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Vitamins/Minerals/Herbal Supplements and the Immune System

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Dope_User

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Well, the topic pretty much sums it up; I'm looking for what vitamins, minerals, and other (herbal) supplements are proven OR suspected to improve or strength the functioning of the immune system and/or help "fight off" disease (more specifically the "common cold" or flu).

I'm curious about this because there seem to be an abundance of products, all with different "concontions" or "recipes," claiming that they help the immune system in some way or, more often, suggest that they reduce the length and/or severity of the cold and/or flu.

I haven't done any research yet, so I'll just list the stuff I remember hearing. As for vitamins, I've heard both Vitamin C and E are helpful; for minerals, I've heard niacin and zinc; and for others, I've heard echinacea and astragalus. Those are all I can remember...but I'm not suggesting I'm right that all of these help the immune system functioning in some way, just that I've been told or read about these.

I quite interested in finding out more information about astragalus. I did some short research on it, and couldn't find much other than a few of these "claims" for sites selling the product.

So what I'm looking for is whether or not the vit./min./others I listed are effective or not; which other vit./min./others have been suggested to be helpful; and most importantly, legitimate articles, research studies, etc. that can support (or debunk) these claims. I'll try to get back with any info. I find, but now I have to go set out a vegetable tray and some cheese and crackers...have a Happy Thanksgiving all!
 
[Edit: Off-topic material removed. BigTrancer]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Vitamin C

Vitamin C Has Impact on Health
People who take daily doses of Vitamin C can boost their immune system, potentially protecting themselves from viruses and colds, according to a study presented at the 60th Anniversary Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Vitamin C is a nutrient that has been demonstrated to have a substantial impact on human health. Researchers originally proposed that large doses of Vitamin C could decrease the incidence and the severity of the common cold.

To determine whether vitamin C can alter the function of the immune system and provide increased protection from viral infection, Susan Ritter, MD, PhD candidate, and Gailen D. Marshall, Jr., MD, PhD, both from the University of Texas Health Science Center, studied the white blood cells of 12 patients before and after each patient took one gram of vitamin C daily for two weeks.

Researchers then analyzed the immune cell types present in the blood as well as the ability of these cells to make antiviral compounds.

The number of NK cells (a cell that protects against viruses) in the peripheral blood increased after two weeks of supplementation with Vitamin C. While the number of T cells (also active in antiviral immunity) remained the same, they were more activated following vitamin C supplementation. The T cells also produced significantly more interferon-gama (an antiviral compound) and less interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 (both of which are associated with allergic disease) after two weeks of supplementation with vitamin C.

Researchers concluded that this data suggests an increase in antiviral immunity after two weeks of 1g/day vitamin C supplementation and the possible use of vitamin C to modulate the immune system in people.


Link


Vitamin E

Retard the aging process and boost immune function. With age, the immune system becomes less efficient at fighting off microbes and viruses. Part of this decline may be due to low levels of vitamin E in the bloodstream. Some studies have shown improved immune responses in older people who take vitamin E supplements. Vitamin E may also slow the effects of aging by protecting cells from free-radical damage.

Link


Echinacea

Echinacea Shown to Stimulate the Immune System


by Percival, S.

What the Study Showed
The popular herb echinacea boosted the immune systems of a small sample of healthy, college-age men.

How It Was Done
In a preliminary trial for a larger research study, a University of Florida researcher tested the effect of oral echinacea pills on the immune systems of 10 healthy men over the course of four days. She found that the white blood cells of these men had a threefold increase in their ability to kill bacteria at the end of the study as compared with the beginning.

Why It's Important
This study, although small, is the first to test echinacea's effect on healthy subjects. The finding provides ammunition for the argument that echinacea stimulates the immune system to fight infections such as the common cold and the flu. The researcher warns, however, that more study is needed before the herb can be recommended in the absence of cold symptoms.

Link
 
I heard from a friend that he had read an article that debunked the "myth" that echinacea had positive effects on the immune system...but neither he nor I can find this article. I'd feel more confident about the positive effects of echinacea if I could get more studies confirming it is effective.

Also, still hoping to see some study results (or any info really) on the effects of astragalus.

BigTrancer, thank you for removing my post, and more importantly, the post before it...I was inappropriate in my response (as you pointed out) and should have merely reported it to mods (as I did) but should have shown some restraint and NOT posted my reply. Thanks again for your quick resolution of the problem.
 
A quick search on pubmed.org found over 300 peer reviewed articles on echinacea. There have been numerous studies on it's benefits, some show no benefit but most point towards positive immunological effects when the herb is taken at onset of infectious respiratory tract disease. Almost all studies examining echinacea's ability to prevent occurence of disease have found the herb to be lacking. There are lots of good review articles available on the subject, for example:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15035888


Dope_User said:
I heard from a friend that he had read an article that debunked the "myth" that echinacea had positive effects on the immune system...but neither he nor I can find this article. I'd feel more confident about the positive effects of echinacea if I could get more studies confirming it is effective.

Also, still hoping to see some study results (or any info really) on the effects of astragalus.

BigTrancer, thank you for removing my post, and more importantly, the post before it...I was inappropriate in my response (as you pointed out) and should have merely reported it to mods (as I did) but should have shown some restraint and NOT posted my reply. Thanks again for your quick resolution of the problem.
Click to expand...
here
 
raybeez said:
A quick search on pubmed.org found over 300 peer reviewed articles on echinacea. There have been numerous studies on it's benefits, some show no benefit but most point towards positive immunological effects when the herb is taken at onset of infectious respiratory tract disease. Almost all studies examining echinacea's ability to prevent occurence of disease have found the herb to be lacking. There are lots of good review articles available on the subject, for example:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15035888


here
Click to expand...

yeah but there is also a huge issue with echinacea.most of it is FAKE! https://www.salon.com/2013/11/04/dna_tests_reveal_many_herbal_supplements_are_fake/
so yeah, good herb on paper, good luck finding the good real stuff out there among scammer beasts fighting for dominance
 
what does that mean? are you saying heroin is from nazi germany and nazi germany is gone, lets forget heroin and aspirin by now??
 
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