Top 3 supplements for helping immunity
Well, here we are neck-deep in quarantine, doing our best to avoid exposures of consequence. Luckily grocery stores are still open, so fresh food and clean water prevail. But this is an odds game - to some extent in your favor.
Like a trip to Vegas where I say you can stuff as many aces up your sleeves as you wish. But when it comes to health and immune strength, we're talking nutrients that have a proven track record of supporting us. The list could go forever and individually, the most powerful nutrient to supplement is the one(s) missing from your diet.
So given a well-rounded diet, with much variety, the following three supplements would be on my list to face Corona or any infectious agent:
1) GLUTAMINE: In a nutshell Glutamine has several functions including the support of immunity, gastrointestinal integrity, insulin secretion, neurological activity, and muscle protein synthesis. It's one of those go-to nutrients for pretty much everything.
When we are fighting an infection, serum glutamine levels drop dramatically and therein lies your tip-off. The body is using the glutamine to build immune bodies.
Here are your gem quotes for the techies out there:
"..glutamine is considered as a “fuel for the immune system”, where a low blood concentration may impair immune cell function"
(Nutrients. 2018 Nov; 10(11): 1564)
and
"...Glutamine is utilized at a high rate by cells of the immune system in culture and is required to support optimal lymphocyte proliferation and production of cytokines by lymphocytes and macrophages. Macrophage-mediated phagocytosis is influenced by glutamine availability."
(Amino Acids. 1999;17(3):227-41.)
ps: the above means it's really important
When fighting an infection or times where I want to benefit from a prophylactic effect, I mix a healing tbsp with juice/ water/ crystallite at all three meals. What you don't use for immunity will likely differentiate to digestive health and other benefits.
I like ATP Lab's GLUTAMED for this.
2) ZINC: Zinc is a mineral that's important to the body in many ways. Zinc keeps the immune system strong, helps heal wounds, and supports normal growth.
Zinc is known to play a central role in the immune system, and zinc-deficient persons experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens.
(Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2 Suppl):447S-463S.).
Now a high intake of zinc induces the intestinal synthesis of a copper-binding protein called metallothionein. As such, Zinc supplementation is known to cause copper deficiency.
I use ATP lab's SYNERZINC as it is a balance of the two minerals with a highly absorbable form of zinc. During times of immune challenge, I will take one with both lunch and dinner.
3) VITAMIN D:
Vitamin D can modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as increased susceptibility to infection. But, of importance to us at this time, is Vitamin D's ability to deal with an invading virus:
"Cell culture experiments support the thesis that vitamin D has direct anti-viral effects, particularly against enveloped viruses. Through vitamin D's anti-viral mechanism..., it may be linked to vitamin D's ability to up-regulate the anti-microbial peptides LL-37 and human beta-defensin 2"
(J Clin Virol. 2011 Mar; 50(3): 194–200.)
It has been established that Vitamin D seems to absorb better through bolus dosing and with a fatty meal. So rather than taking 5,000 IU/d, do 25,000 IU once every 5 days with a meal high in fat (steak and eggs with a salad w/ olive oil ?).
Remember when dosing heavy, to up your Magnesium intake that day as it does tie it up to aid in absorption.
Personally I use ATP Lab's VITAMIN D3. Purity and guarantee of content are big issues with me when supplement shopping.
Clearly other things such a good Multi and Omega 3 supplementation will play a role in our overall health as well. But when deciding which nutrients to double up on for immune health, I like the above three.
Who loves ya?
"Coach Mike"
Like a trip to Vegas where I say you can stuff as many aces up your sleeves as you wish. But when it comes to health and immune strength, we're talking nutrients that have a proven track record of supporting us. The list could go forever and individually, the most powerful nutrient to supplement is the one(s) missing from your diet.
So given a well-rounded diet, with much variety, the following three supplements would be on my list to face Corona or any infectious agent:
1) GLUTAMINE: In a nutshell Glutamine has several functions including the support of immunity, gastrointestinal integrity, insulin secretion, neurological activity, and muscle protein synthesis. It's one of those go-to nutrients for pretty much everything.
When we are fighting an infection, serum glutamine levels drop dramatically and therein lies your tip-off. The body is using the glutamine to build immune bodies.
Here are your gem quotes for the techies out there:
"..glutamine is considered as a “fuel for the immune system”, where a low blood concentration may impair immune cell function"
(Nutrients. 2018 Nov; 10(11): 1564)
and
"...Glutamine is utilized at a high rate by cells of the immune system in culture and is required to support optimal lymphocyte proliferation and production of cytokines by lymphocytes and macrophages. Macrophage-mediated phagocytosis is influenced by glutamine availability."
(Amino Acids. 1999;17(3):227-41.)
ps: the above means it's really important
When fighting an infection or times where I want to benefit from a prophylactic effect, I mix a healing tbsp with juice/ water/ crystallite at all three meals. What you don't use for immunity will likely differentiate to digestive health and other benefits.
I like ATP Lab's GLUTAMED for this.
2) ZINC: Zinc is a mineral that's important to the body in many ways. Zinc keeps the immune system strong, helps heal wounds, and supports normal growth.
Zinc is known to play a central role in the immune system, and zinc-deficient persons experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens.
(Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2 Suppl):447S-463S.).
Now a high intake of zinc induces the intestinal synthesis of a copper-binding protein called metallothionein. As such, Zinc supplementation is known to cause copper deficiency.
I use ATP lab's SYNERZINC as it is a balance of the two minerals with a highly absorbable form of zinc. During times of immune challenge, I will take one with both lunch and dinner.
3) VITAMIN D:
Vitamin D can modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as increased susceptibility to infection. But, of importance to us at this time, is Vitamin D's ability to deal with an invading virus:
"Cell culture experiments support the thesis that vitamin D has direct anti-viral effects, particularly against enveloped viruses. Through vitamin D's anti-viral mechanism..., it may be linked to vitamin D's ability to up-regulate the anti-microbial peptides LL-37 and human beta-defensin 2"
(J Clin Virol. 2011 Mar; 50(3): 194–200.)
It has been established that Vitamin D seems to absorb better through bolus dosing and with a fatty meal. So rather than taking 5,000 IU/d, do 25,000 IU once every 5 days with a meal high in fat (steak and eggs with a salad w/ olive oil ?).
Remember when dosing heavy, to up your Magnesium intake that day as it does tie it up to aid in absorption.
Personally I use ATP Lab's VITAMIN D3. Purity and guarantee of content are big issues with me when supplement shopping.
Clearly other things such a good Multi and Omega 3 supplementation will play a role in our overall health as well. But when deciding which nutrients to double up on for immune health, I like the above three.
Who loves ya?
"Coach Mike"
