Using Vitamins and Supplements to Fight Viruses and Support Immunity
Balanced nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining immunity which eventually helps prevent and manage viral infections. And a healthy immune system is the only vital weapon today to fight the current pandemic of COVID-19, as no other effective medications are discovered yet. Vitamins and minerals are essential for the effective functioning of the body's immune system. Malnutrition leads to increased mortality and morbidity and causes health deterioration. Therefore, proper nutrition is a must element for a healthy body free of viruses. Remember, that no supplements will cure the disease, but the thing is that these supplements will make your body ready to face viruses and recover fast. If you have strong immunity, you are less likely to fall sick or ill.
Some COVID-19 rehab supplements that can help you recover and boost your immune system:
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Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for your health and the proper functioning of your immune system. Vitamin D is fat-soluble. It is known to improve bone health, and it also produces proteins that kill viruses and bacteria, mainly in the respiratory tract. Vitamin D strengthens the immune system by enhancing the pathogen fighting effects of white blood cells, decreases inflammation, and promotes immune response. If you have vitamin D deficiency, it will affect your immune system's function. It might increase the risk of respiratory tract infections like influenza and allergic asthma. Therefore, vitamin D supplements play a protective role and boost your immune system.
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Vitamin C has an essential role in immune health and is the most popular supplement to prevent infections. Vitamin C helps in enhancing the ability of various immune cells to give protection against disease. It also helps in replacing old cells with new ones and maintaining a healthy immune system. Vitamin supplements help you recover fast and fight infections. It functions as an antioxidant too. Regular intake of vitamin C supplements has reduced the occurrence of cold in individuals. High-dose intravenous vitamin C treatment has improved symptoms in people with severe infections like sepsis, viral infections, etc.
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Zinc is a mineral added to health care products and supplements to boost your immune system. It is a vital mineral for the proper functioning of your immune system. If you are deficient in zinc, you might be at risk of infections and diseases like pneumonia. If you intake zinc supplements, it might protect against respiratory tract infections such as the common cold. When sick zinc supplements will help you recover fast. You must consult your doctor to avoid the intake of excessive doses. The overdose of zinc can have adverse effects on immune response and cause side effects like diarrhea, nausea, headache, etc. You can get zinc supplements in the form of tablets, pills, or liquid forms.
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Medicinal mushrooms are beneficial for preventing and treating infections and diseases. There are plenty of medicinal mushrooms that have immune-boosting potential. It includes cordyceps, shitake, turkey tail, lion's mane, maitake, etc., which boost your immune health. Supplements of medicinal mushrooms enhance the immune system and decrease lung infections, asthma, etc. Medicinal mushrooms help you in improving your immune health and also have some antibacterial effects. Thus, intake of medicinal mushrooms supplement will help you get a more robust immune system and protect you against infections.
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Vitamin b12 and folic acid promote a healthy methylation pathway. Thus, it helps reduce chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a fatigue or weakness conditions common among patients with COVID-19. If you take vitamin B12 injection supplements frequently, you can experience relief in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms. You can find vitamin B12 nasal drops also as an alternative to injections. Thus, maintaining healthy methylation pathways also helps regulate many of the body's functions like detoxification, maintenance of the neurological system, and cardiovascular health.
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Coenzyme Q10 or Q10 is a compound located naturally in the powerhouse of our cells, which is mitochondria. Coenzyme Q10 plays a crucial role in forming the primary energy source of our body cells, Adenosine triphosphate or ATP. It is an antioxidant, therefore, has the potential to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. People who have chronic fatigue syndrome are deficient in Coenzyme Q10; consequently, they have to face increment in the symptoms. Therefore, you must intake Coenzyme Q10 supplements to decrease the effects of chronic fatigue syndrome. Some studies state that taking coenzyme Q10 with Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is more effective.
- Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids are good sources of essential fatty acids give you many health benefits like reducing inflammation and improving cardiovascular health. Examples of such foods are fatty fish like sardines, herring, salmon, certain oils, and chia seeds. Essential fatty acids may lead to body aches and fatigue, thus, worsening chronic fatigue syndrome. The body does not make or produce essential fatty acids on its own. Therefore, you must take proper nutritious foods containing essential fatty acids like flaxseeds, walnuts, etc. Supplements of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids help improve chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.
Conclusion
There are many supplements available in the market which help you boost your immune system. Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, elderberry, etc. have the potential to enhance immune health. Although they offer benefits to your immune system, you should not wholly rely on them or compensate with them for a healthy lifestyle.
To reduce the risk of disease and infection and maintain a healthy immune system you have to keep a properly balanced diet, have regular and enough sleep, and avoid bad habits, and do proper physical activities. If you want to take supplements, then you must consult your doctor before doing so. Because some health supplements can have counter effects with your medications and lifestyle. You must keep in mind that no supplements can cure COVID-19. But they can help you recover faster and maintain a healthy immune response.
