Best supplements for colds and flu: Two supplements proven to boost your immunity

When it comes to supplements helping out with the many health worries we have, the list is endless. There seems to be an abundance of natural approaches which people use to prevent or treat colds and flu, however, not all have clinical evidence backing them up. Taking any of these two supplements could help prevent or shorted a cold. What are they?

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When it comes to the common cold there is no magic cure.

During the long, cold winter we are far more susceptible to getting ill and cold and flu risk can linger for months.

As humans, we share the environment with a host of microorganisms including bacterial, viral and parasitic.

Boosting the immune system and finding natural ways to help avoid a respiratory infection is crucial.

While eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables will certainly help, health experts believe taking any of these two supplements may also help you to avoid catching a cold or flu.

Vitamin D

It’s long been known that vitamin D helps protect bones, but new research has shown the sunshine vitamin may also help safe guard one’s immunity.

Leading health experts believe vitamin D can help reduce the risk of respiratory infections, including colds and flu – especially amongst those who don’t get enough of the vitamin from diet or exposure to sunlight.

Dr Adrian Martineau, clinical professor of respiratory infection and immunity at Queen Mary University of London said: “We found that overall there was a modest protective effect.

“What we found is that those with the lowest vitamin D levels experienced the greatest benefit from supplementation.

Over the last 10 years, a number of studies have suggested that the sunshine vitamin can help prevent disease.

That has led people to think that higher doses of supplements are better. Dr Oz added: “Taking vitamin D is unlikely to help people who are not deficient in it.

However, when vitamin D is given to people who are deficient, which is the case for as much as 40 percent of Americans, it does amazing things including reducing the risk of flu and respiratory infections, including pneumonia.”

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Zinc

Zinc can be helpful for colds in two ways: First, the immune system needs zinc and secondly, when taken as a lozenge, zinc works on the throat and can reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms.

Dr Oz said: “When used to treat a cold, zinc has to act directly on your throat where it may kill viruses.

“Just swallowing or even chewing a zinc supplement defeats the purpose.

“In fact, getting too much zinc may actually reduce your immunity.”

The National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health said: “Zinc taken orally may help to treat colds, but it can cause side effects and interact with medicines.

Zinc is available in two forms – oral zinc and intranasal zinc.

A 2015 analysis of clinical trials found that oral zinc helps to reduce the length of colds when taken within 24 hours after symptoms start.

Intranasal zinc has been linked to a severe side effect and should not be used.

Always speak with your GP before embarking on any new supplements.

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