10 Vitamins and more for the immune system: How to strengthen your immune system & get through the cold season well
Our Immune system runs at full speed especially in winter. Did you know that with just one breath, you inhale about 10,000 bacteria and viruses? Whether these pathogens checkmate us depends on the strength of our immune system. But what can be done to strengthen it? Strengthening the immune systemso that the body can better cope with these pathogens? The key: Vitamins for the immune system. Strengthening the immune system involves, among other things, nutrition, as it contains numerous vitamins that are good for the immune system.
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Table of contents
3 facts about the immune system
The immune system is the body's own defense system of humans and a very complex system. Primarily, its function is to protect us from pollutants and pathogens, and it also ensures the necessary cell hygiene and cell health. Three facts that you may not have known about the immune defense:
Our defense includes various organs, the so-called organs of the immune system. These include, for example, mucous membranes, tonsils, lymph nodes, the skin, and some others.
One distinguishes between the non-specific immune response, which is innate and generally fights pathogens, and the specific defense, which develops over time and has already had "contact" with specific viruses and the like.
We can significantly influence how strong our immune system is with our lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle demonstrably strengthens the immune system.
Can you strengthen the immune system with the help of vitamins?
That nutrients are important for a strong immune system has been scientifically proven many times. In reverse, this means: Yes, vitamins and other nutrients can help strengthen your immune system.
The easiest way to do this is through a healthy diet. Why is that? Because our immune system is located in the gut to about 80 percent. This means that when we eat foods that are good for our gut, we are also doing something good for our immune defense at the same time. However, due to the synergistic effects between the individual nutrients, it is advisable to eat a varied diet.
Vitamins are team players: Explaining synergy effects simply
Many micronutrients such as vitamins and trace elements need or enhance each other. For example, the positive effect of zinc contained in herring is enhanced by the addition of vitamin C from lemon. This way, the mineral can be better absorbed by the body.
Above all, vegetables and fruits are particularly rich in vitamins, trace elements, and secondary plant substances. But which vitamins exactly strengthen the immune system and where are they found?
„Good for us are, for example, all types of vegetables and fruits that are intensely colored - orange, green, or red. Because the more intense the color, the more secondary plant substances are contained in them.“
Dunja Rieber,
Nutrition scientist
These vitamins and trace elements contribute to the normal function of the immune system:
Iron
Folic acid
Copper
Selen
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Zinc
Vitamin A
Vitamin A
Vitamin A contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Most of the time, we obtain beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, through our diet. This is then converted into vitamin A in the body.
These foods contain lots of vitamin A: Carrot, pumpkin, apricot, lamb's lettuce, spinach, and kale
The B vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid
The B vitamins perform many important functions in the body. For example, vitamin B6 and B12 contribute to the normal formation of red blood cells, which play a crucial role in the immune system. Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is involved in cell division and contributes to normal blood formation.
These foods contain lots of B vitamins:
Vitamin B6: Meat, fish, whole grains, bananas, green beans, soybeans, lentils, potatoes
Vitamin B9: Spinach, Swiss chard, endive, lamb's lettuce, parsley, tomatoes
Vitamin B12: Meat, fish, seafood, eggs, milk & dairy products
Vitamin C
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An immune booster and a classic from grandma: hot lemon against colds and more. But not only citrus fruits provide a lot of vitamin C, but also many other types of fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C increases iron absorption, helps protect cells from oxidative stress, and enables normal immune system function during and after physical activity.
These foods contain lots of vitamin C: Lemon, orange, acerola, rose hip, bell pepper, broccoli, and cabbage
Caution: These foods should not be heated too strongly, as heat destroys the vitamin C they contain.
Vitamin D
Our body can produce vitamin D itself through UV radiation. However, in winter, the vitamin D level often drops to a low point, which is why we should pay attention to a diet rich in vitamin D. Unfortunately, vitamin D is not found in many foods. Therefore, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) also recommends supplementing vitamin D in case of insufficient sunlight exposure1.
These foods contain lots of vitamin D: Fish, eggs, mushrooms
Just for your information: If the shadow is smaller than yourself, the body cannot produce vitamin D.
Iron is a component of important enzymes and proteins. These also influence the activity of defense cells. The result: If our immune system does not function as it should, we are more susceptible to infections. For a smooth immune response, our immune system needs iron, as well as other micronutrients.
These foods contain lots of iron: Wheat bran, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, basil, spinach, carrots, and fennel
Copper and Selenium
Copper and selenium both contribute to the normal function of the immune system and help protect cells from oxidative stress. These trace elements are found in numerous foods.
These foods contain lots of copper: Liver, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, artichokes, rose hips, and parsley
These foods contain lots of selenium: Meat, fish, eggs, mushrooms, lentils, asparagus, nuts
Zinc
Zinc is a versatile micronutrient. It is an important component of various enzymes and proteins and is involved in numerous reactions in the body. When we have too little zinc in the body, it reduces the production of antibodies.
These foods contain lots of zinc: Chicken soup, seafood, milk, oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, and broccoli.
„It is especially good for our immune system when we combine as many different types of fruits and vegetables as possible every day, as this way we get a huge range of vitamins, trace elements, and secondary plant substances.“
Dunja Rieber,
Nutrition scientist
Getting enough vitamins & boosting the immune system: Especially important in winter
Whether it's grandma's hot lemon drink, the classic chicken soup, or tons of vegetables and fruits - especially in winter, our body needs enough micronutrients to fight against viruses, bacteria, and the like. Many experts recommend optimizing nutrition with vitamins during the cold season. Particularly in this time, the need for vitamins is especially high for many people.
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