Boost the Immune System: Become More Resilient!
Many people think there’s nothing they can do to boost the immune system and become more resilient to viral infections like COVID and its many variants. This is simply not true.
There is a lot each of us can do at home to boost the immune system. No prescriptions are needed.
We know that the people most vulnerable to any virus, including COVID, are the elderly, people with depressed immune systems, and those who are overweight and/or have low vitamin D levels. If you are overweight, it is important to take steps to lose weight, starting today. Also, spend time outside in the fresh air, without your mask on if you aren’t in a crowd, and get exposure to sunlight (how our bodies make vitamin D). Supplements like the ones below can also boost the immune system and help you become more resilient to viruses.
Vitamin D is Critical for the Immune System!
This nutrient (a hormone, actually) is one of the most important when it comes to boosting your immune system. Vitamin D (and more specifically vitamin D3) helps the immune system produce something called antimicrobial peptides or AMPs. These are the body’s natural “antibiotics” that help kill viruses and bacteria and stop infections. Vitamin D is also important for the activation of T cells (important white blood cells that fight viruses and infections).
Vitamin D3 came to the forefront during the recent pandemic as researchers found that people who had a deficiency in this key hormone were more likely to get seriously sick from COVID-19 than those who had normal levels of vitamin D in the blood. A deficiency in vitamin D is associated with an increased susceptibility to infection. This video is long but if you have time to watch it, it explains exactly why vitamin D is so important.
The body cannot produce enough vitamin D, why we have to get it from our diet (foods like salmon, eggs, and fortified milk and juice), the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light, and/or supplementation, which is what I prefer.
When UV light shines on the skin, the epidermis, or outer layer of skin, converts a substance in the skin to vitamin D3. This can’t typically happen in the Northern part of the country during the winter months, however, because there’s diminished exposure to sunlight from November to March. (This could be a reason why people are more prone to sickness during the winter months.)
You need to get 15 minutes of unprotected sunlight during the late spring and summer to create enough vitamin D3 for the body. Those with darker skin need up to three times this amount to get enough vitamin D3. This is one reason why those with darker skin tend to be deficient in vitamin D3 (and may explain why they seem to do worse with COVID-19).
Ask your doctor to test your vitamin D levels. The normal range for vitamin D3 is 20-100ng/ml. You should aim for a blood level of at least 50ng/ml, preferably 80-90ng/ml. You do not have sufficient vitamin D if your level is, for example, 30 ng/ml. It may be in the “normal” range, but it is too low to be effective against viruses like COVID.
This is why I recommend taking a vitamin D3 supplement. Look for one with vitamin K2 too as they work synergistically together.
Take 5,000 to 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day for prevention in the fall and winter months (take with food as this vitamin is fat soluble). Take the same amount if you get sick or test positive.
Supplements That Boost Your Immune System
These are the supplements I recommend to boost the immune system and become more resilient. For most of the supplements, you should increase the dose if you test positive or have symptoms. Many patients have an initial COVID test that is negative and they test positive several days later.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in the yellow spice turmeric. It helps fight against the replication of viruses (how a virus spreads) and is an anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce symptoms and provide relief if you do get sick. Look for a supplement that contains black pepper as research has shown that this helps curcumin be better absorbed by the body.
Take 500mg a day for prevention; if you feel sick or test positive for COVID-19, increase to 1,000mg a day.
Quercetin is a powerful phytonutrient (found in foods like onions and apples) that helps decrease viral growth and helps keep lungs healthy. It’s an anti-inflammatory that helps reduce the cellular damage caused by viruses like COVID-19. In one study, researchers found that there were no COVID-19 cases recorded among healthcare workers taking quercetin for prevention and no deaths were observed among patients with COVID-19 who were taking quercetin. Experts do recommend taking quercetin with vitamin C (see next supplement) as vitamin C seems to enhance quercetin’s anti-viral effect.
For prevention, I recommend 250mg a day; if you feel sick or test positive, increase to 1,000mg twice daily.
Vitamin C is commonly recognized for its immune-boosting activity. This nutrient—found in citrus fruits, leafy greens, strawberries, and more—is essential for immunity as it seems to help prevent/treat respiratory, as well as systemic, infections. (Research shows that a deficiency in vitamin C results in greater susceptibility to sickness.) It’s also a powerful anti-inflammatory.
For prevention, I recommend 500mg twice a day; if you feel sick or test positive, increase to 1 to 3 grams daily.
Zinc is a mineral found in meats, poultry, seafood, and eggs (among others) that’s important for the effective development and functioning of immune cells. This means your body needs enough zinc to effectively fight off viruses like COVID-19. One study found that people with COVID-19 who had low zinc blood levels tended to have worse outcomes.
For prevention, I recommend 30mg daily; if you feel sick or test positive, increase to 60mg a day.
Vitamin A is essential for the production and function of white blood cells. This nutrient—found in liver, salmon, sweet potatoes, and more—also helps maintain the body’s mucous membranes, including in the lungs. It’s these membranes that help trap bacteria and viruses before they can infect the body. Since vitamin A is fat soluble, you don’t want to take too much for too long; it can accumulate in the body and become toxic over time. Also, because it is fat-soluble, take this vitamin with food.
For prevention, I recommend getting vitamin A in a daily multivitamin; if you feel sick or test positive, increase this to 10,000 to 25,000IU per day until you’re well.
ECGC, or epigallocatechin gallate, is an important health-boosting substance found in green tea; it’s been found to increase the number of T cells. ECGC may also prevent the replication of viruses like COVID-19 in the body. What’s more, this phytonutrient helps reduce inflammation, helping to control symptoms if you do get sick. Matcha green tea is the best source of natural ECGC.
For prevention, I recommend taking 225mg per day. Take the same amount if you feel sick or test positive.
NAC, or N-Acetylcysteine, is a lesser known but just as important supplement, particularly when it comes to COVID-19. It’s been shown to boost the immune system, suppress the replication of viruses like COVID-19 in the body, reduce inflammation, and help the liver get rid of toxins. In one study, people who took it preventively for six months, had fewer symptoms and illness severity if they did get sick with a virus. (NAC can be found in foods like beans, spinach, bananas, and salmon.)
Take 600 mg twice daily if you test positive or have symptoms.
If you want to watch other great videos about just why supplements are so important to boost immunity and become more resilient, particularly with COVID-19, click here and here.
Prepare Yourself If You Do Get Sick
There are protocols that are very effective against COVID. Your doctor should consider these therapies—and should not tell you to go home and try to get better on your own!
Stay informed! During a pandemic with a novel virus like COVID, physicians must do their best to use the information available and our knowledge of approved drugs to help our patients. As time goes on and we are able to conduct more research, treatments will be refined. In the meantime, however, helpful protocols using approved medications are available and should be offered to patients. (As always, discuss your particular health concerns with your physician who is familiar with your health history.)
Dr. Peter McCullough, Chief of Internal Medicine at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas was one of the first to offer up his protocol, here. This protocol should be used for anyone over 50 years old and anyone who has diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity (a BMI over 30kg/m2), pulmonary disease including asthma, and/or cancer. You can also download the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) COVID Patient Treatment Guide here. Other information that’s not readily available through the mainstream media can be found here and here.
Take care of your body, and you will stay healthy! There is so much we can do to help ourselves, to boost the immune system and become more resilient. Even if you have been vaccinated, I urge you to consider following these guidelines. The vaccine may not protect you against the new variants.
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