep reading to find out more about them.

Which vitamin provides immunity?

There isn’t just one vitamin that helps to support the immune system, there are a few! Here are some of the best vitamins to keep topped up if you want a healthy functioning immune system.

1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for the normal functioning of the immune system.

Some sources of vitamin A include eggs, cod liver oil, and dark green leafy vegetables.

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps support the cellular functions needed for a healthy immune system.

Oranges, orange juice, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, strawberries broccoli, and red/green peppers are some of the best sources.

3. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) helps support our immune systems, as well as nervous system function, protein metabolism, and red blood cell formation.

It’s usually found in animal products like pork, fish and eggs and plant foods like chickpeas, wholegrains, bannanas, squash and more.

4. Vitamin B9 (Folic acid)

Also known as folate, vitamin B9 plays an essential role in chemical reactions in the body that affect our immune system. Good sources of folic acid include broccoli, leafy green vegetables, and brussels sprouts.

5. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps make nucleic acid and cell proteins associated with our immune system.

You can find it in meat, fish, dairy, eggs, enriched nutritional yeast, fortified milks and mock meats.

6. Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps to keep your immune system functioning normally.

We make most vitamin D by exposing our unprotected skin to direct sunlight. As we live in a country that is not always the sunniest… the UK Government recommends a daily supplement between October and March.

Minerals and other nutrients that support the immune system

Here are some other nutrients and minerals that help the function of our immune system.

1. Zinc

Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system. You can find it in seafood, red meat, chickpeas, eggs, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

However, you need to be careful not to consume more than the recommended daily allowance, which is 25mg.

2. Iron

Iron is one of the most important minerals for our bodies, especially when it comes to our immune system.

In fact, being deficient in iron can have negative effects on the immune systems and potentially leave us vulnerable.

You can find it in red meat, fish, leafy green vegetables, beans, chickpeas and some fortified foods.

3. Selenium

Selenium is another mineral essential for immune system function, as well as thyroid function, hair and nail maintenance and normal sperm development.

Get your fill from foods like Brazil nuts, tuna, eggs, prawns, oats and spinach.

8 of the best vitamins to support your immunity 2022

Now you know what you need – check out 8 of our favourite specially formulated vitamin immunity supplements sold here at Holland & Barrett.

There’s something for everybody!

Are there side effects of immunity vitamin supplements?

As immunity supplements differ in their formulas, it’s hard to list potential side effects because each product will cause a different reaction in each person.

It’s always best to consult your doctor before starting a new supplement, especially if you are already taking medication, have allergies or are pregnant / breastfeeding.

For example, pregnant women need to be careful of how much vitamin A they consume.

Then, once you have the ‘thumbs up’ you can introduce the supplement slowly, monitoring for any side effects like:

  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Skin irritation

The final say

  • There are many things we can do to support our natural immunity to help keep us fit
  • Some vitamins and minerals are key to normal immune system functioning, like vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc
  • You can take these vitamins by themselves or take a specially created formula for immune support, like the 8 we listed above.

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