25/01/2022 / Health and Fitness

6 Vitamins to Boost your Immunity and Where it is Found Naturally

Vitamins are great supplements to boost immunity and improve our overall health. Know natural Vitamins to boost your immune system and also the sources of these immune system booster Vitamins

6 Vitamins to Boost your Immunity and Where it is Found Naturally
Keerthana A PKeerthana A P

Keerthana A P

Food Technologist, Engineer & Research Associate

Table of Content

Introduction

This pandemic has made us realize the importance of being better equipped to fight off infections and made us all search for supplements to boost immunity in the markets! Well, to make your search easy, we have made here a list of immune system booster vitamins and also included some natural supplements to boost the immune system.

Immune Boy

How to boost immunity naturally?

  • Before discussing the supplements to boost immunity, we can get to know the clear picture of our viral pandemic buzzword ‘immunity’! 

  • Immunity is our body’s ability to fight the intruders like harmful or pathogenic microorganisms entering our skin, bloodstream or organs. It employs certain cells as soldiers to combat these microbes. Sometimes our immune system weakens due to poor lifestyle and food choices. This pandemic has made us realize our mistakes and redirected us in the search for supplements to boost ‘immunity’. 

  • So, what supplements are good for immunity? Our ancestors were close to nature which provided natural supplements to boost the immune system and natural Vitamins are the best supplements to build immunity. But nowadays? People are turning to vitamins for immunity in the form of tonics and tablets. But anything natural is always double-fold, reliable and effective. Isn’t it? So, here are the vitamins to build up your immune system in these really tough times. These are immune system booster vitamins that can naturally help us fight off infections. Read on to know how to boost immunity naturally and which vitamins boost immunity!

What are those vitamins for immunity?

Whenever we consider vitamins for immunity boosting, the most commonly pronounced vitamins would be Vitamin C, A, E, D, B6 and Folic acid. These are the vitamins that boost immunity and help us in readily fighting infections. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and meat are often loaded with vitamins to boost the immune system effectively. Having Vitamins for immunity improvement helps in preparing our body for overcoming challenges posed by infections. 

6 Vitamins to Boost your Immunity and Where it is Found Naturally

1. Vitamin E 

Vitamin E or Tocopherol is another great supplement to boost immunity and plays a significant role in fighting potential illnesses and infections. It helps in the growth of T cells which stimulates the immune response and controls the spreading of infection to adjacent cells. They are good immune system boosters vitamins because they are loaded with high amounts of antioxidants. These antioxidants actively protect the toxin buildup in our cells and bloodstream.

Vitamin E Natural Occurrence 

Here are some fruits and vegetables that contain these vitamins to boost the immune system:

  • Vegetable oils.   

  • Cereal grains.  

  • Sunflower seeds.  

  • Hazelnuts, Peanuts, Almonds and Pistachio.  

  • Brazil nuts. 

  • Avocado.  

  • Kiwi.  

  • Mango.  

  • Raspberries and Blackberries.  

  • Green Leafy vegetables. 

  • Broccoli. 

  • Green beans.  

  • Asparagus.  

  • Butternut squash.  

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid are natural supplements to boost the immune system which are essential natural vitamins as they are not produced in our body. They are immune system boosters vitamins that form a defence mechanism against chronic diseases. These vitamins protect us from free radicals and increase the blood oxidant level by 30%. These are heavily hailed as vitamins for immunity as they also increase the production of White Blood Cells (WBC). Any supplements to boost immunity should increase the count of WBCs as they are the primary fighters against intruders. 

Vitamin C Natural Occurrence

These vitamins for immunity improvement can be found in many natural sources like fruits and vegetables. Some of those supplements to boost the immune system naturally are:

  • Citrus fruits like oranges and grapes. 

  • Amla. 

  • Guava.

  • Lemon.

  • Sprouts. 

  • Broccoli and Cauliflower.

  • Green and red peppers. 

  • Leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage.

6 VITAMINS FOR IMMUNITY BOOST

3. Vitamin A

Vitamin A or Retinol is yet another effective supplement to boost immunity and they are abundant in nature. These immune system booster vitamins help in the production and functioning of the White Blood Cells. They do this by forming a mucous barrier in different sites of the body like eyes, lungs, guts and genitals. They are also the most important components in protecting our eye health. 

Vitamin A Natural Occurrence

Here are some of the natural sources that contain these vitamins to boost immunity:

  • Butter and ghee.  

  • Dark green leafy vegetables.  

  • Tomatoes.  

  • Carrots.  

  • Pumpkin. 

  • Mangoes. 

  • Papayas.  

  • Animal sources like liver, egg yolk, milk and curd.  

  • Red palm oil. 

4. Vitamin D 

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D or Cholecalciferol is the easiest supplement to boost immunity as it is present in our natural sunlight. These are also called 'sunshine' vitamins due to the same fact. These immune system booster vitamins have different three components like D1, D2 and D3 that can be produced by our skin when exposed to sunlight. They are not only known as a supplement to boost immunity but also as a great aid in preventing autoimmune diseases. 

Vitamin D Natural Occurrence

Here are some sources that contain these vitamins to boost your immune system:

  • Oily fishes like salmon and mackerel.  

  • Red meat. 

  • Liver.  

  • Egg yolks.  

  • Fortified foods. 

  • Sunlight. 

5. Vitamin B6 

Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine is a water-soluble vitamin and a great supplement to boost immunity. These vitamins for immunity boosting are important components in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They also help in the production of red blood cells and neurotransmitters. They aid in the formation of White Blood Cells (WBC's) including T cells to fulfil their role as immune system booster vitamins.

Vitamin B6 Natural Occurrence

These are the sources that contain these vitamins that can boost your immune system:

  • Meat.  

  • Poultry like chicken and turkey. 

  • Whole cereal grains. 

  • Peanuts.

  • Soya beans. 

  • Wheatgerm.

  • Oats.

6. Folic Acid

Folic acid or Vitamin B9 is an effective supplement to boost immunity and is water-soluble. These vitamins have a specific role to play in DNA synthesis and cellular division. These are great vitamins for immunity boosting and in preventing some fatal diseases like megaloblastic anaemia, congenital disabilities, mental impairment etc., Having folic acid among other immune system booster vitamins can add critical support for our body to fight infections. 

Folic Acid Natural Occurrence

Folate or folic acid is the vitamins that can boost your immune system fast and they can be directly consumed from the below-mentioned sources: 

  • Fresh green vegetables. 

  • Liver. 

  • Pulses. 

  • Beans. 

  • Peas. 

  • Seafood. 

  • Eggs. 

  • Dairy products. 

  • Poultry meat.

  • Grains. 

These are the various immune system booster vitamins that can make our struggle with the pandemic quite easier. Even though we have vaccines as a supplement to boost immunity, it is always better to build it naturally. 

Words of Wisdom

Vitamins are just minor nutrients for our body even though they play a great role as a supplement to boost immunity. Vitamins for immunity enhancement doesn’t mean that we can consume them in larger quantities. Taking excessive vitamins for immunity boosting can be quite harmful while its deficiency cripples our efficiency to fight harmful microbes. Since most of the vitamins are lost through excretions, it is highly unlikely to suffer from vitamin toxicity. So, add high amounts of fruits and vegetables to your diet as they are the rich sources of immune system booster vitamins.


References 

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