Coronavirus: Can you boost your immune system?

When considering how to “boost” your immune system, it’s important to understand that it’s impossible to prevent or cure infections (including COVID-19) with only diets, supplement or lifestyle changes alone. However, you can make the most of your body’s natural ability to respond to infections.

Understand your immune system

The immune system is the body’s natural defence against antigens. An antigen is any substance (from inside or outside the body) that causes the immune system to make antibodies. These antibodies neutralise the threat of the antigen and protect your body.

The term “boost” suggests that the immune system can be pushed beyond its current state and in some cases, that may be true. This depends on your current lifestyle. If you already implement the following steps and more, you could already be at the limit of what is naturally possible in supporting your immune system.

But if you’re lacking certain nutrients among other things, you could benefit by paying attention to a few details that help you reach the full capacity of your body’s natural defence against infections.

Fad diets won’t help

A balanced diet provides the immune system with fuel to function. It’s important to know that no fad diet or supplements have been scientifically proven to prevent or cure coronavirus COVID-19 (as of the publishing of this article).

It’s a new coronavirus and scientists haven’t been able to research COVID-19’s specific relationship with diets i.e. keto, the low-carb diet etc. And while some diets have proved helpful towards immunity response against the flu, colds or other viruses, these are different from COVID-19 and claims should be taken with a pinch of salt until scientifically proven.

But this doesn’t mean that the food you eat can’t support the immune system. All nutrients and minerals play a vital part in nourishing the body and therefore supporting the immune system. However, some are more strongly linked to the immune system than others.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most vital for keeping your immune system strong. A lack of vitamin C can actually make you more prone to becoming sick.

Public Health England advises that people aged 19 and above should aim to consume 40mg (milligrams) of vitamin C per day. If you choose to take supplements, be aware that overdoing it can cause diarrhoea and stomach pain. Examples of vitamin C rich foods are:

• Oranges
• Grapefruit
• Strawberries
• Peppers
• Blackcurrants
• Potatoes
• Spinach and kale

Vitamin C is found in a lot of food, so the majority of people are unlikely to need supplements (unless recommended by a doctor).

Vitamin D

Vitamin D affects the mechanics of your immune system in a very positive way. Public Health England recommends a daily intake of 10 mcg (micrograms) of Vitamin D (from diet) for adults age 19+ to keep healthy bones, teeth and muscle, as well as for protecting your immune system.

Your body produces vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight, which is much easier in the summer months. Vitamin D supplements can be particularly helpful in winter, in other seasons if you’re indoors often or if you can’t consume enough vitamin D from your diet. Examples of vitamin D rich foods are:

• Cheese
• Eggs (the yolk contains vitamin D, not the egg whites)
• Fatty fish (like tuna, salmon and mackerel)
• Orange juice
• Cereals

Zinc

Zinc plays a vital role in the immune system and healing. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, in the average UK diet, a third of zinc is consumed by eating meat.

The recommended daily intake of zinc for people aged 19 and over is 9.5mg for men and 7.0mg for women. You can increase your zinc intake with foods such as:

• Red meat
• White meat (poultry)
• Dairy (milk, cheese, eggs)
• Shellfish
• Wholegrain cereals
• Nuts and pulses

If you take zinc supplements, be careful about consuming too much because this can lead to anaemia and bone weakness^.

Exercise (but don’t overdo it)

Regular and moderate exercise is beneficial for your immune system but some research concludes that overdoing exercise (too intense or too frequent) can temporarily wear it down. The ideal action is to perform moderate exercise daily, even during lockdown and isolation, to keep your general health and immune system thriving. This includes activities like walking, running and cycling and indoor workouts.

Sleep

According to Sleep Council UK, 40 per cent of the UK suffers from sleep issues. While you’re sleeping, your immune system is given a rest and the body replenishes and repairs itself. Going several days without a full night’s sleep will make you more vulnerable to infections as well as metabolic and hormone changes. A good night’s sleep strengthens the immune response and as a result, certain hormones that support the immune system are released during sleep.

Read more about how to prevent COVID-19 from ruining your sleep in another of our informative articles.

Alcohol and tobacco

Unsurprisingly, alcohol and tobacco are harmful to your immune system. Smoking makes you more susceptible to infections, such as viruses and pneumonia, and it can make you ill for longer. What’s more, it can lower levels of vitamins and minerals in the blood. Alcohol, despite some claims circulating the media, will not provide you with increased resistance to COVID-19. In fact, alcohol doesn’t support your immune system at all and has a damaging effect.

Stress

The stress hormone cortisol suppresses the immune system’s effectiveness when fighting off antigens. Check out these 12 mental wellbeing tips from a highly qualified psychiatrist to successfully manage stress during this stressful time that COVID-19 has created.