Germs and bacteria are all around us, our immune system usually does a great job at defending the body against them. And when it's working properly, we don't even notice them. Sometimes it can fail to do its job however, and then we are at greater risk of developing infections and other health conditions. besides the obvious lifestyle changes that will affect your immune system, like improving your diet, getting enough sleep and avoiding alcohol. There are a number of supplements proven to help build up your defenses. Here are the ones with the most scientific research proving their effectiveness in no specific order.
Number one is garlic and garlic supplements. Garlic has a variety of overall health benefits, including cardiovascular health, cognition, as well as physical and sexual vitality. Its ability to improve your resistance to infection has also been proven in various studies. One study compared to garlic extract at a dose of 2.5 grams Daly to a placebo. And note that after 90 days of supplementation there was a decrease of 61% and the number of collective sick days, a decrease of 58% and reported sickness incidents and a decrease in symptom severity of 21%. Number two is zinc.
Zinc is one of the essential micronutrients which can be found in eggs, meat and lagoon products. As a natural aphrodisiac, it can boost testosterone, but only if the user is deficient in zinc. It's also vital for hormone production in the immune system. One meta study concluded that zinc intake is associated with a significant reduction in the duration and severity of common cold symptoms. However, it had to be administered within 24 hours of the first sign of symptoms. When taken regularly as a supplement, zinc was shown to reduce cold incidence, school absenteeism and prescription of antibiotics and children.
There are two standard dosages of zinc The low dosage is five to 10 milligrams, which works well as a daily preventative, while a high dosage is between 25 and 40 milligrams, and should be only taken when at risk of zinc deficiency. Number three is vitamin C, like zinc vitamin C can reduce the duration and frequency of the common cold. It can also be taken as a daily preventative. However, active people seem to benefit more from vitamin C supplementation than those that do not exercise. Other benefits of vitamin C include protection against cardiovascular disease, skin wrinkling, and disease. So even though vitamin C can be found in many fruits and vegetables, it might still make sense to supplement it, especially if you're an athlete.
I personally do and have a great experiences with it. Number four is astragalus. astragalus is a herb originally used in traditional Chinese medicine. It seems to have anti inflammatory effects and is especially beneficial to the kidneys. In one seven days study 1.2 grams of extra Gallus taken in two divided dosages, the day was shown to activate the immune system and activate T cells to degree higher than a reference drug. Since Aspergillus has a low bioavailability, it doesn't quite circulate that well through the body after being congested.
That's why the University of Maryland suggests taking 250 to 500 milligrams of astragalus extract three to four times daily. Number five on the list is spirulina. spirulina has been shown to be effective at reducing symptoms of most nasal allergies. And this includes alleviation of the stuffy nose and sneezing even though further research has to determine whether spirulina directly boosts the immune system, and has been shown to also be effective at reducing liver fat and protecting the heart. an optimal dosage here would be around two grams daily taken alongside with a meal