All I know is after getting the flu repeatedly in 2014, I upped my intake of Vitamin D3, Vit. C, and zinc, and have ever since been much more able to fight off cold and flu attacks. Staying hydrated is important too, along with that old time-tested remedy: Chicken soup!
Perhaps another way to help improve our immune system that fits your mention of the importance of trying to reduce our stress levels, Tara, is laughter. The Mayo Clinic mentions on their website that several research studies seems to indicate that when we laugh our brain receives a surge of mood enhancing serotonin levels, our sympathetic nervous system (which controls our Fight or Flight reflexes) are dampened, our blood pressure is lowered, our facial muscles relax and we even seem to become more sociable. And I note as well that there are Buddhists who make it a point to laugh for several minutes each day as a part of their daily practice, to remind them of the ephemeral nature of existence.
And personally during theses Dark days just before a Christmas and the Holidays that we all seem to be experiencing especially acutely this year- I would rather laugh, then to cry. Take care..
3
This column is mostly pseudoscience. A vaccine or passive antibody transfusion can boost the immune response to a specific pathogen. But nonspecifically "boosting" immunity to everything is not a good idea, if it were even possible to do that. What does it even mean medically to "boost" immunity? Wouldn't that put you at risk of autoimmune diseases? These articles about how immunity can be "boosted" by applying the usual popular nostrums and avoiding the modern day evil spirits of "stress" and the like are just nonsense. Neither the immune system nor nature works like that.
1
@TomR Er, ah Tom- Since you so strongly doubt the scientific efficacy of the ways mentioned in this article to increase our immune system,where are your own citations to that effect..OR are you just being Grinchcy?..
1
lack of coverage on diet here is appalling - while lots of sound advice in here - lower stress, get your sleep etc .. way too much missed on importance of diet .. get the scientific proven facts at https://nutritionfacts.org/
1
From what I understand, the immune system is based in the gut. A healthy gut requires a good level of the right kind of bacteria. Apparently organic 100% natural yogurt is best (Skip the fruity, sugared kind. Add a little natural fruit spread or a bit of organic maple syrup).
Many folks who live to 110 say they eat a Mediterranean diet including yogurt.
3
Nobody but a legitimate medical professional is qualified to give medical advice. So here's what one Dr. Kayat had to say on the subject of boosting the immune system in a recent article...
The short answer is no. No amount of kale or flaxseed will stop you from catching this contagious and serious viral infection. Hand washing, social distancing and self-isolation remain the only current ways we have to actively prevent it.
Our immune systems do not have an on and off switch that a supplement will flip.
Instead, the immune system relies on a complex integration of various cells, organs, proteins and tissues which work together to recognise and neutralise pathogens.
Furthermore, the immune system is not designed to be "boosted", and if it were able to work in overdrive it could actually result in us becoming more unwell by damaging our healthy cells and tissue as well, which is what can happen in "autoimmune" conditions.
7
@Ian
It is less about "boosting" an immune system, and much more about stabilizing and filling in gaps in nutrition that result in gaps in the immune system.
What you are ignoring here is that nutritional deficiencies, of which there are many in the typical western diet these days.... can very well inhibit different components of your immune system.
Futher, your intestinal tract forms ~40% of your total immune system, and gut health IS a big problem in many modern diets.
Specific nutritional supplements can fill the gaps here and keep the immune system whole and on track. The difficulty here is MDs are NOT trained in nutritional practices, much less how to fill gaps in nutrition with select supplements..... so the medical profession lets you down in most regards here. MDs are trained to give you prescription drugs.... even some of which are costly and essentially food supplements of a very refined nature.
This leaves the average person on their own to ferret out different options to treat different deficiencies in their bodies nutrition and as such while there is some good data out there about supplements that can help keep the immune system in tip top order.... it takes a savvy consumer to read through all the research and find what is useful and what is not.
5
@Ian I think you've taken the article to the extreme.
I think the word boosting, in this case, would mean improving your immune system, rather than putting it in overdrive. Americans, as of late, have been trashing their bodies. One can see that in the high rate of Metabolic Syndrome being shared by many here, and that's mostly due to overweight. It's leaving many with a host of chronic problems, like diabetes type 2, high blood-pressure, high cholesterol, circulatory problems and the like. In the past, we've been known to take the car for even a short distance, rather than walk. So, boosting the immune system would mean, improving our choices in life-style and health. We don't need a doctor to tell us, added sugar is bad, lack of exercise is bad, smoking is bad, excess alcohol consumption is bad, and probably a few more issues. We need the studies that corroborate those
theories, and the science does that, so reporting on what helps us live healthier and longer, is a beneficial
column that could only help us. No, observing the healthful aspects of life won't give us autoimmune diseases. We've lengthened our life span by observing better practices for our health, with medical advice and common sense, and the publicity that gives us the choices for our health, like this column.
Reply to Chuck- so true! Although medicine has made tremendous advancements, still most docs have little training or understanding of the effects of changing nutrition for healing or prevention of illness or disease. They are conditioned for pharmaceutical intervention. And most don’t even understand the pharmacology involved. Pharmacologists do. Yet Diet is by far the single most impactful intervention for long term health unless there is already acute illness. Then some drugs can have a temporary role, but often with other side effects, a lesser evil.
For immune “boost” I have used Vitamin D C E. When the first covid vaccine dose gave me myocarditis and heart arrhythmia, I began researching and started taking Quercetin and Red (Korean) Ginseng supplements based on evidence it can help a dysregulated immune reaction and reduce excessive inflammation. Ginseng has been used for thousands of years to help immunity.
My doc., who is also a prof, recommended that it is vital to boosts your immune system with: vitamin C, antioxidants, supplements like Ypera or other multivitamins, zinc, drinking allot of water and also refrain from exhausting the body with extreme fitness or toxins like alcohol, cigarettes as much as possible...Stay safe everyone!
5
In order to reduce the risk of becoming infected with the corona virus, it might be helpful to avoid the flu vaccine. Evidence for this comes from a paper titled "Influenza vaccination and respiratory virus interference among Department of Defense personnel during the 2017-2018 influenza season" by Greg G. Wolff that appeared in journal Vaccine (Vaccine 38 (2020) 350-354). The article reports that the odds of corona virus infection in vaccinated test subjects was 36% higher than in those who were not vaccinated (See Table 5).
14
@Peter Kraus Thanks for this citation, Peter. I'm going to read it. I am also projecting what it will be like when we've got 10, 20, or more seasonal viruses that we need to be vaccinated against? We're going to run out of arm space for the shots, let alone that we'll be exposing our natural microbe defenses to unknown risks from more and more drugs. I'm not a firm naysayer on vaccinations for certain diseases, but I find it alarming that more pharmaceutical research has not been published on the beneficial effects of naturally-occurring substances on our immunity given that plants and fungi have evolved to survive against pathogens for some 500 million years while we in our current form have only been around a few hundred thousand.
3
It’s almost April; a little late to recommend avoiding a flu shot.
2
@Peter Kraus Please keep the anti-vax stuff to yourself for a while. This isn't the time for it.
2
I honestly think it is insane to shut down the country to protect people who already apparently have one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel. It is going to be a nightmare for sure. Our health care workers, I feel for them. But it i going to be a worse nightmare when the economy is in the sewer and we are reading articles on how to boost your immunity while living in the woods in a tent. The fact is, all these sickly individuals are the direct result of our health and nutrition "guidance" and the health, insurance and pharmaceutical industries have been prospering off the vicious unhealthy cycle, while having absolutely no financial interest in anyone getting better. I think it is particularly instructive the Senators unloaded all their health care stocks.... they know that particular gravy train is about to end.
12
@Pete
I hope that when this passes, if it ever does, those remaining will decide -- if they had not before -- to take very good care of their bodies through exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress reduction. The very apparent ill health of so many people means a virus may prevail. Many Americans are walking advertisements for the sad "I don't care about myself" mentality.
10
@Pete a 34-year-old man just died of COVID-19 in Pasadena. Around 40% of the people hospitalized in NY with the virus are under 50. Don't fool yourself into thinking it's only the old and infirm who are falling ill from this virus.
12
So what you’re saying is “why don’t we just let nature take it’s course and just let all the old and sick people die”?
7
Vitamin D, Equinacea, Vitamin C and Probiotics are the powerhouse for the immune system. Look for good supplement brands. Look for brands that are NSF Certified, Kosher, Halal, Gluten Free and Made in the USA. Personally I take Nutrilite which is the world learder in the industry.
3
As a 45yo Type I Diabetic, I've spent decades researching things that boost my body's response during flu season or when having surgery: Drink enough water, sleep at least 7 hours, take epsom salt baths to relax muscles [and mind], plain yogurt [probiotics] in your low-sugar smoothies. I will second the folks who suggest elderberry syrup, garlic, lemon and ginger, and the usual stuff: exercise/sun/veggies. PS: bell peppers are an excellent source of Vit C if you're sick of oranges or need lower sugar options. :) Absolutely cut out alcohol, large quantities of carbs/sugars, and too much screen time. Sleep and water are seriously underrated. Godspeed, all!
9
Another question is... do you want to boost your immune system when one of the potential issues with covid is cytokine storm?
3
@Paulo Cytokine storm happens to some when they get the COVID virus. It doesn't normally happen to healthy people, nor will improving your immune system cause
that.
1
Adaptogens for stress (ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola).
For the immune system Puer tea, reishi mushroom and C.
Also summer heat and fall election should help.
7
Correction needed?
“The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night.”
Where do those figures come from? The link the author provides goes to a sleep article with a chart recommending 7-9 hours for adults, and 7-8 hours for seniors. It recommends even more for the other age groups.
6
When an article about what really works becomes a discussion board full of study-of-one anecdotal bro science.
9
One glass a night? Let’s talk in 2 weeks....
4
There is much non-science in this comments section – anecdotal stories about cure all herbs, new age hokum, & snake oil. Hopefully it’s mostly harmless, but it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea for The Times to close this down. Someone could take something harmful.
5
Hey, you missed a big one: sex. Lots of studies on the benefits thereof, including boosting the immune system and helping to keep us in good general health. Also helps with anxiety and heart health etc. All good. For a list see https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/health_benefits_sex
7
It would lower my stress if the President wore a brown paper bag over his head at all Covid-19 press conferences. This simple act could save lives.
31
My immune system is garbage at the moment, but i dont know how bad, here is an explanation of where i stand. I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a nasty auto immune condition, up until last September I was getting monthly infusions of immuno-suppressant called Tysabri, this drug is considered one of, if not the best drug at slowoing the condition and up until last year it was working fine. Then i started getting little infections that would blow up and get really serious very quickly, there's no evidence the cause was Tysabri, the infections required 5 operations on both hands and i came close to losing my arm, then i got JC virus and the Tysabri had to stop, normally JC virus does nothing but in people on Tysabri it can cause death, by brain eating virus. So the Tysabri stopped and went drug free while my system reset to await a new suppressing drug, i was supposed to be starting this next week, which is not happening now for obvious reasons, but without the drug my immune system is kicking back in and the MS is attacking again, i am losing my ability to swallow and control of my plumbing, so there's a dilemma, do i go on the new drug and halt the MS but open myself up to corona or do i go drug free and let the MS take off? But here's the curve ball, I've been taking immune suppressing drugs for 20 years until the last 4 months, and the only drug known to treat the virus is Hequinel, which cant be used in conjunction with other immune-suppressants, odd that, isnt it?
Thanks for this column! I just want to quibble with your use of the word “tandem”. My instinct tells me that it should only be used when talking about two things, not more, as you did. A quick online check seems to confirm this, with perhaps an exception involving horses....
2
Omission: Smoking is harmful to immune function. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Moderate exercise may improve immune response. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005
Omission: Treat any existing diseases and avoid other infections, because they may weaken your immune response. Vaccinate if you need to.
"The cold virus": There is no single virus that causes the common cold.
"The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night." No, that may not be optimal for everyone.
"Check your vitamin D level." Better advice would be to eat a balanced, moderate diet that includes sources of vitamin D, and spend some time in the sunlight. Obtaining sufficient vitamin D from natural food sources alone is difficult. And good overall nutrition is important, not just one vitamin.
Social distancing and good hygiene remain important in avoiding coronavirus infection. Avoid unsafe sex. Avoid people who cough, and wash your hands frequently.
2
Sorry, but how can you lower your stress without alcohol? Also, you have to put to use your liquor stash for something since it will not work as a disinfectant …
3
@Esteban
Both yoga and meditation lower stress. There are youtube videos and apps available since people cannot go to studios for classes.
3
Just finished reading many of the supplement recommendation comments. These comments suggest a variety of options. Without controlled studies i have little confidence in them. Anecdotal evidence is described as proof that it works since it works for you. This is not scientific. History is replete with desperate cancer patients who died in Mexico seeking scam “nutritional” treatments because western medicine could not offer them hope. There is similar logic here that we must grasp onto something, anything, to protect ourselves. However, i have no difficulty at all following some of the recommendations here: sleep, exercise, a well balanced diet loaded with healthy plants, chicken, fish, exercise, seek happiness. Above all I will be following the expert guidelines of social distancing, hand washing, and avoidance of face touching.
1
I recommend Moringa capsules. Been using it for a while.
Excellent article. Excellent.
2
Can you increase, or improve the immune system?
Yes. But its likely too late now! This thing called "boosting" in the health and fitness industries, even in medical science is somewhat of an Urban legend. Its especially so in the supplement industry. An industry rife with scams, over-priced urine additives and Trump-like lies.
You can't just go to a GNC, other supplement chain stores, or the quaint local New Age, crystal, dream catchers and supplement supplier, and simply buy a cocktail of (proven) immune system boosters, and have them imbue your body with a virus bulwark! Especially not overnight, or even a weeks time! No more then you suddenly eating more Vit-C laden fruits, like Grandma told you to! Nor will emulating Twitter Dorsey's prescriptions do it either! Nor will Bulletproof (butter) coffee make you Covid-19 proof!.
These things take time. Turning the immune system around, or in any direction takes time. But most of all it demands you know what your immune system is actually up to! Which most people have no clue. They have not had proper tests done, instead rely on their own diagnosis, or that of their friends, work-mates. The serial dieters, or followers of every new Celebrity lifestyle fad.
Do you know if you're actually deficient in X, Y, or C? Do you even know if your "allergies" are real allergies, or just the results of bad food choices, and also stress levels?
The majority of gluten and lactose intolerance claims, are not real.
This is not a time to wait for the perfectly-designed studies. If preliminary research shows certain foods to be helpful in combating viruses or in boosting all those immune cells in your gut, then why not hedge your bets? I'm banking on onions. ttps://glowingolder.wordpress.com/2020/03/21/containing-coronavirus-lets-talk-quercetin/
1
Somewhat surprised that there was no mention of fasting and Autophagy to reboot the immune system.
2
Fiber feeds the good bacteria in our large intestine which in turn produce short chain fatty acids like butyrate that in turn has been shown to reduce intestinal and systemic inflammation and calm the immune system. Lower systemic inflammation helps maintain cell wall integrity in our lungs and mucus membranes helping to keep viruses from gaining a foothold and leaving the immune better able to fight those that do.
Add to this avoiding pro inflammatory foods like animal foods which have endotoxins generated when bacteria living on every piece of meat is killed during cooking and by something called Neu5Gc which every animal but humans naturally produce (we only produce Neu5Ga). When Neu5Gc from meat is incorporated into the cell wall of our own cells our immune system recognizes it as foreign which stimulates an immune response.
Add to this all of the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in whole plant foods, and the best way to make sure your entire body including your immune system is as healthy and strong as it can be to help fight off the virus and give you your best odds of surviving is to focus your diet on whole plant foods.
There are plenty that will last a long time like dried grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta), legumes (beans, peas and lentils), seeds, nuts. And there is frozen vegetables. Plus a lot of this is super cheap for those that need to stretch their dollars.
2
My supermarket was out of garlic (!) and toilet paper (!!). My local pharmacy was out of Vitamin C and Zinc. I am most worried about the first two, but overall wish people would stop "stocking up" and have faith in our supply chains. We are all in this together.
5
@Mme Chauchat
I have heard of TP outages but never a garlic outage. Is there a vampire convention in town?
2
I think vitamin d and raw garlic -not necessarily together- are both helpful. however, i advocate against eating garlic on an empty stomach because it seems to create some minor pain and irritation and instead take it with food. chewing it is very important to release the beneficial allicin compounds too.
1
I hesitate to mention this, but we all know that stories of the latest "miracle " drug supplement study that A, E, D, etc. is the cure all- show up every couple of years, and are usually de-bunked within a year or so......some years back - 10, 15 years ago, I was taking a multi-vitamin supplement, just picked one at random off the supermarket shelf....I used to get sick like everyone else - once, maybe twice a year - a cold or flu, out of work a few days, then I was fine...it was somewhere about that time that multiple studies were announced that vit. D was the average persons greatest dietary deficiency - I didn't believe it, [ when can you believe science?...] so I glanced at the label on my vit.bottle ( like trying to read the Periodic Table...) & saw a small banner on the label saying "now with 800IUs of vit. D" (all the others on the grocery store shelf had 300IUs, or 0)...my GP recommended it, and long story short , I HAVEN'T BEEN SICK, AT ALL, IN 10+ YEARS!....my routine hasn't changed, my diet hasn't changed, but it works! ( its Theragran-M, only at Walgreens)...(I also, some time back, decided to add a extra 1000IU D3 pill, so my daily total is 2000IU...)(Theragran is now 1000IU...)works for me, ask your Dr....
3
I watch reruns of Seinfeld (on hulu) to get my dosage of laughter medicine. The following methods work for me while dealing with a cold / congestion / sore throat / cough : (1) neti pot (2) steam inhalation with axe oil + turmeric (3) gargling with warm saltwater (4) Chlorhexidine gluconate
2
I am 50 and diabetic. I work in New York City and live in NJ, so my commute was trains every day.
My immune system was worse. I was falling sick almost every other week and my wait was growing. After doctors put me on diabetic medication and asked to reduce wait- I didn’t know what to do. After extensive online research, this is what I did. I started with intermittent fasting twice a week. When I was not fasting, I was following Keto diet. I stopped eating breakfast. At least one of my meal either lunch or dinner was pure vegetable salad without meat. For first couple of weeks, it was hard but then brain and body got used to it. Now, if I don’t eat salad, I start getting cravings for it.
My immune system vastly improved. I didn’t fall sick last year. I lost wait. My A1C blood test came normal and got off diabetes medicine. I stopped pricking my fingers multiple times a day for blood sugar test. Needle pain in foot is gone, and feeling more active and energetic.
Now, I don’t do intermittent fasting, but still follow rest of the course.
I am not advocating any of this to anyone, but this is my personal story without any doctor consultation.
6
I am aware of what can give your immune system an advantage and I know for sure that immune system (antibodies, cytokines, complement) is made of protein molecules and cells that will benefit from having an optimal protein intake diet. In simple English when we eat protein rich foods, they are broken down into amino acids and these amino acids are the major building blocks of the immune system.
With no antiviral currently FDA approved for treatment of seriously ill COVID-19 patients other treatments need to be considered. As I have said this many times before, the only natural product 100% pomegranate juice bought from a super market or squeezed at home will give the immune system a distinct advantage of empowering one's immune system to naturally CURE the person. Don't be mistaken. I do not claim that it is the 100% pomegranate that cures anything. It does not. As my family doctor said "Docs don't cure patients. Docs help nature to cure themselves" Most infections are cured by the immune system with help from Doctors, diet and Meds.
There is another controversy currently underway as to the usefulness of deploying an antimalarial Chloroquine to enable patients with serious illness. Since Chloroquine has been considered safe by the FDA and it can do no harm to patients on their death bed or close to death, there is no harm in administering it under close medical supervision. There is scientific data that suggests that Chloroquine could be helpful in caring for COVID-19
2
What's the consensus in the medical community on the benefits of Oreo's?
8
@Bill seriously uplifting, but only if they're "double-stuffed".....
1
One of things I noticed is that people are hoarding such thing as frozen pizzas, grand quantities of meat, and factory prepared foods. What is not flying off the shelves are fresh vegetables, fruit and other plant based products.
It would be curious to see after this pandemic is over is how people who eat plant based diets versus the pizza/hamburger/factory meal groups as to the levels of severity and contagion and compare.
It might prove interesting.
6
Here's a way: wear a hat in any vector rich environment (i.e. supermarkets).
The virus can live several days on a surface and your hair provides a lot of surface. Unless you wash your hair every night, you'll be sleeping with any droplets that may have been caught in your hair.
A hat can stop those droplets before they get to your hair.
Limiting your sugar intake can also help.
3
Megadosing on vitamin C is voodoo medicine. Because one large amount of a vitamin or other nutrient can so easily unbalance the others. Best to eat a balanced diet including lots of fresh fruits and veg, take a D3 supplement since we cannot synthesise adequate amounts in the winter, and get plenty of sleep.
3
@Tournachonadar Unless, of course, it has worked well for the individuals who do so.
I routinely take approx. 12,000 mgs. vitamin C a day, in three divided doses, plus a multi and some others. I have done this for years. In acute illness I take more.
I am no longer young but heal very quickly. Any illnesses I get are less severe and resolve faster.
One must follow the signals of one's own body and not worry about the scorn and skepticism of others. It works, or it doesn't; not hard to determine that.
2
Vitamin C , at 1000mg, or 2000mg per day will boost your immune system to its optimum level. Evidence? Well, my "anecdotal" story happened when I worked in an environment of 1000 others office workers(call center). Over the year and one-half when I worked there, I took 1000mg Vitamin C per day, and, while a vast majority got the flu or cold over that time, I , even being in close proximity to them, never got sick! I attribute that directly to vitamin c at that dosage level, or above.
6
There was a scientific study done on the mortality rates of various metropolitan areas during the 1918 flu pandemic. It found meaningful evidence that populations in more northern latitudes suffered worse than those in southern latitudes. While a number of factors could have been at play, one very reasonable conclusion was that those in the southern latitudes had higher natural levels of Vitamin D from more direct sun exposure than those in the northern climes. In general, it is a bit curious, and frustrating to read articles that suggest taking supplements such as Vitamin D and natural herbs and plants - garlic, turmeric, oregano, and many others - may help bolster immunity, but have, in general, not been proven to be answers to disease, while there is no apparent pharmaceutical-industry effort to publicize studies suggesting these natural agents might at least provide increased resilience to infection. Why are we left with just theorizing about the anti-microbial properties that 500-million years of plant and fungal evolution have likely developed while pharmaceutical companies insist only on human-developed biotechnology answers, if not for business reasons? I would expect that the best of both worlds would be part of our solution to health care, in general, and pandemics, in particular. Wouldn't it be advisable for a national, e.g., CDC, statement for everyone to take a Vitamin D supplement when it is fairly established, I believe, that we are deficient as a nation?
13
@Robert Lutey Well put & agreed. But no profit, therefore no interest.
6
I've been taking low-dose naltrexone (3 mg) every day for eight years. I've only gotten one, short-lived cold in that time, when I used to get sick at least twice a year. You can make it yourself--buy 50 mg tablets online from India, dissolve one in 50 ml distilled water, measure out between 1-5 ml before bed.
Liposomal vitamin C at the first sign of infection prevents or shortens colds in my partner.
1
I've always heard that sunlight is superior to taking a supplement or drinking enhanced milk in absorbing Vitamin D. In the winter, I try to spend several minutes each day sitting in the park, my face turned toward the sun. It's also a nice way to de-stress.
16
@HKGuy I think you have the right idea. However, in winter in latitudes such as New York, the sun's rays are not direct enough for our bodies to manufacture much Vitamin D. You can Google this. Therefore, a supplement will help. I used to live in NJ and spent far too much time in the house after "retiring". I had a chronic respiratory cough and mucus I was advised to supplement with Vitamin D, among other things. After several months of supplementing - during a winter season - my symptoms all but disappeared and I now experience only an occasional and brief bout.
4
@HKGuy I used to think my daily doses of sunlight -- gained from walking my border collie 3x per day here in sunny North Carolina -- were sufficient. I also consume a ton of milk, yogurt and cheese. Then I was tested and was way under the minimum recommended level. I couldn't believe it! My doctor said though that she wasn't surprised -- apparently it takes a LOT of sun and milk, and there may be a genetic component. Bottom line: It's probably worth taking a blood test.
2
Regular Vitamin D intake can be helpful for many health reasons. But if you able go out and sit in the sun for a few minutes every day. Expose your skin but do this gradually. Over time your body will adjust. The body will make Vitamin D and other natural compounds from the sun. Fair skinned people take less time in the sun to get the benefits.
9
Thymus Glandular dietary supplement will help control
viruses. Research this. As we age, the Thymus Gland production diminishes. Could this be why elders are more severely affected by viruses?
1
A healthy immune system results from multiple factors, including nutrition and proper rest. There is no single course for 'boosting' what is a complex of organ functions.
But Pauling's work on vitamin C is solid and should be one of the essential nutrients that one pays attention to.
and don't take your epidemiological advice from websites.
5
@Alonzo: When you say "and don't take your epidemiological advice from websites" I assume you mean websites for purveyors of supplements that are advertised to boost the immune system. You might find good advice at websites for the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), and the The Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists (AMLI), among other websites operated by reliable medical organizations. (Sorry not to include the links, but they take up too much room. You can easily search for these and other sources of scientific information regarding immune system health.)
1
Excellent advice. My understanding of the mechanism of action for zinc gluconicum, the active ingredient in the lozenge cold products, is it acts as a physical barrier to viral implantation; which is why it is only effective when you first start experiencing symptoms, and why your dietary zinc intake is not relevant to its action.
6
Sadly, It does not happen by suddenly swallowing a few pills.
Gladly, my 8 years of a vegan diet, 80% raw fruits and vegetables, a smoothie that included raw fermented cabbage every day and a daily soil-based-organism probiotic, along with 15,000 steps a day = I rarely ever even get a cold and have no underlying conditions so I have the strongest immune system possible to get through this.
To all the Vegans out there VEGAN STRONG!!
20
@Zenster yes, but aren’t you highly vulnerable to smugitis?
4
@Zenster Don’t be stupid. Many vegans develop health issues because they don’t get enough of nutrients.Meat is packed full of Protein. I’m thinking a nice juicy Strip Steak, Some Lamb Chops and maybe some Veal sound good right about now!
Will cultivating Lacto Casei in my mucous membrane help? I read about nine medical study where it found it may provide immunity against SARS Coronavirus.
1
I've been an avid intense workout guy for decades.
I was tutored by 1950's Catholic nuns (the real ones with the yard sticks who weren't afraid to use them) and Army drill sergeants training me for Vietnam.
They both fervently believed, "If it's not hurting you, it's not doing you any good." I understand football coaches have the same creed.
I've read that very intense, taxing exercise (max heart rate up for at least 20 minutes, 3/4 times a week) boosts the immune defenses in unique ways.
Any views out there supporting or dismissing that? Or how that mechanism works, if in fact it does?
7
@Tombs69
1. what you got there is basic Bro' Science. Meaning its basically myth and false in the larger sense, and not based on much science at all. Bro's make up a lot of stuff (no pain, no gain is classic) over the decades to justify their (wasted) time spent in the gym.
2. However, that said, there is some very limited science (NYT recently had an article on this) behind exercise (long distance running in the case of that article) helping the immune system...but its inconclusive, and in no way points to higher intensity as the best method. In fact, the studies done in the generality of conclusions, simply points to exercise; activity outside ones normal activity, that raises the heart rate, is adequate. Brisk walks show as equal results as HIIT programs. etc.
There are simply too many unmeasured variables to draw a solid - this is why!- conclusion. Namely that people who regularly exercise, and have been for years, if not decades - and not just seasonally, or for special upcoming events, also tend to nourish themselves better. (Not always, but mostly) Regular exercisers tend to watch many factors that are believed to aid in the overall fitness of the body. So its likely to be an amalgam of efforts ,not simply exercise. Much less one modality.
BUT - regular exercisers, esp. obsessive ones, also tend to run themselves down, and are therefore prone to more colds, the flu, etc. They don't know when (or refuse) to stop and rest, and heal - running their body down.
17
@Boregard
I would agree with what you're saying except the last part about running yourself down. I don't think there's any particular health or immunity benefit to intense or excessive exercise. From what I've read here on Well, benefits diminish quickly after just a few hours per week of exercise.
Still, there's no such thing as too much exercise or too much practice, if you're competing, IMO. Limiting factors are one's own abilities at any given moment. I don't believe that people have a finite amount of heartbeats or muscle and that it gets "used up" if we do too much. I think it's just the opposite- the more we do, the more we can do. Also, the easier it gets and the stronger we become- up to a point, of course.
Anybody that thinks they're somehow better in the immunity department than others I would invite to work the Christmas season at a particular warehouse I did a couple of years ago. Two-thirds of the workers were sick and you would be in close quarters with a different partner everyday. It's impossible to not get sick when exposed like that.
1
@Ron A & Boregard
Debunking the Myth of Exercise-Induced Immune Suppression: Redefining the Impact of Exercise on Immunological Health Across the Lifespan
By John P. Campbell
More info on the subject but not definitive. Guess it stays in the "it can't hurt category"
Several of my friends and I started a group on Zoom as a substitute for meeting in-person. We're discussing frequency of meeting and how-to use the group meetings: general conversation, book or movie studies, etc. We're still experimenting, but it sure beats the isolation and brings some joy and fun back into our lives.
17
@Ray
One good thing about technology. We can have meet ups in the desolate, scary time.
I'm finding this heartening: my granddaughter who like most teens spends time on social media is: less anxious, painting (oils) and reading. Really reading again. Hmmm.
3
@East Ender I would be curious to know, from her, why she feels she is reading again. Obviously it's because she has more time due to the pandemic, but are there any other reasons she reads when she could be on social media or talking on the phone or bingeing on Netflix? At any rate, I hope she sees her renewed interest in reading as a happy development.
I had a monster cold coming on the other day and then I took some anti-inflammatory herbs that I normally take for something else. And bang - my cold symptoms were gone in an hour. I then read about Covid patients in China being treated with Chinese herbal medicine (along with the regular treatment). Apparently they recovered 33% better than patients who just received the regular medicine:
https://www.ijbs.com/v16p1708.htm
Some of the herbs I was taking are in the list of the remedies that were used with Covid patients: Dong Quai (Dang Gui) and licorice (Gan Cao). Anti-inflammatories also tend to be antimicrobial so this may be one reason for their efficacy. Also, during SARS, a lot of the people who died succumbed to massive inflammation in the organs brought on by the virus. There seems to be a controversy about this, as doctors are saying don't use ibuprofen as it's an anti-inflammatory and this decreases the immune response (that is needed to fight the virus). Yet anti-inflammatories (in this case herbal) were part of the TCM treatments for Covid patients. My anecdotal experience is that, as said, the anti-inflammatories crushed my cold.
Ginger and lemon in boiled water are used for upper respiratory infections and they might be useful here. The article on TCM mentions Astragalus, another common herb here. As long as a person doesn't have an autoimmune problem, this should be fine. Just don't use ginseng. It's not supposed to be used if there is a pathogenic factor.
11
But consider that maybe it wasn’t a cold coming on. Maybe allergies. Maybe some other inflammation that wasn’t infection or virus related. In that case, anti-inflammatory stuff will help. Maybe ibuprofen would have as well.
Ibuprofen isn’t a miracle cure either. But all these things can alleviate symptoms.
Immunity is different than a cure. Making your body strong for fighting off viruses/bacteria is boosting immunity. Anything you do after you have symptoms is treating/curing.
2
@Erin
Don't forget the placebo effect. See, for instance, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/12/12/the-power-of-nothing for some interesting studies done at Harvard Medical School.
The immune system works both ways: hyper immune response can actually worsen the illness in reports about COVID-19. "Cytokine storm" is the phrase used.
The recommendations in this article make sense. But too much Vitamin D can also make you sick.
4
Chronic inflammation due to continuous stimulation of the immune system by things like Nue5Gc and endotoxins coming from animal products primes the immune system to overreact to the corona virus and may contribute to the deadly cytokines storm. Best thing is a calm resilient immune system. The short chain fatty acids butyrate and propionate produced big bacteria as they digest fiber and then absorbed into the bloodstream has been shown in numerous clinical studies to calm the immune system.
So eat more whole plant foods and less animal and highly refined plant foods for the strongest, calmest immune system.
1
vitamin D overdose can cause kidney stones. i’m certain no one wants to waste healthcare’s time nowadays trying to get a blood workup for D level anyway. try the Linus Pauling thing and do vitamin C instead.
4
Meditation, lots of laughter, telling the people you love that you love them, kind affirmations to yourself and helping others are certain to boost immunity.
This is not necessarily according to science, but it's according to me.
Absorb 20 minutes of news a day, and spend the rest of the time on living.
Anyone or anything, including media, that's feeding you words such as "worst case scenario" and "dangerous" and "destructive" is manipulating not informing, scaring, not just saying.
Stick to facts, then play some backgammon or walk around the block, or tell a risque joke for once in your life. This is no time to squelch the fun.
36
@HotGumption
And maybe, one Mallomar a day.
4
@East Ender
Enthusiastically agree.
And if Mallomars are hard to find, the substitution of a chocolate Moon Pie will suffice, tastily.
1
I don't really agree with the premise of this article that there is not much you can do. Just because there isn't already research backing something up doesn't mean that it is not useful. 'Absence of proof is not proof of absence.' There is no recognized medical treatment for this right now, so why not try herbal remedies? They have been used for thousands of years on colds and viruses; the chances that people believe they work for no good reason are fairly slim, in my opinion.
This article gives a comprehensive overview of Chinese herbal treatments used during Covid, and their efficacy:
https://www.ijbs.com/v16p1708.htm
I think this should be receiving a lot more attention than it is.
Many of the herbs listed are not available here, but Astragalus, licorice (dan cao) and dong quai, and ginger, are quite common. As long as someone doesn't have an autoimmune illness, these should be fine. Just don't use ginseng. It isn't supposed to be used when there is a pathogenic factor present, and can make things worse.
4
@Erin Agree. It is surprising that evidence cannot be developed after all these years that certain herbal remedies are actually beneficial. Take chug for example: the Russians and Finns have been distilling its essence for many years and seem to believe in its value. Have they been wasting their time?
2
@Erin
The reason I don't use them or recommend them to anyone is because I believe they are pre-modern medicine and scientific study. In other words, when there was nothing else to try, they were used. Today, they are archaic, even medieval, and completely unnecessary. Does anyone really believe if an herbal brew were efficacious that a for-profit drug company would not patent some version of it?
Besides this, herbs, I've read, can adversely interact with conventional medicines. They may also create unknown side effects, as most things do. Lastly, herbal supplements are not regulated nor inspected by the FDA which means they may contain unknown ingredients.
2
@Erin
Chinese traditional medicine is empirically based.
Cf 'barefoot doctors manual'.
Two studies were done (2012+/_ 5) ... they discovered that in the US retail market, that Generic brands of herbs often contained compounds not listed on the label(some toxic), and frequently None of the ingredient listed on the label.
So, if buy herbs -- Don't get generic, buy proprietary brands.
follow the example of our leader and eat fast foods for the best nutrition....and the added benefit of your skin turning orange
20
@greg anton
He thinks it's "tan."
1
Turmeric, Garlic, Ginger and Onions are well known for their protective quality and improving the digestive track. These make you very regular provided you also hydrate yourself adequately. Hydrating self is very important.
But, as the Author says, there are no research or studies to back it up. But the people all over the world using the above four I mentioned know better.
THERE IS ONE THING I CAN GUARRANTEE THOUGH....THESE FOUR WILL NEVER HURT YOU. THEY WILL ONLY HELP YOU.
13
@Devendra I'm a huge believer in the powers of turmeric.
1
As a country we do not eat healthy foods. Our wheat is poisoned and then stripped of all nourishment. HFCS promotes diabetes. Diet foods make us fat. Our corn is full of Round Up. Our chickens are forced to grow at twice the normal rate. We really need to eat more whole grains but we do not.
Perhaps this is why 34 countries are healthier than the USA is.
29
@Allan
There is no question about this.
And, you left out GMO's. We have no idea about the harmful affects of GMO's.
One way to protect health and build immunity is to eat organic foods - vegetables, chicken - grass fed meat (if you eat meat). I healed myself of an autoimmune disease with good, healthy food.
1
Thanks, Tara, for adding a dose of rational advice and saving people from wasting money on miracle cures.
5
"The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night."
Recent prominent sleep research studies in USA have indicated that adults need 8-9 hours. Which studies support your sleep requirement?
10
A friend of mine was one of the unfortunate souls who took a nasal spray zinc supplement to fight a cold and ended up losing her sense of smell. She has still not recovered completely and it has been five years. Supplements are not necessarily without risk. Having said that, I take a daily vitamin D and weekly B12 to supplement my plant-based diet. Eating fruits, veggies, legumes, and whole grains might not prevent you from getting covid-19, but they promote good health overall, so why not? Plus these are the foods that grocery stores aren't running out of so often (and fresh fruit and veg are easy to freeze, and beans and whole grains store well in the pantry).
7
As others have pointed out: high doses of vitamin C (2 to 3 grams daily at the first signs of illness) have proven to be highly effective in cutting short the duration of viral infections. Works for me every single time and the beauty of Vitamin C is that it is cheap and has no known side effects. Of course doctors and drug companies wont tout the benefits of Vitamin C since there is no money to be made there.
6
You overstate vitamin c's efficacy. It's a barely clinically sufficient.
3
@Steve Bannon
Vitamin C can be very helpful; it also regenerates Vitamin E; an antioxidant, it also is important for our bodies' production of cartilage.
But, in the presence of cancer ... it will accelerate the growth of that tissue, too!
Outside of guniea pigs and primates, almost all animals have an enzyme which enables conversion of glucose into ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Generosity is known to improve physical and mental well-being. If you're able, give to someone in need by making a donation to a food pantry, adding a little extra when you tip the person delivering your food, or donating toys and puzzles to a shelter/home for children.
16
I’m no physician but with some biological training (degrees in biology and environmental engineering) I firmly believe that there is a correlation between stress level and immunological response.
And as far as herbal medicines go, their efficacy (in many cases) should not be questioned. Many people fail to remember that nearly all functioning drugs originate at some time from plant based origins.
There is enough information from a variety of sources to keep people from being misled about various immune boosting therapies.
Be safe everyone.
7
@Ajax,
"And as far as herbal medicines go, their efficacy (in many cases) should not be questioned."
The efficacy and potential side effects of any medicine should be questioned. Claims of efficacy and safety absent studies/monitoring are worthless, and usually driven by commercial interest.
7
I think in general, there is really very little meaningful research on how to boost your immune system. There is no money in that. Maybe researching a supplement, they concluded that it was a great supplement.... Ha. Most supplements are not derived from the same sources they would be obtained naturally, and thus oftentimes, are not very well absorbed or utilized by the body. The relationship between vitamin C and glucose is instructive.
1
Tara
I enjoy your informative columns. FYI, "in tandem" means as one of a group of TWO items. It does not mean one of several or many factors, which is how you used it here.
7
Vitamin C cuts the severity and duration of infectious illnesses. Studies rarely employ therapeutic dosages.
It works for me, always, regardless of the affliction. I get sick, but not so badly and not for an excessive amount of time. I heal very quickly from cuts.
I am 70. I doubt I'd have made it this far and this well without the supplements I take. I take no prescription drugs. My family health history is rife with heart disease. I have none.
Vitamin C makes no money for the healthcare industry. Prevention is bad for their stock prices.
Learn what works for your own body and be your own adjunct to what your physician prescribes or recommends.
13
@SCA how much Vitamin C do you take to ward off infection?
2
@CT Reader I myself routinely take 4,000 mgs. with each meal i.e. 12,000 mgs./daily.
This works for me. But since childhood I've needed more vitamin C than the average; without it I get bruises (discovered when I went away to summer camp and the facility's doctor prescribed a daily orange. I need far more than that to be healthy.).
Every person must go by what they've discovered works well for them. Every individual is different.
1
Green Tea, that has epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been shown to enhance immune function.
It is also a well known fact that the cancer rate is the lowest in Shizuoka prefecture, the number one tea producer in Japan. People there drink multiple cups of green tea a day.
16
Vitamin D: Another reason to get out for a walk, if you can keep your distance from others.
8
It's not easy to get 6 hours of sleep with all the stress caused by inability to find any healthy food in stores (no vegetables, no eggs, no pasta, no bread, no canned fish, etc).
5
Would argue that pasta and bread aren’t the healthiest. Lean proteins, beans, veggies and fresh fruits are
6
@natan
Hoarding can mess up supplies.
The primary reason for the gas shortages during the 'oil crises', was hoarding.
@Mary C I agree, but unfortunately not everyone has access or the ability afford them
If ever there were a time to avoid alcohol altogether if you can, it’s right now. It’s an immunosuppressant. I’m surprised people can’t seem to manage that for even a few weeks, even under threat of pandemic. We’re so addicted to the stuff as a society, it’s alarming.
12
@Paul
People are understandably scared. A glass of wine may seem like a guilty pleasure, but it may also help to reduce stress; also listed as an enemy of the immune sysytem.
'Everything in moderation' is rarely bad advice.
15
The problem is hardly anyone drinks in moderation according to guidelines, and consumption beyond that level has a negative impact on serotonin that can last days, so people are rarely drinking in ways that reduce anxiety. A standard serve of alcohol is way smaller than the amount people serve themselves.
5
I love wine, but I cut out all alcohol for an immune boost, too. Working with ethyl alcohol in a lab, and seeing its effects on the function and structure of living tissue and cells, provides a mental model of the utter toxicity of the stuff at a cellular level... a great deterrent.
It’s common sense, but don’t send your internal soldiers into battle inebriated! (or with their proteins unfolded and all stuck together: an egg white omelet can’t put up a proper fight)
5
'Scientific' studies are lacking for all NATURAL food-based remedies (elderberry, aronia, compounded mushrooms, garlic, turmeric, oregano oil, etc.) because BIG PHARMA = BIG GOVT. doesn't want to fund research that will hurt their bottom line. Much more profitable to fund research that is skewed to support taking more chemicals, more drugs. Let's let BIG PHARMA keep us brainwashed into thinking that a PILL can provide health. I mean, come on! When are doctors going to wake up to the fact that there is no money for the kind of research that will actually create a healthy nation of people who take responsibility for their health by eating immune boosting food?? Unfortunately, the word "research" is a euphemism for political persuasion. As Hippocrates said, "Let food by thy medicine, and medicine be thy food."
26
@abbie sewall Well said!
If a person has a low level (sub infective) exposure (not enough virus particles received by the susceptible tissues such as the occular and nasopharyngeal mucus membranes to cause infection) will not the body encounter the virus, kill it off, and develop some immunity, whether partial or complete, from that low level exposure? And (second question) if the first premise is true, wouldn't excessive cleaning and excessive isolation prevent low level exposures and leave people without that acquired immunity that results from sub-infective exposures?
5
@Bob Sinsheimer
Good question.
I wonder if the virus is too new to be able to answer. But the practice of homeopathy would, of course say yes, isolation prevents the opportunity to acquire immunity.
5
The point of isolation is to flatten the curve, tempering the rate of infection, not necessarily to avoid transmission/exposure completely.
16
@abbie sewall
The practice of homeopathy is a proven scam. It is pointless to use its principles to assess anything.
4
I don't think "sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night" It is 8-9 hours for me. Including a nap during the day. Also, exercise is good for sleep, at any time.
27
No Exercise?
2
As we navigate these unprecedented times, what we can, want, or need to do is being challenged. One thing we MUST do is to SLEEP. Yet, anxiety, schedule changes, and other factors may be hindering our sleep just when it is all the more essential for our health, immune system function, and physical and mental health. A few tips: Have a consistent sleep and wake time to support the functioning of your circadian rhythm, have a moratorium on reading or watching the news at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, have a bedtime routine in the hour before bed. Here are a few activities to calm your body and mind for sleep: Tune out from tech devices, take a shower, read a physical book, have a nice conversation, practice mindfulness. When you awaken, make your bed and get dressed, all the more important to separate day from night if you are working from home. And during the day, get sunlight and convene with nature as often as you can. Look at this time as an opportunity to establish better sleep habits and see how they serve you, now and going forward. I wish you sweet dreams. We really need them!
17
If there is no scientific proof that zinc lozenges work, why not? They work for me every single cold I get although now I prefer the nasal swabs that used to be made with zinc but have a new formula. I get a lot of colds being a smoker. I'm telling you, they work. If I catch the cold at first sign of symptoms and use as directed for a couple or few days the cold never sets in. If I catch it late the cold stops getting worse from the point that I start using them. It's not about boosting the immune system. What they do is stop the germ from reproducing according to various sources. Noted pathologist James Robb has said it is highly likely they will work against this new germ or virus.
3
@ Keith: Seems to me that it would be far easier just to quit smoking. Maybe you wouldn’t catch so many “colds”. Just saying.
1
Hypnosis and self-hypnosis can be a great option for lowering stress by: 1) quickly letting go of the past: anger, fear, guilt, shame, therefore reducing negative stress; 2) releasing stress "on the fly" by distracting, deflecting and shifting your thoughts and emotions on command; 3) giving oneself suggestions for positive thoughts and responses (taking charge of how you think and feel). Anothr option is using conscious autosuggestion as taught by Émile Coué. In fact, the New York Times wrote about his successes in the early 1900's!
3
"there is no magic pill or a specific food guaranteed to bolster your immune system" About as accurate as we have come to expect from the times e.g. google studies on mushrooms and immunity.
2
SHOCKED the author said NOTHING about zinc. I successfully use zinc when dealing with viruses. It cuts the severity in half or more EVERY time. Why isn't the government pushing zinc on everyone? If we reduce the severity of the virus, we won't need respirators!
6
@Jonathan Butcher There's an entire paragraph about zinc, towards the bottom...
20
@Jonathan Butcher, The effectiveness of zinc compounds for some people in protecting them against the viruses that cause colds seems related to the fact that a zinc component is necessary for initial binding between specific mucus membrane receptors and the viruses that need to bind to these receptors to initiate infection. Zinc compounds taken as prophylactic agents overwhelm these interactions by acting as competitive inhibitors in the invasion practice. There is no evidence as of yet that any of the corona viruses need to attach to similar receptors.
2
@Jonathan Butcher Actually, you have to be really careful how much zinc you consume. I've been telling patients for years to use Zinc no more than once or at most twice per cold season, because it can wipe out your copper stores. There was a mini epidemic of copper deficiency among elders who used a lot of denture cream (has zinc oxide as a major ingredient)and also among people who took a lot of zinc lozenges for colds one particularly bad winter -- they had numbness and tingling in their feet for no obvoious reason.
1
Hormesis - A little stress for the body is a good thinkg - like exercise, it helps build your immune system! Cold stress or heat stress, such as Whole Body Cryotherapy and the Infrared Sauna respectively, can also help build and support a healthy immune system. Come check it out at www.beyondcryotherapy.com
1
Magnesium Chloride. Tons of medical research have proven once and once again it is the best immune system booster, but pharma industry keep it secret or discredit as much as they can because it is so cheap an easy to prepare. Just buy only Magnesium Chloride flakes and dissolve in water in 1:2 proportion and you will have a concentrated magnesium oil you can take when you start to see flu-like symptoms, and most likely the next day you will be normal again... Make your own research and you will be surprised how many more benefits you can get from this miracle salt (yes, it is a sea salt; the purest coming from Norway undersea mines... but even artificially synthesized will work)
3
@Arthur Muller I haven't used it in a while but I used to make and drink it down. Tastes horrid but doable.. Maybe I'll get back to it.
2
@Arthur Muller, There is no known evidence for what you claim, in spite of your conspiracy theory. Magnesium compounds, however, are great for inducing diarrhea if †hat is what you are looking for.
1
With a title about "Boosting the Immune System" by an established Health editor, I was extremely surprised at the lack of the mentioning the #1 answer!!
Ms. Parker-Pope poses the real question in the opening paragraph: "Are there foods to boost the immune system?", and then avoids the obvious answer we ALL know...
EAT MORE FRESH WHOLE-FOOD FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN VARIETY.
Sure, all her side-answers are worth noting perhaps, but in the final section she glosses over "Eat a balanced diet..." without even mentioning eating fruits, vegetable and berries.
Most Americans have little idea as to what a "balanced diet" is.
And as for supplementation, there IS a proven product line of wholefood concentrated fruits, veggies and berries that has been on the market for 25 years and has over 30 gold-standard, double-blind, peer-reviewed and honorably published studies supporting better immune-system functioning, as well as cardiovascular function and other aspects of good health.
12
@Sandy what are they?
4
Sandy, could you share the name of this revered immunity-boosting supplement please?
2
@Sandy
Please share the name of the Whole Food Supplements?
No mention of Vitamin C?
10
There is an immune system booster that's been around many years. There are not just medical journal articles about it, but entire text books. I researched this in the 1980's. It increased "white cell counts". It has no side effects.
Here is what WebMD says about it right now: Thymus extract is used for infectious diseases including recurrent respiratory infections, colds, flu, H1N1 “swine” flu, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), mononucleosis, herpes and shingles, sinusitis, and AIDS/HIV. It is also used for asthma, hay fever, food allergies, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Other uses include maintaining white cell production in cancer patients treated with radiation or chemotherapy...
7
US Patent US6733764B2 describes a bona-fide immuno-stimulator that helps a mammal's own immune system to selectively attack and kill cancerous cells. This magic medicine? Poison Ivy. (aka urushiol, administered in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier)
Perhaps my early spring garden cleanup mishap, which has caused my forearms to be festooned with itchy rash and calamine war-paint has an upside, after all!
1
As an avid reader of New York Times, they are usually spot on when it comes to articles on sleep, the workplace and health. However, this article is not entirely accurate with its sleep advice. I thought it is important to address it, especially during these times.
So, let’s start with what’s correct about it:
It rightly refers to one of the studies done on sleep and virus responses that found that short sleepers, those regularly sleeping 6 hours or less, were 4.2 times more likely to get sick than those who got more than 7 hour of sleep.
And now, what’s wrong about it:
Simply, the advice “the sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night" was drawn without additional findings (though the same study indicated that more than 7 hours of sleep would be ideal).
In fact, other sleep & virus research indicates 8 or more hours of sleep might be preferable. A study done by Cohen and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon (2009) found that
- Those sleeping less than 7 hours were 2.9 times more likely to get sick than those getting 8 hours or more.
- This same study also found that it's not just total sleep duration but also sleep quality that greatly impacts how well your immune system can fight viruses.
For more details on these studies, I recently published an article “Combat COVID-19 with Sleep” [http://bit.ly/covidsleep] but the bottom line is this: Don't stop at 7 hours and work on your sleep quality as well.
12
As an adolescent, had measles with complication of pneumonia. For much of my teen years went through cycles of antibiotic, feeling well, getting run-down, and needing antibiotic as well as prescription strength decongestant. At 19 years old, I was beyond annoyed about it and researched solutions ... Found out the problem was antibiotics quash body's own production of antibodies and that once we stop taking the drugs we are more immune compromised than our normal state. Also found out the key was to boost the immune system's own production of antibodies. Discovered Golden Seal ROOT actually works. (Not zinc, not echinacea, not golden seal herb. These will reduce symptoms, but are not a prophylactic.) Never needed an antibiotic for the next 25 years.
During flu season, traveling, commuting via public transit/shared transport services take Golden Seal ROOT daily. Remainder of the year, every other day or less, depending on your interaction with others who may be carriers.
3
My husband has a stressful job and is bad at managing his stress. He rarely gets ill. I am retired and am highly trained (yoga, mediation) at managing stress. Yet I always catch whatever bug is going around, and when I get flu I get very ill. I attribute this difference to genetics. I have a few allergies, and I have read that those who are allergic have hyper reactive immune systems that can make them experience worse symptoms when ill. But my bug-immune husband gets hayfever, and I don’t. It’s a puzzle.
This is anecdotal, but I will put it out there for others. My allergies and chronic skin issues abated when I changed my diet, more than 15 years ago. I stopped eating meat (I was vegetarian for a long time, but I now eat fish, occasionally). I began consciously nurturing a healthy gut by eating lots of fiber and consuming both probiotics and probiotics daily (in the form of living, cultured food, not supplements). This is not a quick fix for the body, as it takes some times to build a healthy gut garden. Furthermore, I cannot claim that it makes me less likely to catch viruses, but my overall health has improved hugely. The healthier you are, the better your outcome will be when you do become ill.
Be careful when adding new, live cultures to your diet. Be sure you consume prebiotic foods with your probiotics. If you don’t, you will not like the consequences. A good “gut garden” feed is live yogurt (dairy or coconut milk), granola and walnuts.
3
Forgot to mention the banana that gets sliced into that yogurt bowl. Crucial ingredient.
...and bananas! I forgot to add the bananas to that yogurt bowl. A crucial ingredient. Wouldn’t it be great if the Times Comments had an edit feature?
4
@Passion for Peaches
Would you tell us your preferred prebiotic and your choice for food for prebiotic thanks
Food combinations DO effect positive change in health conditions. This has been the case for me with the use of nettle (yes -- that stinging weed) for increased T-cell numbers (immune system), cherry juice (gout), turmeric (inflammations, including arthritis). Due to my personal health conditions I have monthly lab tests. This means I have the black on white numbers to prove it .... and now numerous doctors who see what I've done and know it.
5
@Muppet, Interesting in what you said about the use of "nettie" for increasing T-cells numbers (immune systems).
But isn't that bad for you if you have any form of arthritis?
My understandings is that people who have arthritis have a over production of T-cells in their system for which causes the inflammation, that is why they take immunity suppressant medicine that lowers T-cell productions.
2
@Warren, I believe that is true only for rheumatoid arthritis, not osteoarthritis.
3
Our bodies are amazingly resilient (and fragile). At the end of the day, it's the basics that work. Get good sleep, manage stress, exercise, drink moderately, and eat a well-rounded diet.
For those of us who are immune-compromised, taking vitamin and herbal supplements is a risk. Typically, people with auto-immune diseases, the treatment protocol is to suppress the immune system. For example, people like myself, with Crohn's disease, our systems don't have an 'off' switch. Stimulating my immune system brings the Crohn's out of remission.
To add to the mix, vitamin and herbal supplements aren't regulated, nor are they tested for efficacy, consistency of dose, or interactions with other medications.
A dangerous roll of the dice, at best.
17
There are a lot of quack remedies out there, but I've found a few go-to remedies that actually work. Firstly, garlic is a tremendously effective food for fighting colds and viruses. It might not be pleasant, but chewing a few garlic cloves will help. Or cut them up and wash down with water. It'll burn a bit, which in my opinion means it works. Secondly, a supplement derived from coconut called monolaurin will stop viruses from replicating. I had the flu last year and consumed large quantities of monolaurin, and kicked it on my own. Not to suggest you shouldn't seek medical help if you're sick, but these two might help.
11
Thanks for this. I am fed up of people telling us we can boost our immune system with "ginger tea" or various other supplements. Eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and veggies, get sleep and exercise is the oldest and most valid way to stay healthy.
8
Apparently buying huge quantities of toilet paper seems to be trending.
42
Yes, apparently there’s a diarrhea epidemic.
Toilet paper is the last thing you should be worrying about, if you are stocking up. A majority of the world doesn’t use it, and in fact finds it to be a fairly repellent practice.
Eat a well-balanced diet. Keep regular hours. Get sleep. Exercise and mediate. Or just do things you like to do, and if you find yourself stuck inside, consider using the time as an opportunity to learn, and to grow.
In this situation, the only thing that you have control over is yourself. Literally.
Be kind to that person. And look out for others. They, too, are part of you.
8
Read "The Happiness Diet"
by Tyler Graham & Drew Ramsey, MD.
"A nutritional prescription for a sharp brain, balanced mood, and lean, energized body".
2
I was recently diagnosed with hypogammaglobulinemia, ie, immunodeficiency (great timing, right?). When I looked into methods to boost my immune system while I wait to get an infusion of IgG, I found that lean meat can help. For over a year now, I have eliminated all meats from my diet. Since receiving this diagnosis, I have been eating chicken twice a day. Don't know, but I sure hope it is helping.
I’m confused, you said to eliminate all meats, yet you’re eating chicken twice a day?
@pharmconsultant, It sure ain't helping the chickens.
2
I have been practicing yoga off and on since 1976. During the times when I did daily routines I literally never had an illness. When I lapsed, and got sick and tried to heal with yoga it never worked. Apparently, for me, yoga only works as preventative medicine. But boy does it work if I can convince myself to do it every day.
8
And, yes, I got back on the mat last week.
4
@Okbyme, Can I offer you a suggestion?
Think of the body as a short duration of efficiency of processes.
For example like a balance diet. moderate intake, regular exercising, regular bedtime and regular sleeping hours, it seems that everything that we do or for what we do, is based off of that short duration time frame.
I myself like you feel the same thing when I lapsed in my Yoga exercises and it is really hard to get back to it.
I have AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) and trust me, lapsing for a short duration has a big effect on me in the long terms.
Glad to hear you getting back on the mat and best wishes to staying at it.
2
@Okbyme You may be interested in this article, written by a friend who is a yoga instructor and an epidemiologist. Yoga and meditation, are both proven stress-relievers, which aid the body in healing.
http://yogaforhealthyaging.blogspot.com/
1
Hi,
Spring Forest Qigong exercises can both relieve stress and strengthen the immune system. Qigong is part of the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been practiced for 5,000 years with thousands of styles and millions of practioners.
https://www.springforestqigong.com/31-about-us/185-relieving-anxiety
https://www.springforestqigong.com/shop/healing-tools-courses/five-element-healing-movements-store
4
@miles - I am a firm believer of Qigong for healing and reducing stress. I have been a practitioner and teacher of several Qigong methods for the past 35 years, Spring Forest is my most recently learned style. I will be 70 this month and this virus certainly has me concerned so both my husband and myself will be doing our Qigong daily and hopefully able to help others maintain their health during this difficult time.
2
@miles
Yeah, like eating bats and pangolin meat. We can see how helpful that was.
@Ron A that is old news. The new news is about US biological warfare lab that was sut down in August, followed by pulmonary outbreak in the vicinity of the lab, which was later transmitted by US delegation to Wuhan Military World Games of October 2019.
Here's a good article about foods that boost immunity, with links for further information. It endorses kiwi fruit, garlic, onions, ginger, green tea, cruciferous vegetables, probiotics/probiotics/fermented foods, nutritional yeast, berries, citrus fruits, mushrooms, apples, sunflower seeds, and red peppers, and vitamin D and zinc - https://foodrevolution.org/blog/how-to-boost-immune-system/
5
@Horace Jones you know that none of this is backed up by science, right? All controlled trials of nutritional supplements have pretty much failed, and many caused more harm than good. Fish oils are the only ones that have had a couple of successful results. I am so unhappy that members of my family have spent literally tens fo thousands of dollars on things that have no real effect, not even placebo
4
This is not true. Zinc has been proven to reduce the duration of many viral infections.
4
@E Campbell
Even fish oil has been downgraded in recent trials unless it comes from fresh fish.
2
On one hand, we have Rev. Jim Bakker touting his expensive Silver Gel or something like that and on the other we have mushroom tinctures that have been around for generations. Do the mushroom extracts work, I don't know. They seem to have some efficacy, and why are there no medical studies to prove or disprove their value. Are all the peoples around the world that swear by the mushrooms (like chaga) looney?
We have had patent medicines for years and the shysters can make a lot of money. I recommend Dr. Kilmer's Swamproot, it cures everything from dandruff to toe fungus. It is hard to come by but was probably about 150 proof.
1
I have a bottle of Dr Swamproot’s Kidney cure! Literally. Dug it up from an ancient dump in Cornwall.
Cynicism aside, though, I still believe in taking the healthy route.
2
The ‘sanitarium’ craze of 18th century to avoid ‘ill humours’ is starting to make sense...
3
@Scott Sattler MD FACS
Good observation!
Dr. Antony Fauci recently commented how the high levels of incident UltraViolet light in bright sunlight are a great tonic for airborne virus.
consumerlab.com will give you the BEST information on what is legit and what is garbage when it comes to boosting your immune system
THIS IS NOT A CURE, but it may be helpful in giving you the extra ooomph we all need right now in this time of terrible stress .
4
@Angela basically nothing out of a pill bottle boosts your immune system
The article barely mentions exercise.
How much is recommended without burning oneself out?
2
@Steve Kazan, hard to do if you are cooped up in a tiny apartment during a lockdown. But I agree that it is important. My “cure” for what ails me is to spend maximum time working outdoors. But I have rural acreage, so no one is shooing me back indoors. I feel for those who are stuck in tiny flats.
3
@Passion for Peaches
Californian restrictions clearly indicate that outdoors exercise is acceptable/desirable, providing only that 6-foot distance maintained from other primates.
Always a good idea to be the best we can be with proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep, especially when faced with an illness. Whether these things specifically improve our immune systems is debatable but they will improve our overall health and everything that encompasses. Still, when it comes to viruses, it's an academic question because the infection relies on stealth and subterfuge to gain entry, replicate, and attack our bodies. If we could improve the "intelligence" of our immune systems that would be a lot more effective. Unfortunately, only vaccines seem to stimulate that kind of specificity.
See the article in the NYT's Science section about how Covid-19 fools our cells.
3
@Ron A I tried to find the NYTimes article you mentioned but to no avail. Do you remember the reporter or approximate day it was published? Thanks!
2
Would boosting Vitamin C help?
6
I agree with the facts listed in this article. But we need more emphasis on movement! Our bodies and brains depend on it for optimal function. Frequent, gentle movement throughout the day like short walks and light ROM exercises promote blood flow throughout the entire body. Oxygenating the tissues is critical. The body’s lymphatic pumps only work by moving the body tissues. And finally some focused breathing exercises to keep the lungs functioning well.
8
“Laughter is the best medicine”
“There’s nothing so great or grave that cannot be diminished by a good cup of tea”
I know these are not medically proven options, but they work for me. It is rare that I get sick (and I work in a field where I am in constant contact with the public). A good way to relax - turn off the news before you go to sleep. Not long after Mr. Trump was elected, I made the decision to watch a funny show / video before I go to sleep. And waking up to a good cup of tea doesn’t hurt either. There is something about the ritual of a making a cup of tea that I find find relaxing and reassuring.
FYI - genetics plays a role too. Thank you to my Italian and “Ukrainian” relatives who lived well into their 80s and 90s.
3
I started supplementing Vitamin D about 10 years ago when I noticed that it reduced a long term problem I had had with respiratory infections. Before supplementation I would get 5 or 6 colds or other respiratory infections in any give winter, and frequently one of those would linger for as much as 2 months. After I started supplementing in winter months with 2000-4000 units of D3 a day, both the frequency and duration of my infections dropped to more normal numbers. Though when I got sick I would sometimes boost the dose, I never noticed any particular improvement with boosting vs. continuing the 2-3000 unit dose, and he study mentioned came to the same conclusion (and cemented my resolve to leave the daily winter dose alone). In summer I am outdoors in sunny climes enough that I drop all supplementation.
I don't think Vitamin D is a panacea or is even effective for everyone — I am sure my case is due to deficiency due to a lack of sun exposure in winter — but worth a try if you find you are more susceptible than most ordinary folk to respiratory infections.
10
@Bounds
What you describe is anecdotal evidence which does not prove anything to those properly trained in the scientific method. But there is at least one article showing a 40% reduction in respirator infections in those taking vitamin D. Unfortunately a positive study does not prove the case because of "publication bias" which means that when one positive study is interesting enough to get published, there maybe 10 other negative studies that were never published due to being uninteresting.
5
I’ve been supplementing with vitamin D for many years. Just over two years ago I started using nicotimanide riboside (NR), a patented B vitamin derivative marketed by Chromadex Corp. under the brand name “Tru Niagen.” (It’s also marketed by an outfit called Elysium Health, which is currently being sued for infringing Chromadex’s patent. The supplement has shown great promise in animal trials, though human trials, while underway, have not yet been reported. In brief, it effectively rejuvenates cells by restoring NAD + levels that diminish with age. I won’t say that, at age 67, it’s the Fountain of Youth. But my colds and other viral infections have been few and far between the past two years, and much, much lighter when they do strike. It was developed at Dartmouth, which licensed the patents to CDXC. Much major research has been conducted by Dr. Charles Brenner of the University of Iowa. It’s worth looking into if you’re older. (Less benefit for younger people, whose NAD + levels are still high.
3
@Dennis Smith You a stockholder, by any chance? Sure sounds like a marketing post to me . . .
Thank you for being a source of factual, research-based information on how to take care of ourselves.
15
Interesting article. However, I don't believe you addressed the benefits of proper nutrition in increasing general health and boosting immune systems.
Most of the studies and input you referenced are medical in nature and don't tell the whole story. While medicine is good to have around, nutrition is the key to health.
While I appreciate the NY Times for all the research and reporting on this Outbreak, I suggest you read "The China Study" as a primer, to fully understand the benefits of proper nutrition.
For those of us who did the research and followed up by changing our diets, the evidence is overwhelming. Somehow, I feel you missed it. Stay Safe out there.
10
@jfleming
The China Study has been thoroughly debunked by Chris Masterjohn and Denise Minger. The data and the design were no good.
See here; https://chriskresser.com/rest-in-peace-china-study/
1
Without any evidence I will suggest that over the long term a well exercised immune system will protect you more than a pampered one. What I am saying is that we need not be so clean in normal, non pandemic times so that our immune system is challenged in the same way as we exercise our muscles - we challenge them - and they grow stronger.
10
Seems reasonable to stay well nourished, well rested etc., but beyond that, skepticism is called for. Consider that diet and cardiovascular disease have been studied for decades and there is still controversy and uncertainty. The idea that we know how to tweak the immune system with this food or that supplement is dubious. Moreover, a "boosted" immune system is not necessarily what you would want anyway. Much of the lung damage that occurs in this infection is the result of the immune onslaught that kills the cells lining the airways. When certain white blood cells (killer T-cells) from the immune system detect the presence of virus within a cell in the lung, they kill the cell to stop it from producing more virus particles. Too much of that and the lungs become severely damaged. Consider that there are drugs in use that "boost" the immune system such interleukin-2 as well as the many new cancer drugs know as checkpoint inhibitors. Not surprisingly, they can have severe side effects if they trigger damage from an immune system that becomes over active. What one hopes for is an early acting precise immune response directed at just the virus early in the infection (like you would get if you had been vaccinated!)
15
@Greg
"What one hopes for is an early acting precise immune response directed at just the virus early in the infection"
That's exactly what nutrition does. It gives the immune system needed resources to both boost immunity and also specificity. Pharma drugs don't do that, which is why they all have side-effects. Nutrition assumes the body via evolution knows best, pharma drugs assume they know best. With complex systems, evolution generally knows best.
2
@Greg This is wise counsel.
Gain a little weight. We're not talking obesity here. A lot of your memory T cells are in your body fat and can help fight off infection.
"Anthony Ferrante, an associate professor of medicine at Columbia University has stated that he believes these findings prove that fat should be considered as an immune organ alongside other immune organs such as lymph nodes and the thymus."
5
@Kingsely You just made my day.
4
Some years ago my doctor found that I was “heart-attack low” in vitamin D. The surprise? I’d been regularly taking a D supplement.
He recommended an oil-based one and that did the trick in no time. Just because it’s in your multivitamin or bone health supplement, that doesn’t mean you’re absorbing it.
15
Same. Also B vitamins. I was taking pills and when bloodwork was done 6 months later - no change. My doctor switched me to sublingual sprays of both and levels went right up!
6
Although I'm only in my 30s, I'm semi high risk as I suffer from a hereditary anemia that sends me into a hematological crisis with the onset of any infection, viral or bacterial. The one time I was hospitalized with a Brucellosis infection in college led to a week's stay in the hospital, severe shock, and multiple blood transfusions. To say the least, this coronavirus has me extremely worried, especially as a public school teacher. Maybe it sounds hokey, but I have stocked up on elderberry, probiotics, green tea, and mushrooms, (things I already take) in the hopes of keeping my immune system in check. I never want to experience another hospital stay again.
13
@JM
The sort of advice you are reading here is not valid. Supplements are not drugs and do not work alone. That's why most of the studies that test them alone are not valid.
The body is a complex set of interfacing ecosystems. Diet and supplements can have a profound effect. Finding the right combination is the thing.
I was going down with chronic hepatitis B at age 32, bleeding abnormally, etc... When I was told that there was "nothing that they could do" for me, that I should have a liver biopsy to determine if I would die, instead risking a biopsy to find out, I went to bed with a stack of books and started reading. One of the first books, "Food is Your Best Medicine" was by doctor, Dr.Henry Bieler who worked only with food. He was smart, and a really good biochemist. He made it clear that I could turn things around.
So worked out a diet. I ate 2 soft boiled eggs each meal 3 meals a day, either steamed kale, or Bieler's broth of green beans and zucchini, and either boiled brown rice or bread that I made myself using a "biga" and Italian starter that had a long slow rise. I ate apples. I took 9 supplements, and 5 g, twice a day of powdered vitamin C.
At 5 weeks liver enzymes normal. At 7 months there were indications that I had re-built my liver capacity. Every time I have tested. I still have the viral antigen, but my level of viral replication is undetectable.
The "seed"is still there, but it no longer grows in my "field".
I still read & still learn.
4
@fragilewing I am so glad your health is doing well. Diet and wellness are also key in addition to vitamins/supplements, I couldn't agree more.
2
Although I'm only in my 30s, I'm semi high risk as I suffer from a hereditary anemia that send me into a hematological crisis with the onset of any infection, viral or bacterial. The one time I was hospitalized with a Brucellosis infection in college led to a week's stay in the hospital, sever shock, and multiple blood transfusions. To say the least, this coronavirus has me extremely worried, especially as a public school teacher. Maybe it sounds hokey, but I have stocked up on elderberry, probiotics, green tea, and mushrooms, (things I already take) in the hopes of keeping my immune system in check. I never want to experience another hospital stay again.
@JM
Not is not "hokey" Keep reading and keep learning. The best thing for you right now would be to isolate your self until there is a vaccine. Be EXTREMELY careful. Wash hands, do not touch face. Try Dr.Majid Ali at the Institute for Preventative Medicine in NYC, he is an odd genius. He helped save my life. The anaemia lowers the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. Oxygen is the foundation of the system. CO Q10 in high doses helps use the oxygen that is in the body better.
There are many scientific studies on Co Q10,and there was a Nobel Prize for discovering that is an enzyme essential oxygen metabolism. Sublingual B12 in high does pushes up oxygen metabolism too.
If you can't see Dr.Ali,read his book,"Oxygen and Aging" .The book is truly an unedited mess that the must have tossed straight out of his computer. Do not be put off or deterred by that. That book is chock full of genius. And if you are patient with him, you will see that he is not repeating, but rather is faceting thoughts and slowly wending you up a spiral staircase to understand how the complex ecology of the body works. Dr. Ali was head pathologist at a large suburban NYC hospital and was an adjunct professor of pathology at Columbia University. He is highly credentialed.
1
Let's not forget the placebo effect: If you take something that you think will help - even if there's no clinical evidence - it will reduce your stress, and that WILL help!
32
This is fine as long as one is also following evidence-based practices, isn’t using anything that may actually be harmful, isn’t going broke using alternative practices, and isn’t turning other people against evidence-based practices.
7
@Debbie
The Evidence Based Medine Group is a trade group which is determined to kill alternative medicine to keep you taking their expensive drugs. Their studies are painfully inappropriate. They want to see if one vitamin or supplement alone can cure a given illness. This is total hogwash. Vitamins and supplements are not drugs and they do not usually work alone. They work as part of a team, and that team usually combines with diet and exercise too. I believe in science,but I also know that medicine is way too complex to be relegated to silence alone. Medicine is also an art.
2
Before the Salk and Sabin polio vaccines in the early 1950’s, doctors did not remove tonsils and adenoids in children during the summer as polio virus attack rate rose in the summer months and it was noted that children who had tonsillectomies during the summer had a higher rate of polio.
Polio is an enterovirus and entered the body through the upper aero-digestive system where the lymph system’s tonsils and adenoids reside.
Question: Do people who have had a T&A have a higher attack rate or more serious infection or more frequent deaths from Corona Virus?
5
@Dr. Timothy Shaw I'm one of the victims of that barbaric procedure. I was 2 in 1949 when I had my tonsils and adenoids removed. I have had about 50 respiratory infections over my adult life, most requiring antibiotics. My intestinal flora are a mess, and I have PTSD because I woke up during the operation. It's my earliest memory.
9
@Boston Lover
Hi, I am 86 years old, forgot the age of my T&A but I can say that through out my years, I have not had many colds or other respiratory infections. Can't recall when I last had a common cold. P.S. I take prescription dose of Vitamin D and a shot glass of elderberry syrup every morning. Healthy as an old horse.
14
@Pauline Hartwig
We have several things in common.
- I was stationed in Nurnberg at the 98th General Hospital during Desert Storm. Your city is beautiful and the people were wonderful. Thank you.
- I live in Madison, Wisconsin which is home to the University of Wisconsin. At the University, in 1923, a veteranian named Harvey Steenbock demonstrated that irradiation by ultraviolet light increased the vitamin D content of foods and other organic materials. After irradiating rodent food, Steenbock discovered that the rodents were cured of rickets. It is now known that vitamin D deficiency is a cause of rickets. Subsequently, he found the active form of Vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.
- Since you had a Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy at a young age, but have remained healthy, and did not get polio, I wonder if your morning elderberry syrup coated the throat and disallowed viral particles from attaching to the mucous membranes of the throat and prevented some viral infections. This is just conjecture, but I think research labs should look into some substances, natural or manufactured, that prevent viral attachment to lessen the attack rate of viral particles such as COVID-19 and other corona viruses.
- You may be on to something!
5
My understanding is that probiotics improve the immune system. I'm surprised the article doesn't mentioned it.
12
I read somewhere that one of the ways the new coronavirus can be deadly is triggering an autoimmune response against the lungs. If that's the case, then perhaps there is danger in boosting the immune system too much? Similarly, if one is taking a drug like Humira to curtail autoimmune disease, I wonder where one should stop taking it to boost one's immune system in order to better fight off novel coronavirus?
5
@Moths
The immune system is not too strong in autoimmune disease, it is de-regulated and confused. It does not know what to shoot,or who is the enemy.
There are better ways to cure autoimmunity than taking drugs.
You do not want to be immune suppressed with this virus about, and you need a well-regulated immune system.
Dr.Majid Ali NYC is quite good at working on autoimmune disease.
2
No doubt - patients on Humira, other anti-TNF inhibitors, and immunosupression medications for organ transplant are at far higher risk than the general population. By all means, contact your physician and discuss this important issue.
I'm not one for trendy "miracle" fads, but a long time ago my mother-in-law advised me to take zinc and Vitamin C at the very first signs of a cold--just that tickly, rough feeling at the back of the throat, or a bit of a runny nose. I thought she was giving me some half-baked idea that she'd picked up somewhere (sweet as she is, she is easily swayed by half-baked notions about certain things). But at some point I tried it--a zinc supplement (ALWAYS on a full stomach, because the nausea if you don't do that is just awful, if fleeting) and a vitamin C pill at night and in the morning until any cold symptoms had passed. And pass they did--always within a day or too, and they were always mild. So for that, at least, I am a believer. I can't remember the last time I've had a serious cold since then.
Of course, I have no idea if that would be any help at all with Covid-19, but I don't see any harm in trying, as it really does seem to kick up my immune system a few notches every time I do.
I'm not a doctor, but I play one in the Times Comments section. :)
57
@NGB Same. Zinc, oregano oil, Cold Calm and sometimes a Chinese herbal supplement called Yin Chiao zap everything before it starts. They all boost the immune system, so I'm stocked up.
5
@NGB Your trusting mother may have read Linus Pauling's investigations into Vitamin C. (There was a lot of research into vitamin C dating from the 30s when Szent-Gyorgy et al. got the Nobel for their work on it. Like Klenner's pre-Salk use of C to cure his polio cases in Boston.) May be something to it.
@NGB
My friend, an ENT specialist, is using zinc lozenges after he goes shopping and washing out his nasal passages with warm saline solution.
Gargling with hot salt water and drinking hot tea or soup, has helped me send many a flu or cold virus packing.
The Covid 19 virus attacks the lungs via the trachea.
Personally I like Ossillicoccimnum which is a homeopathic that seems to turn the immune surveillance on, combined with repeated doses of a spoonful of vitamin c, sub-lingual-12, even an aspirin seems help raise immunity. Use Dr.Ali's hydrogen peroxide baths.
But over all,I think that those who are weak should isolate themselves the best they can.
Not a doctor either, but plenty of experience working on myself and dogs, cats and chickens. And have known and learned from some real geniuses in medicine. Learned how to make cats cure themselves of leukemia from brilliant vet.
The proof is always in the pudding. But if there is any way, the best thing you can do with Covid 19 is to make sure you don't encounter it until there is a vaccine!
1
I have a chronic illness that is (finally) being successfully treated. My doctor regularly orders Vitamin D testing. My insurance will not cover it; not only that, they will not reprice it. They have an elaborate justification for why Vitamin D testing is only indicated in a limited number of circumstances, despite the central role Vitamin D plays in a lot of scenarios as described in this piece. So I pay the full cash payer price for the test, which is over $250. Two or three times a year. My health has improved dramatically under my doctor's care, so I pay it. But it still makes me angry.
19
What is the point of frequent testing? You aren’t going to harm yourself with reasonable doses of Vitamin D, and the cost of the supplement is a tiny fraction of the cost of the labs.
16
We stopped testing cause they won’t cover. They say everyone in colder climates us deficient- so we should all just take it. By the way sublingual absorbed MUCH better than tablets.
4
@LMG As I mentioned in an earlier post Medicare will cover a vitamin D level test for certain conditions, like osteoporosis, if the doctor uses the correct code number in the test scrip. I do not know what commercial insurance will pay for but they usually follow Medicare.
3
Food suggestions to boost your immune system:
Organic minced, raw garlic. Organic blueberries and oranges. Organic, low sodium bone broth. Homemade chicken soup with lots of organic parsley, onions and garlic. Homemade onion, garlic soup. Homemade spinach soup. Organic cranberry juice. Organic Apple Cider vinegar. Organic black or white tea. Shiitake mushrooms. Organic Greek yogurt.
66
Would you mind providing links to the peer-reviewed studies supporting this claim?
Thank you.
32
@Robert
Its been "society-reviewed" by ancient cultures for the past 15,000 years.
38
@Jenny These are bogus. Every one of them. There are no evidenced based trials to support any of your claims.
30
Ayurvedic herbs such as ashwaganda and Shatavari, Chayawan Prash, Bhumi Amalaki (for the liver), Shankapushpi (clear thinking) can help.
But I would say during this time of coronavirus, the most important thing you can do is Don't Smoke. Nothing. And that includes marijuana. You need to keep your lungs clear and without irritation.
27
The FDA nor insurance companies will say herbs and spices are useful, unless they can be put into pills and made exorbitant in price. Yes, you can use ginger, garlic, turmeric and arm yourself. Cut sugar out. Hydrate if you start feeling poorly. Chicken soup with garlic still works magic.
16
@Oh My
Love chickens--alive. Have flock of the little darlin's wouldn't dream of killing one for soup. So I use miso soup which helps culture the gut, with veggies in it and fermented tofu for the protein element. Quite delicious and curative.
3
Stay off sugar which causes inflammation.
13
1. This article auite properly begins with a series of cautions about getting carried away.
2. Speaking personally, older people should likely have a Vit D level checked. We have a harder time with getting it from sunlight and diet. Anecdotally, I’ve felt better since I got that straightened out.
3. It isn’t just anecdotal, this article links to a BMJ meta-analysis that backs the claim.
4. Vaccination is essential, and you’re a fool (dangerous fool, actually) if you haven’t had your flu shot, but COVID-19 isn’t the flu and there is no vaccineagainst it yet.
5. Amdrew Weil is currently mostly an ad-writer for the stuff he sells. You think Big Pharma is bad? Well, folks, there’s a gigantic supplement-and-quackery industry out there as well. They’re every bot as bad, and essentially un-regulated.
35
@Robert
Big Pharma is bad because MD correctly prescribed drugs in a hospital setting kill over 100,000 people every single year (AMA stats).
Supplements have killed no one in 50 years. So that's one difference.
Plus drugs are more expensive and mostly do not work, whereas supplements are cheap and often do work.
2
@Robert
Yep the supplement industry is largely unregulated. But there are some good and reliable companies. There is also Consumer Labs a subscription service which is quite helpful in evaluating supplements. There is a biochemist with access to a lab to test supplements, and he researches them.
However, that said,I do think that Big Pharma is mostly bad, and supplements have played a large rollin saving my life and the lives of those I love, including dogs, cats,and chickens.
Your knowledge is superficial, or you would not be damning all supplements as "quackery". The industry has become huge because the need is great, and many people find that they are helpful. I actually spent about 20 K running immune system tests at Immuno Sciences LA both on and off the supplement program that I designed to beat chronic hepatitis B years ago. Nine out of 10 functions were normal my program. Off the supplements for just two days 9 out of 10 of the tests came back abnormal. If that is the placebo effect, then it is worth the cost of the supplements. But it is not. There is hard evidence for most of them. And some of there listed in a chart in Dr. Terr's Immunology text book, which was written for doctors. I wonder why, if they play no role in immunity?
2
@Robert It's worth pointing out that the supplement business is unregulated because the FDA has been effectively hobbled by Congress under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). Proof of effectiveness is not required and proof of safety is up to the manufacturer. People promote quack supplements and silly ideas due to avarice (they want your money) and hubris (they like to feel important by inventing or spreading ideas that they either invented or read somewhere, the more anti-establishment, the better!!)
1
The immune system is very complicated, my PCP termed it a black box. An overactive immune system can cause various serious problems like lupus or peanut allergy. I once had a serious reaction to a bee sting caused by my immune system. I spent 4 years with an allergist gradually reprogramming my system with increasing shots of the correct insect venom.
I recently spent time in hospital with sepsis (incorrectly referred to by some as blood poisoning) resulting from an infection. The serious resulting system wide complications in sepsis are caused by the overactive immune system. I suspect that may have been the result of a singles immunization shot the week before overstimulating my immune system (again a black box).
3
@ez
Sepsis is the number one cause of hospital deaths and is responsible for 20% of worldwide deaths (56,000,000). Fatality can be decreased from 40% to 8.5% with Dr. Marik's protocol, which is IV vitamin C with hydrocortisone and thiamine (vitamin B1) for two days.
You were lucky to survive sepsis.
@Fourteen14
Yes, I was lucky and/or maybe the docs in the hospital did well.
From a Web search:
"With therapies improving, patients are more likely to survive sepsis, the researchers suggested, but may still have impaired immune systems, leaving them more susceptible to infections from organisms that wouldn't affect healthier people."
Maybe, in a way, this might make it more likely for me to acquire covid-19 but could be protective in surviving covid-19 lung damage caused by an overactive immune system. Who knows? Any way I will wash my hands and stay out of crowds.
@Fourteen14
Thanks. I will look up Dr.Marik.
1
Panic about the pandemic leads to stress and weakened immunity. I was in Trader Joe's this morning and it was so crowded you couldn't get a cart----very unusual. People were going crazy stocking up on things. I heard they were out of toilet paper at Sam's Club!
It could be that the fear than this virus has generated is worse than the actual virus. It's good to take sensible precautions but let's not let fear take over.
22
@Christa
The fear is bad, but DON"T underestimate this virus, especially if you are older or have pre-existing conditions.
3
There is a role of the lung microbiota and the gut-lung axis in respiratory infectious diseases. Another important parameter to consider is the gut-lung axis, where distal (gut) immune modulation during respiratory disease is mediated by the gut microbiota. The use of specific microbiota strains, termed "probiotics," with beneficial effects on the host immunity and/or against pathogens, has proven successful in the treatment of intestinal disorders and is also showing promise in the context of airway diseases. Be well all! This from- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30329198
3
@Lusa
Basic science review which focuses mostly on experimental studies using mice. Provocative, but mostly speculative.
2
Some of you folks seriously need to stop pretending to do science.
21
@Robert
The author of this NYT article needs to stop pretending to do science. And medicine will NEVER be a pure science. Medicine needs to use science as a tool, but science is only one of the tools in the ART of medicine.
3
There is so much snake oil out there on this.
Just eat healthy and well balanced meals. Mostly vegetables, some fruit, a small bit of protein, some carbs. Make sure you get enough fiber. Most of us simply do not get enough fiber. If your doctor tests you and says you are low on B12 or iron or whatever, then take a supplement if that is what they want you to do.
Your immune system is your immune system. Nothing the health food wackos can do to change that. But they will make money off of you for sure!
Don't get me started on cleansing. Your body is cleansing all the time! Your liver, kidneys, etc. are always cleansing you, automatically.
26
@Alphonse Sanchez
Ironically the snake oil is also in the articles in the NYT advising you that practically no supplement does anybody any good ever, which is absurd. The studies they cite are often absurd. They actually test if ONE supplement can cure cancer etc. The function of supplements is synergistic. And they need to work with good diet, sleep, and exercise. Not to mention healthy thinking habits.
The grand old man of scientific research on antioxidants,Dr. Lester Packer, explains in his book,"The Antioxidant Miracle", that antioxidants work as a team, and that you need a full spectrum antioxidants which need to be able to quench every type of free radical every tissue in the body between them. The also re-charge each other with electrons, which keeps them working longer.
2
A fifth of Jack Daniels will abate all worries until the hangover. Then start over. Even the corona virus couldn’t survive this regimen.
17
@NOTATE REDMOND I've always said that bourbon (although not JD, for me--something more along the lines of Woodford Reserve) seems to cure everything! Not so sure I'd be all that confident under these circumstances, though. But thanks for reminding me to give it a shot (pun intended)!
5
@NOTATE R
Consuming booze by the bottle only leads to a far more serious ailment than any virus, corona included. If this was meant as a joke, your timing is off. If you're sober, than switch to hot salted water, throw your throbbing head back and gargle. Then walk slowly to the stove and stir up some soup.....throw in some rye and use your imagination.....can't taste any worse than Jack Daniels. I prefer an aged Scotch.....not as a cure for anything, but as a great soother of stress.
2
Vitamin D supplementation has not been clinically shown to improve health at all. The recent and growing scientific consensus is that sunlight is what is good for you and as a biproduct of being in the sun your body produces vitamin D. The early studies were classic examples of confusing correlation with causation.
References:
* from the NYTimes itself: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/11/limits-of-vitamin-d-supplements/?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer
* huge study of 25000 people over five years showed -zero- effect from vitamin D supplements: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1809944
* good reporting on it: https://www.outsideonline.com/2380751/sunscreen-sun-exposure-skin-cancer-science
1
@John Sunlight includes ultraviolet rays that are damaging to skin - that is why sunning yourself for a tan is best avoided. "Vitamin D supplementation has not been clinically shown to improve health at all": not true. Vitamin D deficiency promotes poor bone health. The vitamin D in a pill is as good as what your body can synthesize with the help of sun light. Lots of misinformation in this forum! (I am a physician).
14
@Bill
could you provide the scientific data showing clinically significant outcomes of Vit D supplements in otherwise healthy people who tested “low” on vitamin D levels? I have not been able to find the data. Thanks!
3
@John This only works if you’re in a warm, sunny place. When living in a cloudy, wet, northern climate, I was advised by my doctor to supplement with vitamin D because I couldn’t get enough in the winter even if I spent an hour or more outside. I now live in a sunnier (and colder) place and, although I still get outside almost every day, I have to cover most of my body, including my head, hands and about a third of my face, to keep warm so very little sunlight gets through. If I didn’t have fair skin, I’d absorb even less. Latitude also affects how much sun gets through the atmosphere. And I’ve heard of people in sunny places getting vitamin D deficiency. It’s an area that needs a study with a very large group of people from all over the world.
6
It's interesting that this virus seems to have originated from the caging and butchering of wild animals. Perhaps this disease from animal cruelty is perfect karma to humans for their abysmal treatment of animals for centuries? I would say the first step in improving health and immunity would be to eliminate animal product from one's diet--in other words become vegan. Otherwise your body is a graveyard for slaughtered animals, which cannot work well for your health in the long run using the Golden Rule and laws of the universe. Stop eating meat!
https://is.gd/SGoQyk
25
@Earth Citizen actually we are built to eat meat (see those teeth?), just not so much as we often do. And our veggies aren't nearly as healthful as our ancestors'. We should be eating weeds!
7
@Earth Citizen My thoughts exactly...KARMA
Turn off CNN and watch some comfort movies.
16
I trust the NIH [including advice on sleep, alcohol consumption, stress et al.] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518
Sambucus nigra L. products - Sambucol - are based on a standardized black elderberry extract. They are natural remedies with antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus. Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms to 3-4 days. Convalescent phase serum showed a higher antibody level to influenza virus in the Sambucol group, than in the control group. The present study aimed to assess the effect of Sambucol products on the healthy immune system - namely, its effect on cytokine production. ...[etc etc.]
8
@Thinker Thank you! The virologist who developed the protocol is from Morocco, working in (I believe) Tel Aviv now. Her last name is Muomocoglu.
1
Want to boost your immune system? Give up your stupid, meat-centric Keto Diet.
13
@Greg Gerner References?
@Greg Gerner How about vegetarian Keto? Above-ground vegetables, olive oil from California (none of that European stuff where they vacuum the olives off the trees, killing about 90 million songbirds a year in the process), coconut flour, nuts, and a few eggs here and there.
3
@AM
Reference common sense.
1
I've been reading that the immune system is harmed by iron deficient diets and iron deficiencies. I have been a vegetarian for decades and I eat a very narrow range of unprocessed foods and never take supplements. I started adding iron foods to my diet recently. I feel better already.
9
@kmgx25 but don't take it if you don't need it, it will make your joints ache. Even if it's in a multi vitamin. Happened to me!
Ms. Parker-Pope keeps holding up to our adoration the Holy Grail of "scientific evidence," which of course is her right as a writer.
But human beings of all cultures and traditions have used folk and tribal remedies for thousands of years. But just because there is no "scientific evidence" that a certain food or herb has not been scientifically PROVEN to have medicinal or health benefits is not itself PROOF that that particular food or herb has no health benefits. It is just empirical evidence that could be wrong or limited in its application.
It is just one person or one group's arrived-at opinion in an empirical study, which we all know, are not always infallible. It may simply be that the science has yet to catch up with the healing wisdom of thousands of years of human experience.
A true scientist would at the very least qualify their position by saying that while there is no scientific evidence that this or that food or herb has any medicinal value, that in itself is not PROOF that it has no value. And in some cases, it may simply mean that scientists are not yet smart enough to devise tests that reveal the truth about a particular herb of food.
In fact one of the most common qualifiers used by food and health scientists is "more research is needed.
For myself, I owe at least part of my longevity to being a dedicated consumer of garlic (provided it is fresh). Not to mention that to my knowledge I have never lost a girlfriend because of my garlic habit.
19
@ernieh1 Truth is, many of the "folk" remedies are proved by large outcome studies. Many cultures find the gold standard of placebo based controlled studies to be immoral, as it undermines a doctor's integrity to knowingly offer a false medicine. The Chinese government encouraged use of traditional herbal medicines at the outbreak of this flu virus, and it may be a factor contributing to their success at controlling it. The anti-viral properties of many herbs have been substantiated by both eastern and western medicines. Since herbs cannot be patented, they will not receive funding for FDA trial, but that does not diminish their value.
10
@ernieh1 Postscript to my comment: I just picked on garlic to make my point, but it later occurred to me that there is a useful lesson here.
Health scientists agree that glutathione is one of the key antioxidants that the body uses to fight inflammation which in turn, can lead to disease. In fact in the nutrition field glutathione is often called the "master antioxidant."
Because of its key role in maintaining health, glutathione deficiency can lead to health problems. And while glutathione can be found in some foods, it is not as abundant as for example Vitamin C or E. Plus glutathione is very short-lived and fragile and much is lost in cooking.
Among all foods given to us by Mother Nature, garlic is one of the most useful in helping the body to manufacture is own glutathione, and that is because garlic is very rich in sulfur, and sulfur is used by the body to make glutathione. Onions and chives as also useful for that purpose.
So ingesting garlic is one way to help the body to make its own glutathione (mostly in the liver), and thus contribute to overall health.
Of course the pharmaceutical industry would not promote this idea, since they make their money in selling you medicines because your body got sick from lack of proper nutrients.
8
@Bill Prange Note in the story of the twoChinese doctors, one who lived and one who died. The one who lived was given antiviralmedications AND Chinese traditional formulas.
That said, the bat eating was what probably unleashed this horrible virus on the world, and that is part of traditional Chinese medicine too. A part where the price with respect to the cure is too high.
2
At 75, I’m an essential caregiver for a 78 YO. Both of us have cancer which is NED. One with COPD in addition to the lung cancer and the other with a compromised immune system exhibited through Rheumatoid Arthritis with prostate cancer. We both adhere to the regimens described sans abundant exercise. Are we doomed if exposed? Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the local ED was a pit, couldn't imagine appearing there for screening without coming away worse.
9
Interesting suggestions all, but the writer neglected to mention that smoking of anything - cigarettes, pot, etc. lowers your immune system and can even facilitate certain diseases entering one's body, along with increasing the potential for respiratory illnesses of all types.
18
@Billy Criswell
Good point. This article is horribly deficient in myriad ways.
One cannot in any way shape or form artificially boost one's immune system.
The only way to have a finely functioning immune system (i.e. a normal one) is to be non-immunosuppressed (either from an underlying disease or iatrogenically).
Gluten is NOT an inflammatory agent: it simply elicits an immune reaction in some people genetically predisposed.
The amount of physiologic and medical ignorance, and the amount of unsupported anecdotal pseudoscience in the comments, is quite something.
27
@Bob
Can you boost your brain-power, or lung capacity, or leg muscles?
So why exactly can't you improve the strength and specificity of your immune system? No one has a perfectly functioning immune system and it fluctuates throughout the day and throughout your life. Consider that if you sit in a cold draft you're more likely to catch a cold. Why?
The immune system is run by many genes and they often have polymorphisms that decrease functioning. You might not get sick - until you encounter are bad virus.
But you can work around that and boost your immunity with nutrient co-factors that goose up the genes (which require multiple inputs that may be in short supply with a non-optimal diet) responsible for the in-line processing of the various immune system's bio-pathways.
Or you could do a workaround for a mutation by delivering the end-product of that plugged-up biochemical pathway directly, as folate does with the MTHFR mutation.
There are so many immune system complexities that you are guaranteed to have multiple mutations that slow (one mutation from one parent = minus 30% function) or almost stop the enzymatic pathway functioning (down by 70% with two mutations, one from each parent).
And it's not just nutrient quantity that up-regulates immune function, but also toxins (in small doses) rev up the system which adapts by pulling from elsewhere.
It's easy to boost the immune system artificially or not; you do it every day with every bite you eat.
10
@Bob
Well said. Unless you have deficiencies in mounting responses to pathogens, you will actually mount one. That is why you show symptoms. An immune response is working when you actually get the sniffles and such. Inflammation is the by-product of an immune response, and it eventually subsides as the pathogen gets disposed of. Boosting is possible, and there is actual hard evidence that stress can do this. A little worry is energizing even for the immune system. But do we want an excessive inflammatory response and/or mistaken attacks against self tissue that lead to autoimmunity? So live life in moderation and stop trying to mess with nature. In the absence of a compromised immune system (because you're of a certain age or abuse your body), you will harness the necessary anti-viral response if and when it's needed.
2
@Bob I'm high risk for infections as I suffer from hereditary spherocytosis, a rare anemia. My hematologist actually told me to take probiotics to help bolster my lowered immunity, especially with an enlarged spleen. Many of us are actually asplenic (typical form of treatment), which causes further compromised immunity. He actually gave me several studies to consult. I believed him and they have helped me greatly. I haven't been hospitalized in over 15 years.
3
8 years ago, I stopped eating gluten (an inflammatory) and I went from allergies and frequent colds to no allergies and almost no colds at all within 6 months. I am surprised you didn't mention cutting down on inflammatories such as gluten, sugar and dairy. My story is not unique, of course.
11
@Trent Batson
Your science is wrong.
4
@Trent Batson This is dangerous rhetoric. Gluten is only problematic for those with a gluten allergy. The people who are actually celiac is very, very small. Lactose intolerance is a similar issue. Blanket statements only spread misinformation.
12
@D
It's not on or off, many people have gluten sensitivity.
Gluten is a poison in the lectin family of endogenously produced plant poisonous. Some people are more sensitive than others to these poisons.
As for lactose, approximately 65 percent of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. Many more are unable to properly digest the milk protein casein, which they might believe is a lactose intolerance.
3
There is another factor here, and that is if someone is drinking tea with tumeric and ginger, or uses echinacea drops (which had some limited studies indicating it might help boost immune response, especially to viruses), or takes vitamin D, they can have a placebo effect that in some cases may not be that small, if they believe it works it can cause them to de stress among other things. The same with practices like meditation, watching funny movies, distracting yourself, it can really help the body marshal resources to fight off infection, rather than wasting it on stress and the like. Where claims like Bone broth or the like prevent disease are dangerous is when they do this and think they are immune, that is a disaster
7
@music observer
The placebo effect is often around 30% and may be what gets most pharmaceuticals past their phase three testing (which they can scrape by with only a 3% better effect than what is already available).
Americans are less placebo-affected than Europeans for some reason and it works in animals too, and also if you know it's just a sugar pill.
1
While modern medicine says proof may be lacking for some natural products mentioned in this article, I would argue that adding garlic, ginger, turmeric or bone broth to a diet may be healthy and, absent individual allergies or blood thinners (garlic & turmeric), does no harm.
Given a world with huge gaps in pharmaceutical medicine - both in availability and cost - I'll take my chances eating raw garlic. The folkloric record is good enough for me.
19
@B Dawson I remember when a Japanese placebo based study affirmed many benefits of garlic, including its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties, as well as blood thinning, hit the front page of many newspapers. The next day saw an article warning readers of the dangers of garlic. Garlic is not standardized, so how can you regulate it? Garlic comes from the ground and may be contaminated - and, by all means, don't consider growing your own!
1
@B Dawson,
I will lots and lots of raw garlic... but just so people won't want to get anywhere near me.
6
Studies of Viet. D have shown that some, like nursing home residents, who have low Vit. D levels, have more falls and more health problems BUT no one has yet shown that Vit D. supplements have led to any improvements. I don't believe that possible studies on Vit D and the immune system showing any change have been done.
3
See the blue, underlined letters? Guess what they are.
1
Well, what you believe is wrong, there are countless studies about various aspects of immunity. Search for yourself at PubMed, I found dozens in a few seconds.
1
Can a medical professional review or speculate about the benefits of vitamin D against an infection of coronavirus. Check The Pediatric Infection Disease Journal, August 2018, Vol 37, p749-754, "Preventive effects of vitamin D on seasonal Influenza A in infants"
5
You'll not find a single qualified medical professional who is comfortable making an statement based on a single study which has nothing to do with the current COVID-19 virus.
2
This very article and the vast majority of comments are great examples of the misinformation promulgated about immunity. Get vaccinated. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-understand-color-office.pdf
10
Getting vaccinated today isn’t going to do anything at all to increase immunity to Covid-19, since a vaccine is at least a year away.
So yeah, great example of misinformation.
3
@Susan Lemagie,
Uuummm.... there's no vaccine for COVID-19. But thank you, nonetheless!
1
Asian mushrooms are clinically proven to raise t1 blood cell count according to Dr. Andrew Weil at the Unv. of AZ.
6
@ESP Woo woo science. Easy there, Ms. Cleo.
1
Actually clinical studies relating to this is given on his website, e.g.:Deng G, Lin H, Seidman A, et al. (September 2009). “A phase I/II trial of a polysaccharide extract from Grifola frondosa (Maitake mushroom) in breast cancer patients: immunological effects”. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology 135 (9): 1215–21. doi:10.1007/s00432-009-0562-z. PMID 19253021.
I love science.
3
I recommend Astragalus in addition to those mentioned.
7
@todd I didn't want to jinx myself, but since you mentioned it; From November 1st until June 1st I supplement with Astragalus daily. In the 3 years I've been doing this I have never had a winter cold or flu. Terrific stuff in my book!
Thank you for a useful article. there are many herbs that stimulate the immune system too. I have a blog that is being updated right now on my website. Also if infected Vitamin C in high doses like 2000mg every 1 to 2 hours can kill virused in our system and shorten the duration and severity of illness dramatically.
Mark Hoch, MD
Co-Chair Past Presidents Council
Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine
7
@Mark Hoch Vitamin C will not prevent nor kill the COVID-19 virus, or any other virus.
12
@Mark Hoch
Absolute pharmacologic, physiologic, and medical nonsense.
3
The fact is that there is nothing that you can do to "boost" your immune system. There is no evidence that "X" or "Y" medication, supplement or action will make your immune system stronger. This is the rhetoric that scammers (e.g. Goop) use to sell products based on people's fear and ignorance.
M.D, M.P.H. (7 certifications from U.S. medical boards and a sub-sub-sub specialty training)
26
@JediMD
Pretty much what I just wrote :>)
3
@JediMD
The more certifications you have the more programmed by Big Pharma you are and the more you think, "If it were important, I'd know about it." You do not realize how much you do not know. You don't even understand that so-called RCT gold standard placebo controlled studies are mostly bunk due to jiggered data sets and confounders and cheapo experimental design.
And that's why the US health system is ranked 27th. in the world even though we pay twice as much as any other country.
And by the way, test your logic; how is it possible to be ranked so low and pay so much?
The only way that is possible is if you work at it - that is the US healthcare system is an engineered scam. It's no mistake that is costs so much and does so little (and kills 250,000 people each and every year from avoidable medical errors).
2
I submit that, to the bountiful list of little stupid’s ailments, we should definitely add the Impostor Syndrome.
2
Cain assistant and have seen over 70’000 patients in my long career. This article provides a bad suggestion. It does state that the results about vitamin D and the immune system is mixed. Some seem to suggest benefit, others do not. This leaves us without receiving advice from experts to start taking vitamin D for our immune health.
The mistake this article makes is suggesting the possibility of benefit from having vitamin D levels checked. Right now there is a public health crisis from the Coronavirus. We need to prioritize and not burden the health care system nor expose health care workers to this virus. If you chose to believe there could be benefit from taking vitamin D then go ahead and take a supplement. Do NOT get a level measured. This is a burden and an unnecessary test. Very soon medical clinics could look like war time MASH units. WE do not need trivial demands for blood tests which will certainly not make differences.There are multiple reasons for this and for brevity sake I will not try to enumerate them here.
47
"The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night."
Not according to sleep expert Matthew Walker in his book Why We Sleep. At least 7-8 hours, in his view, with no indication you can "over-sleep" with harmful effects. 6 hours is not nearly enough for most people.
32
@Patrick True, I slept 10 hours a night for a whole winter (when I was in my 20's) I didn't get even one cold or nary a sniffle the entire season.
5
@Jt
Because you were hibernating???
;-))
2
Well thank goodness for lymphoma and osteoarthritis, they've prepared me well for Coronavirus. Immunotherapy infusions for one and Tumeric for the other and now I'm armor plated against a measly pandemic virus.
11
@John Doe Ain't no such thing as "tumeric." Don't know why so many people leave out the "r" after the "u." It's "turmeric." So may U-R and R-U problems! I've actually seen calendars printed with "Febuary" as the second month!
2
Best wishes for a safe traverse through this pandemic!
2
While stress inhibits your immune system, joy enhances it. So do the things you love as a way of staying healthy
35
We will find out soon enough, If our supposedly ineffective immune boosters will keep us well & keep the coronavirus out of our systems & our old herbal wives tales will be our continual unsung hero’s. You can tell me till I’m blue in the face with ‘how your facts & studies say Mother Nature doesn’t want to help us’. I’ll be over here saying Give me Elderberry, Vitamin C, Garlic, Ginseng, Probiotics, Zinc, Vitamin D & a list too many to name. Let me eat clean real food, low grains & drink fresh water. Do your research, everyone is different, but build your Immunity. I have 20 years of Self Experimentation & have been sick once in 4 years. I take elderberry everyday. We’ll see who’s still standing at the end of the day.
We need the Gates Foundation Home Test Kits, To Keep our Medical staff Safe & keep our immunity high so we don’t all break the system we do desperately need right now.
23
@Carrie A Amen to all of that Carrie. Medical proof is not needed to know what works. Healthy folks who use these supplements are the proof!!
4
@Martha And what about those of us who are healthy and don’t use any supplements at all?
12
@Tariqata
I clean my hardwood floors with a Shark steam mop and have done for years. I also use a hand held steamer on the kitchen and bathroom.
I get sick twice a year, in November and February, although missed last November.
I wonder if steaming contributes to that as much as the healthy diet, exercise, sleep and supplements do.
2
As a licensed naturopathic doctor in practice for 34 years, I can tell you my phone is ringing off the hook. While trying to evade COVID-19, you can also help improve your overall health.
Optimal immune function supported by Mediterranean diet. Ingest cultured or fermenteds, which supports a robust microbiome which in turn supports proper immunity. Including high fiber foods is essential, too.
Alcohol negatively impacts the immune system via a number of pathways. Both chronic excessive drinkers as well as those who binge drink.
Avoid sugars refined, overly processed foods, each of which has its negative impact on overall health.
We know that smokers have a worse outcome if they contract COVID-19, take this opportunity to cut back or quit.
Certain nutritional supplements help support an engaged immune system while offering other health benefits. Naturopathic doctors have extensive training in therapeutic nutrition, including diet and supplementation and can be an excellent resource. Studies show that some nutrients to consider include: zinc, selenium, vitamin C, fish oil, probiotics, vitamin D and green tea extract.
Exercise raises your threshold for feeling stress, helps you dissipate the stress you have and has your blood moving better, all keynotes for good immune and overall health.
Consider a news fast. The impact of constant access to news and the ubiquitous negative news brings us more anxiety and sadness.
Amy Rothenberg ND, Northampton, MA
66
@amy rothenberg ND
Agree with everything you say!
Being of Italian heritage, I adore the Mediterranean diet, but the unhappy fates of those thousands of people in Italy, who have come down with COVID-19, makes the cynic in me wonder whether the Mediterranean diet is all it is hyped up to be (besides being unarguably delicious)!
7
Francesca, unfortunately they all smoke in Italy! That likely offsets their healthy diet. But even a good immune system is no guarantee that you won’t get sick.
3
@amy rothenberg ND
A lot of that is wrong. Sounds good though!
China data has found that smoking does not negatively affect outcomes, as one would expect. Also EGCT (green tea extract) has no effect on C19. But Quercetin does.
Mediterranean diet, not really. Studies show it's the olive oil that does essentially all the benefit; some aspects of the Mediterranean diet are not so good but. the olive oil outweighs that.
A news fast is a good idea (see the Perception Gap study), and normally a water-only fast is easily the best thing you can do for everything - but not for a virus. Studies show viruses are attacked differently by the immune system with a different mechanism than a virus. Your immune system needs glucose to attack a virus. So starve a fever but feed a cold.
You should make it clear that too much Vitamin D can be toxic. K, A, D, and E are dangerous in too high doses because they are fat-soluble and stored in your body until needed.
10
@Anne Hajduk
D3 is far less toxic than MDs say.
10,000 IUs are fine and needed for everyone, especially now.
K2, retinol (vitamin A), and magnesium take care of any toxicity - if there is any. You'd need your D3 test over 200 ng/mL before any mild calcium toxicity, which is easily managed with more water. Vitamin A and D3 cross-mitigate each other's toxicity. Some people push it up blood levels over 3,000 ng/mL under MD supervision. D3 should be at least around 80 ng/mL, not "over 20 ng/mL" as recommended to avoid rickets.
Many people have been cured from long-term chronic diseases with very high ng/mL of D3 (managed with water, K2, Magnesium, A, and keeping PTH above its lower boundary). Benefits far outweigh any risk.
With various VDR polymorphisms interfering with D3 uptake just about all of us are deficient. Best to simply watch that your PTH does not fall below the lower bound.
When we were cave-people living outside with the sun we got about 20,000 IUs per day, so 20,000 IUs per day should be fine.
D3 affects 3000 enzymatic reactions and is used by every cell. Bone health is just one effect.
Essentially D3 is the hormone and meta-modulator for your entire immune system increasing its strength and its specificity, so it optimally stimulates your immune system - but does not overstimulate.
With a virus going around you absolutely do not want low D3. Note that studies show that it has greater efficacy against flu than the flu vaccine.
4
Too much of anything can be toxic, including insanely high doses of Vitamin D. According to the Mayo Clinic “ Taking 60,000 international units (IU) a day of vitamin D for several months has been shown to cause toxicity. ”
That is equivalent to taking one or two BOTTLES a day, in most common formulations, for months. You’d really have to go out of your way to poison yourself with Vitamin D.
7
@Phil
60,000 a day is a lot; that's way more than 20,000. Try 20,000 and you will feel 30 years younger in a couple of weeks.
Google: "D3 cancer" and click on the images tab.
Then look at the blood levels associated with protection against all the cancers.
Get yourself over 60 ng/mL.
https://tinyurl.com/uchahdr
1
WHERE.ARE.THE.TESTS?
Nothing produces stress like the reality that we are all facing: no one is being tested. At this point, people will literally die because there are no tests, and the pathogen is spreading without being tracked.
It is literally impossible to believe that this is where we are all sitting.
116
@blackman
"It is literally impossible to believe that this is where we are all sitting...."
I quite imagine you spoke in analogy or turn of phrase or were just using common language.
But if I might a serious point: My life is MUCH less stressful now that I've learned to believe things that are, actually, true.
There are many people now doing intermittent fasting, which has a long list of amazing benefits. One major benefit is that it decreases Bacterial infection and gives you a leg up on living through them.
Simply stopping eating is the first-line defense against sickness that all animals engage in.
Studies have also shown that it has great positive benefit for those undergoing chemotherapy. Fasting will help your good cells resist the chemo and make the cancer cells more susceptible, which is exactly what you want.
But intermittent fasting only works with bacterial infections, Not with viral infections.
Mice studies have found that intermittent fasting or fasting increases the lethality of a virus.
Specifically, the studies found that glucose is necessary to strengthen the immune system against a virus and that our immune system works differently against viral versus bacterial infections. So in general one could say "feed a cold and starve a fever.”
Coronavirus patients should continue to eat.
14
Citation for research? Which studies support what you are saying?
4
@Global Strategist
Try Dr. Google.
@Global Strategist
Just use Dr. Google. It's all there.
Just because the immune system is complex doesn’t mean we cannot boost it with probiotics. Three and a half years ago I learned to homebrew kombucha and I brew mine a very long time (two fermentation cycles) since I am a busy working mom. I have not had a cold that “stuck” ever since I started this, despite living in a family where everyone else has had the usual number of annuals colds (2-4) and testing myself by hugging and kissing them in that condition. If I get the beginning of a sore throat I increase my dosage the first day and the cold weirdly disappears. Haven’t needed a Kleenex or missed a day of work for a cold/flu in all this time. Coincidence? I doubt it.
#boochsolution
6
Every morning for 50 years, I’ve had a glass of juice in the morning. I’ve only gotten a cold in 15 of those years, better than the statistical odds of getting a cold. From this experience, I conclude that the juice has a positive effect on preventing the cold, and therefore extrapolate that it will have the same effect for everyone.
I haven’t yet been able to replicate the experiment (n = 1) because of, you know, life expectancy.
Anecdotal evidence from a non-controlled experiment is worth about as much as you pay for it. Maybe less.
14
I experience the same as you, however, it’s vitamin C. First sign of cold symptoms I triple dose what I take daily. Works every time!
2
@Leah B
Medical, physiologic, and pharmacologic rubbish.
My dad went from steel worker to physician, a kind of Tony Soprano of ophthalmologists.
He worshiped two guys, Isaac Asimov and Linus Pauling, both biochemists.
Linus Pauling was awarded two undivided Nobel Prizes. So naturally, dad subscribed to the megadoses of pure Vitamin C theory.
I don't do that anymore. But I do eat a lot of citrus, particularly in cold & flu season. Zinc supplements seem to help attenuate infection.
Also, for a lot of congestion there is nothing like hot & sour soup from a good Chinese restaurant. A nonagenarian told me that vinegar is salubrious, and I always put extra in my soup.
11
@Wordsworth from Wadsworth you are reminding me about that wonderful Indian soup called Rasam, which makes one feel significantly better during a bout of cold or flu.
Quite possibly it’s the hot spices in it that do the trick. But I know in the traditional soup there are some special ingredients that are apparently medicinal.
3
Did the article mention high blood pressure? I believe that eating more plant based unprocessed and keeping your weight down is a good way to boost immunity or lessen symptoms
12
Sugar?
Why has no one mentioned sugar? I'm no scientist but if I have a cold, my symptoms go into overdrive if I consume sugary/glucose rich foods.
Are there any studies that explain this?
13
Sugar = inflammation
13
@Frank M
Medical, physiologic, and scientific nonsense. Completely unsupported silliness.
I like your bottom line Ms Parker-Pope.
The thought of simply 'boosting the immune system' horrifies me. The immune system is an enormously complex system of cells, proteins (both adaptable and innate) and signaling systems with checks and balances that are more complex than is easily imagined. Therefore there is no simple boosting the immune system. You push up or down somewhere and a whole raft of things happen to rebalance the system. One 'boosts the immune system' when one takes checkpoint inhibitors for cancer and as a side effect inflammatory bowel disease or other autoimmune issues can arise, the good with the bad. An over active poorly controlled immune system is felt to cause some of the post-infarct problems in heart attacks(heart failure), the septic shock syndrome(kills thousands yearly), the liver damage and rashes in hepatitis C, a large number of the diseases that rheumatologists treat as well as a portion of those illnesses that lung, GI, skin and neurology docs treat. MS anyone?
So far as we know, and not assert, maybe a few interventions will improve the balance of this good and bad, adequate exercise, sleep, and good nutrition without obesity.
Finally, meta studies have shown people taking multivits have a slightly higher mortality, not lower. Moderate supplements of Vit E given to smoking women increased their cancer risk. We don't believe there is causality for these but who knows? One can't ethically repeat the Vitamin E study.
16
@Nature Lover Finally someone who makes sense. I have reviewed the comment section for this article. Are you serious NYT readers? These are some of the things they recommend to "boost" your immune system: chiropractic, freshwater (huh?), "clean real food," glucose, probiotics, a daily glass of juice, hot and sour soup. How can they be so gullible?
6
As an RN, I believe in evidence based practice. I also know that much of the time when a doctor or scientist states there is no science to support the efficacy of something, especially herbal medicine, it's usually because no one has actually studied it. But they make it sound as if it has been studied and found to be lacking. Misleading.
296
@BBenm To help stop the 6th extinction of animals on our lovely planet, I hope that there are conclusive studies that bear gall, rhinoceros horn, snake bile, bat wing do not provide any verifiable positive results. Then, the market in animal parts, so many of which are endangered might stop. Sadly, I think too many people buy into myth over science. On plant based herbal medicine, many if not most of our current range of drugs have some plant derivative. The problem is dosage and usage with other drugs and treatments. I am not sure that regulating the industry is going to solve the problem, probably public documentation by the FDA on herbal products and usage might be helpful. For me, I take monolaurin as it has been used to help improve immune system for aids patients. If it can help them, it may continue to help me stave off colds, flu and maybe covid19.
7
And—as you somehow forgot to mention—herbalist types pretend precisely the opposite.
6
@BBenm Well said. It is shameful to read what people are willing to do to "boost" their immune system.
4
A quick search on elderberry at PubMed finds many studies on its efficacy for colds, flu and other respiratory conditions. Double-blind studies. Of humans. Take a minute and do your own search before you believe people who post that there is no evidence.
132
Per Dr. Art Caplan of the NYU Langone Medical Center, there is only one thing that boosts immunity: vaccination. Listen to the man.
16
Why? Does Dr. Caplan get zero colds per year? I do. #homemadekombucha
2
@Adrienne Giovino
MD's are programmed by Big Pharma to push their dangerous drugs. It's all they know. There are many proven ways to boost immunity in addition to vaccines.
2
Those who can (and I emphasize the "can", understanding some cannot either from physical or situational restraints), please take advantage of deep breathing, preferably in fresh air. Resets the parasympathetic nervous system. A wonderful stress relief technique (thanks Dr. Weil) I've found to be highly effective.
Breathe in to the count of three......hold the breath in for the count of 7......and release through lips pursed as though breathing out through a straw (your checks should balloon slightly) to the count of 8.
This simple technique has been a game-changer for me. It resets my stress levels & helps me to deal with whatever challenges I face more effectively.
And, and can't resist passing this Old Folks remedy on........soaking your feet in a basin of warm water, with perhaps some cayenne mixed in, or any other stimulating spice........ahhhhhhhh!
59
@QueCosa , old, almost 80, and in a wheelchair, should I have a target on my back? , I am trying to do daily deep breathing outdoors to strengthen my lungs. If helps in other ways too, great.
3
Ms. Pope writes: "Lower your stress. Worries about the coronavirus, the stock market and the general disruption of life have added to our stress levels, but we know that stress also can make you more susceptible to respiratory illness."
I have to say, that is rich coming from a publication that has bombarded its readers for weeks with fear-mongering headlines about coronavirus and the stock market. My stress levels have shot up since subscribing 2 monthly ago.
77
Fear mongering? That’s you doing just that. The NYTimes have been reporting the facts. The fear mongering is the people denying the facts.
16
@Meagatron
Please define "fear mongering" .
7
@Meagatron, you can blame the messenger for the message, but without honest media, where would we get our vital public health information? The government certainly isn’t distributing any helpful announcements about what’s happening and what we can do about it.
8
People allergic to ragweed should be wary of echinacea, and fo zinc with echinacea.
Talk to your doc about you allergy and these related plants!
3
So tired of reading “balanced diet” and “optimal” dose.
Neither term has any sound or consistent definition. And ‘optimal’, an amount or degree which is better than any other, is impossible to know. Bio-available or absorbability of any nutrient is effected by many factors.
Vitamins (ADEK) are fat soluble & vit D is absorbed with calcium. Calcium is much less absorbed when fat content is less than 2%.
Most micro nutrients are best absorbed in presence of certain other nutrients. Increase vit D to megadose level & you might use just a small amount and excrete the rest.
~I imagine we are just hours away from reading “raw apple cider vinegar cures corona virus” (we are told it cures everything else), or that “tumeric, ginger, honey & hogswart extract in chocolate milk” is the most potent anti-viral supplement ever.
~Check vit D level AND take supplement ..? Why not just take the supplement? How about calcium too? Magnesium?
~Less than 6 hrs sleep, more illness, but sweet spot (really, sweet spot?) is 6-7 hours. That’s a very tight margin. Less than 6hrs=sick, 6 hrs is sweet spot.
~Exercise is a stress on the body, how much, how often?
~Most of these studies are anecdotal, cannot control but a few variables, and can offer but very vague guidelines.
3
@Christopher Iannuzzi I am what some might call elderly (84) & haven't had a cold in many years. I drink lots of water, eat unprocessed organic foods (most of the time), avoid most meat & shellfish, but eat fish & turkey, sleep 8 to 9 hours whenever I finally 'hit the sack' & also see a chiropractor every 3 months (to keep my spine straight). Of course I avoid crowds & coughing people. So far .. so good!
2
@Christopher Iannuzzi D is fat-soluble, meaning it is stored, not excreted away. B12 IS water soluble and excess is excreted away.
Quit smoking- NOW!
15
The Cleveland Clinic reported reputable random studies of elderberry syrup use (or a placebo syrup) in a small sample (60) that reduced flu and cold symptoms by several days. This is not an excuse to pass up flu shots, eat poorly, drink too much, sleep too little or skip exercise. But elderberry use has gone beyond folk remedy status. It should be reported accurately. (Would past a link if permitted.)
22
@DavidD Elderberry is widely used in our home for years, for us and the kids. Definitely beyond folk remedy status. It works. MD's never talk about it.
11
@DavidD
Felt a slight throat tickle today. Took 2 tsp of elderberry syrup and the tickle went away. Placebo? Would have healed anyway? I don't care--to me, it worked.
11
How about the simple suggestion: don't smoke, tobacco or anything else. After all we are looking at a virus that attacks the lungs and I would have thought that smoking was an obvious concern.
21
Good article. 'Boosting the immune system' artificially with herbs and stuff is a double-edged sword. For people who don't have autoimmune problems, it's fine. But many people's immune systems are already in a state of elevated reactivity. In this case, immune-boosting herbs (which boost something called th1 and th2 cells I think, I'm not sure of the exact biology) can apparently initiate an autoimmune condition. I think all of the herbs listed in this article are fine, except for I believe oregano oil may have this property. Goldenseal and ginseng are another two that are iffy. There is a whole list. Personally I stick to spices because they are generally safe. Turmeric is a great one (with black pepper and some fat for added absorption).
5
Everyone should take food and supplement studies with an enormous grain of salt. Every one that's I've seen examined by a person literate in interpretation of study data has qualms with them. Whether it's sample size, methodology, or kinds of data reported, none of them are very convincing. Even if they were, it would be only one data point. How many times have we heard people say something like "science told us X was bad for us now they're saying it's good"? No, "science" didn't tell you that. The media did, us usually based on only one study that they aren't competent to interpret. At the end of the day, one study -- even if it is scientifically valid (and that's a HUGE if) -- holds little weight.
6
@Topher S
Have you any idea of the shenanigans that go on with gold standard, peer-reviewed, RCT studies? Anecdotal n=1 evidence is likely far more reliable.
Scientific studies (unless physics) are filled with confounders, either on purpose or not.
Only the meta studies are worth reading.
If you look at meta-studies you see their data stacked up, from say 30 studies. There will be 30 horizontal standard deviation ranges for the 30 studies' significance level intervals with a vertical line bisecting them all at wherever the mean significance for the group data is. Individual studies with a mean below that cutoff line is a statistically worthless study.
You plainly see, if you were to look at just that study, that most of the studies have insignificant results and conclusions. Yet people think anything with numbers is to be trusted.
Many of those insignificant studies were ballyhooed by the media as newsworthy. People then tell their friends all about this interesting new "study".
Every study is filled with bunk; the question is always if there is too much bunk for the validity of the conclusion. Most are not reproducible, which is the real gold standard.
See Dr. Ioannidis infamous article:
https://participatorymedicine.org/epatients/2010/10/atlantic-lies-damned-lies-and-medical-science.html
We know that the immune system is centred in the gut. By consuming probiotics (vegetable fibre) regularly and some probiotics if needed I’ll be continuing to get my gut as healthy as possible. My gut health was diminished by antibiotics for many years. Eating raw carrots etc on a regular basis is all it has taken. There’s lots of good research out there.
11
Dr. Linus Pauling's recommendation of increased vitamin C should also be included in the article as a way to boost one's immune system. It certainly has worked for us (73 & 74) especially prior to traveling.
24
@Judy in Portland The use of Vitamin C to 'boost' the immune system has been debunked, and iv vitamin C can be dangerous for some people. EA Clark, Emeritus Prof Immunology, Uni Wash.
19
@Edward Clark
The body sluffs off excess vitamin c it doesn't use, and my doctor and my doctor friends and molecular biologist would disagree with you. Sorry, I do mean to be respectful, but I respectfully disagree.
33
@Edward Clark
With all respect for your credentials you are wrong on this one, doc.
I, too, am a practicing physician.
For 30 years I have been having patients at the first sign of a cold or flu, take a minimum of two grams of time release vitamin C. Vitamin C is water soluble and quickly will be broken down and excreted thereby rendering it almost useless over the day.
Time release makes all the difference.
We use NaturesPlus Ultra C W/Rose Hips, Sustained Released - 2000 mg but any equivalent should work fine.
Make sure it is time release. Also, scale back on the dose if loose stools since Vitamin C can irritate the gut if the dose is too high.
My patients and I swear by this.
41
I have a primary immunodeficiency, and over the years have received many unsolicited suggestions about "boosting my immune system." And I always tell people, a) multiplying by zero still gets you zero, and b) if any home remedy actually worked, my stingy insurance company wouldn't paying thousands a month for treatment. While getting more sleep is a good suggestion, keep in mind that the immunocompromised population is scared and depending on others to be sane and follow guidelines.
34
Unfortunately, some of the preventive measures outlined in this article are recommended by doctors. I've been taking turmeric for the last month to reduce inflammation associated with arthritis in my hands. I've also upped my intake of anti-inflammatory foods at her suggestion. I do not want to use remedies for which there is no evidence of benefit, especially at the expense of those that would, but what is a person to do. I also followed through with my doc's recommendation to get a flu shot and a shingles vaccine because of my age; both seemed like logical steps for staying healthy, though they don't completely eliminate the risk. I'll stick with the turmeric and anti-inflammatory diet they probably can't hurt. If the consensus later decides they can, I hope someone will alert me.
10
The article did not point out the role of maintaining the most fundamental of all: maintenance of circadian rhythm. That means synchronizing the body with the rotation of earth in relation to dark and night hours (to be facetious, the sun does not rise & set).
Chronic use of Melatonin just before bedtime helps set the circadian rhythm and control the overnight repair of the body. There is another reason to take it every night: natural melatonin declines radically with age.
I would hope your otherwise knowledgeable writer would do some thinking about circadian rhythm. Just another reason to live in synchronism wit the sun and get rid of this twice a year unnatural change of clock time.
25
In my mind a relevant consideration is: what's the harm? Is there any downside to slurping down some elderberry syrup? Just because there isn't a large double blind study showing it works doesn't mean it's a bad idea to take it.
29
@Alex Yes, there is a down side to elderberry. It contains oxalic acid, like rhubarb contains. My family's used elderberries for many year, we have are own trees, and elderberry juice or syrup has proven to us that it works. But my wife is one of those that if 1Tbsp is good 6 Tbsp's would be better. It made her very ill to her stomach after about 6 weeks. Experience has shown that 2 to 3 tablespoons is enough to work with out making a person sick. PS We do not sell elderberries in any form, we use it exclusively for family and have no financial interest in this info.
4
How about a shot or two of blackberry brandy?
A neighbor of ours swore by it. An old farmer, exposed to tons of stuff and died old and happy. I'm sure it was from the blackberry brandy.
Seriously folks, I knew from the moment this article's headline appeared that there would be a constant string of anecdotal stories of old family remedies, what they used to do back in the old country, and what momma used to say and do.
As the immunologist points out to believe anything other than science based investigation is just hogwash and superstition.
Remember the debacle that poor old Linus Pauling (a genius in some fields, a complete amateur in others where he strayed) started with his crazy Vitamin C thoughts? You still see C advertised on TV during the winter months as some immune system booster.
It's too bad that the huge amount of money given to a couple of senators from out west got us the bill in congress that allowed anyone to sell anything and make certain statements, but not claims. Now our supervisory agencies are so overwhelmed they no longer can even shut down those making claims of cure and treatment.
Snake oil of the highest degree, the best that (lobbyist) money can buy.
13
This is excellent advice. Why is this buried in the Health section and not on the front page, where it belongs?
9
Hi,
Back in the day, we in the U.S. Navy were always given Gamma Globulin shots in the posterior before departing for the Med.
Our hips would ache for several days, (but if you did a series of jumping-jacks immediately after receiving the shot, it didn't hurt nearly as much.)
I've noticed no information on that treatment. It was supposed to boost the immune system.
Has it been largely forgotten as a treatment?
Thanks,
7
eat lots of curries
7
"The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night."
That seems low. Source?
16
You know what causes immense stress?
Trump.
Trump talking about COVID. Lying about it in particular.
Trump talking about anything is STRESSFUL.
893
@Rax , so why mention him here?
6
@Rax
Never, never watch any president (since LBJ...) on tv. READ what they say, or propose, or promise to stay informed.
Me? I never say or write the name of the Stable Genius!
11
@Rax : And that is why I only listen to the World Health Organization- once in the morning and once in the evening. I will listen to Dr. Fachi who has made infectious disease his life's work and has no qualms about standing up to Trump with correct and precise information. I also listen to Gov. Andrew Cuomo - the NY State governor - as we are now a ground zero hot spot - a true NY State unsung hero in all of this. And there is no Trump - I can't disturb my piece of mind with his incorrect information which others then have to correct - and it my conscious choice not to listen to him. My motto is, "Stay safe in self-care!" and try to do one anonymous kindness to help someone who is struggling far more than I am.
3
six to seven hours of sleep? what happened to eight to nine?
52
@Jorge
The latest and greatest new info on sleep recommends 7 hours, not 8. All-cause mortality goes up above 9 or below 6.
2
Selenium?
5
Another poorly researched article which promotes supplements in the absence of evidence (even the links which do work clearly demonstrate the lack of significance found in supplements and the studies cited).
when writers promote unnecessary products and unfounded proactive steps @nytimes is really more of a marketing device for anti science than a public good.
So very disappointed and so very not surprised given the endless pseudo science prior to this issue.
2
Taking lots of Vit. D daily helped my health tremendously. Many many of us, esp living in northern regions, need it. I pooh-poohed it for years, but to my amazement, after just three days, some worrisome health problems began to improve and I felt high as a kite (in a good way). Low D is now known to quite possibly be one thing that brings on MS. Get your D checked (say you are fatigued & low D runs in the family if your doc hesitates). I use drops with K as if you take a fair amount of D you also need.....K.
And, of course, sleep sleep sleep. Not sure anything is more important than proper amounts (so hard to get, I know).
24
@Moosh Low levels of Vitamin D bring on MS? Cite evidence please.
1
I've been sucking zinc lozenges with echinacea, c + d while lying flat on the floor and being mindful and no amount of telling me they are ineffective will work on me! We have to believe in something. (Also ginger + hot water + lemon when I wake up).
16
You failed to mention the clear link between alcohol consumption and sleep disruption. Even one drink disrupts sleep, so it is very important that people refrain from drinking any alcohol at least several days per week.
15
I somewhere understand the need for fully research before recommending an alternative medicine such as turmeric and garlic, however please understand that for hundreds of years, people have been eating this partly for its effects (and its taste). It seems inconceivable for me to suggest that Medicine is something that was invented only in the past 100-150 years. Personally it feels disrespectful against all doctors before the dawn of Modern Medicine. Sincerely, a human who loves both Modern and Traditional Medicine.
19
@JC Houter Are you referring to "medicine" that was taken before the advent of the scientific method?
@JC Houter The great doctors of long ago (Hippocrates, Galen et al) would have been great fans of the scientific method of the modern age. I have no doubt they longed to know the true causes of what they observed and tried to treat.
1
Cranberry juice and extracts are known to be helpful in preventing urinary tract infections, by coating the wall of various vessel (including blood vessels) in such a way that bacteria - and presumably viruses too? - can't attach themselves to these walls.
6
Had an interesting conversation w. my acupuncturist today (yes, you know that back water method that's only been around for some thousands of years!) She said they have talked w. acupuncturists & herbalists in Wuhan province. Patients with such care are recovering and suffering shorter boughts of the virus. My acupuncturist's office has ordered and stocked up on the herbs that are helping people recover, in case they need it. There are plenty of ways to stay well. The western medical model doesn't offer many of them b/c its emphasis is on treatment not prevention.
53
@Lillies I look forward to your acupuncturist's publication of these findings in a peer-reviewed journal.
15
@Lillies There is no evidence produced by randomized double-blind studies that shows acupuncture works.
4
Here in South India we do boil water with little piece of Ginger, powdered pepper, a piece of Garlic and bit of turmeric, boil it for few mins and turn off. Once the water reaches warm add a teaspoon of Honey and drink the water, generally it is advised to drink during empty stomach as to have better effect.
25
I think being certain that unproven supplements won’t help makes as little sense as being sure that they will. Everything that’s proven to be helpful used to be unproven.
15
While there’s nothing that’s guaranteed to give immunity, there are some things one can take to perhaps reduce the lung inflammation that accompanies the most severe cases of COVID-19: Berberine and Vitamin D have some scientific backing.
12
I've been a 'card-carrying' immunologist for more than 50 years. I like the suggestions in this article, which by in large are evidence based. I would simply add that the immune system is not one thing, so the notion that one can 'boost the immune system' is problematic. Boost what? Regulatory T cells that turn down certain responses? Autoimmune or hypersensitivity responses in people with underlying immune disorder conditions? That's why I favor the broader suggestions of reducing stress, increasing exercise, etc, over buying a 'immune booster' pill off the shelf (complete waste of money). A deficiency of zinc can lead to immunodeficiency, so additional zinc in some people can be good. Stay healthy everyone! Your immune systems are wonderful, adaptable and strong!
258
@Edward Clark As an RN, I thank you for this sound advice. There are so many pseudomedical beliefs among the public, it’s disturbing.
16
@Edward Clark Always reassuring to hear from an actual expert, thank you.
Exercise could use more emphasis on this article. It's mentioned in passing under the balanced diet point, and that's it. It should get an entire paragraph at a minimum.
15
@Edward Clark
That zinc should be in lozenge form, capsules are not as good.
3
There is evidence that people who take cold showers are 29% less likely to call in sick for work or school. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5025014/
7
@T.J. Conley Because their day can't get any worse...
41
Hot sauce folks
11
Those with weakened immunity and afflictions of other comorbidity, they are at a higher risk of death from the coronavirus. For the rest of us, even with the strongest immunity, we are dying from hysteria.
9
My mother used to make me wear socks on my feet when I went to bed with a cold or flu as soon as I felt unwell. I'd stopped doing that for many years, but then tried it again about 8 years ago when I had a flu, and have been doing so ever since: purely anecdotal, but it seemed to me that my flu ended faster than usual and was less severe, and I had not taken a flu shot. Now, I do both - get the flu shot and wear socks to bed if I have the slightest indication of a cold/flu coming on. I'm well again, if I even get sick, in 3 days or less.
16
I've heard reports that intravenous vitamin C was being used as part of a treatment protocol in China. Is this fake news and/or is there any real information about its efficacy in treating the corona virus?
2
@Lola
There’s a clinical trial in the US on the efficacy of high doses of vitamin C for the coronavirus. So it’s being studied.
7
Totally fake. There is no evidence.
2
@Lola
C is a great anti-viral if you saturate your tissues with a high dose IV drip. Most MDs don't know this.
The biggest killer in hospitals is sepsis, which is the immediate cause of death in many diseases from an out of control immune reaction, but there is a protocol that cuts the fatality rate from 40% down to 8.5%.
This is Dr. Paul Marik's sepsis treatment protocol:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/04/05/vitamin-c-b1-hydrocortisone-reduce-sepsis-mortality.aspx
On February 4, 2020, researchers at Zhongnan Hospital in China announced they would investigate the effectiveness of vitamin C infusion for the treatment of severe COVID-19 infected pneumonia.
I'd suggest they use Dr. Marik's protocol and considerably up the dose of Vitamin C.
5
All the comments sections on Coronavirus are closed. Here is one space. My query is, if some journalist or expert can answer it, why are official numbers of Coronavirus in the US given out as 500 or today 900 if little testing is taking place? For all we know, there may me thousands of cases with mild symptoms confused as flu or ignored. But they count too because they are vectors. What do these numbers mean? A minimum of cases? The numbers are very misleading and provide a false sense of comport. Many of the passengers in the Crown Princess must be infected and instead of having them all tested after weeks in a petri dish, they have not. It just creates a lot of anxiety on the public this inability to test..
11
@tdb - those numbers will be the 'official' number of cases, as they are tested and confirmed. As other stories on this website will show you, there will be more cases out there, but the extremely limited number of test kits mean that it's impossible to tell how many.
It's almost as if someone may have limited the number of test kits to keep the number of cases artificially low...
55
Alcohol lowers immunities. Stay alcohol-free until after Corona is gone.
5
@MaraMDolan Speak for yourself. Drinking a glass or two of wine a day has done wonders to strengthen my immunity ( among other things).
9
@MaraMDolan
Perhaps a Corona beer might ward off he virus. Might be worth the try ;-)
3
Use your vodka to disinfect surfaces!! Especially if on an airplane, and you lack something to wipe the AIR VENT, TRAY TSBLE, ARM RESTS, SEAT BELT, SEAT BACK, etc.
1
On this overall topic, some folks may be interested in reading the book 'Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine'. Honestly, I found the book fascinating...it talks about white vs red blood cells, the lymph nodes, etc.
One of the key takeaways I got from the book was...when we are sick, we typically also feel more tired and sluggish. This is our body's way of telling us that we need to slow down and rest more. In doing so...by listening to our bodies ...this is how we are better able to fight off illness. For example many people, when they have a common cold, continue to work and play at their normal pace, and maybe just take some remedies to feel better. But yet, their colds linger. And that's because the remedies were just temporary panaceas that hid their symptoms. If you feel tired or sluggish, slow down. Take more naps. Sleep longer. Etc.
71
Darwinian medicine actually is something that might affect a certain Pennsylvania Ave address where the resident denies science and apropos steps to slow it.
8
@Lisa
I read this book in 2005 and it has stuck with me since.
One of the takeaways that I'll not forget is to avoid iron-rich foods when sick. Iron prolongs illness. Excellent recommendation!
OK want a big surprise? Your gut bacteria are key for immune health.Yes, the proper gut bacteria signal the immune system be at its best. The bad gut bacteria the opposite.
This is shown in many studies,Most recent shows decrease calories (fasting a couple times a week for 20 hours) increases activity of the immune system over 60%,By the way it repairs old cells to be young again.Yes, simple calorie restriction does all this.
Next increase fiber in the diet and more plant based foods less meat and sugar.These two things give a major boost to the immune cells.
See letswakeupfolks.blogspot.com , what I do with all this info for details and proof.
77
@Richard Head Exactly! Your gut flora is the basis for a healthy immune system. Kombucha and fermented foods increase ‘good’ gut flora.
2
@Richard Head
I am wondering about probiotics
Do you know if taking them helps with immune functioning?
I keep reiterating this to people on social media. While we can't predict if we'll contract Corona Virus we can take all the steps necessary to give our body what it needs. We are well aware and hear it all the time: 8 hours of sleep, 8, 8oz glasses of water, a diet rich in fruits, veggies and whole grains. Now is not the time for excuses or the standard American diet.
19
In China, patients with Corona virus are being urged to use and given Chinese herbal medicine which are commonly used for colds and flu, and for respiratory infections. There are many acupuncturist/herbalists practicing in this country, who can be a good resource for obtaining Chinese herbs. They can be very useful along with whatever Western/modern treatments may be available. I was a practicing acupuncturist/herbalist for 36 years and treated many people for colds/flu and lung problems, sometimes in addition to their MD's treatments.
34
@James Lerner Ah, yes, the mystical far eastern medicine spiel.
Considering how many people are/were ill in China, and the easy access to all those ancient remedies, I'm betting that the effectiveness is unproven with this outbreak alone.
Ah, to have been lucky enough to have access to acupuncture.
6
My blood tests have always shown a vitamin D deficiency, but I don't seem to have any of the symptoms related to that. The last time I was tested, I was advised by a respected endocrinologist to take 3,000 units of vitamin D per day. I tried that once and got very sick—vitamin D in high doses is toxic. Across the board, a persistent failure of the medical community is the one-size-fits-all approach to prescribing everything from antibiotics to zinc.
Your recommendation of 600 to 800 unit per day sounds more reasonable, but could fall in the same category. A 120 lbs woman very likely does not need and should not be given the same dose as a 240 lbs. man.
15
Vitamin D is one of those things that varies a lot from person to person. After some trial and error, I have learned that 5,000 IU daily keeps me solidly in the normal range.
11
@dutchiris - And I doubt you will need as much vitamin D living in Berkeley as in Seattle.
2
After I married, I began having a terrible illness about every six weeks that would put me in the ER. The pain was excruciating. I remained with a man I grew to detest simply for the health insurance. Finally I decided that even dying was preferable to my marriage, so I took the leap and left. I never got sick that way again. Ever. It took a while for me to comprehend that I just really, really did not care for marriage and never made that mistake again.
358
@Eli so often the case that we do not recognize that stress and trauma have physical implications. After 27 years of emotional and psychological abuse, and years of crippling IBS I filed for divorce last summer. Have not had an incident since.
95
Well deduced and well played, Eli.
36
@Eli Years ago, I suffered from terrible migraines and was under the care of a neurologist. Then I ended my engagement and they went away. When I told the neurologist, he said he suspected it but didn't know how to bring it up. And these days, if I'm stressed, I'm eating poorly and not sleeping. And then I'm sick.
41
'balanced diet' is an outmoded notion:
Eat a diet rich in fruit vegetables wholegrains nuts and legumes, say the experts.
Side effects may include lower bloodpressure increased insulin sensitivity and feeling 10yrs younger.
NutritionFacts.org for sound scientific advice
23
@Pat Sommer I have yet to talk with a nutritionist, dietician or endocrinologist who wouldn't echo that advice.
But HOW? Despite there being true scientific studies to show the value of a healthy diet, we see folks struggle to adopt it, give up the alcohol, yet many return to it in a year or so, especially after the scare of their heart attack or bypass is ancient memory.
What can we do to encourage folks to eat like we did back on our farms in the 50s?
6
Whenever I hear that a supplement hasn't been shown to be effective in tests I assume that it's because there's no economic reason for a company to spend the billions of dollars it would take to perform FDA testing on a natural substance. This also means that drug companies try to get laws passed to require FDA type testing of supplements so that they can eliminate the competition that supplements pose by often providing effective remedies without adverse side effects.
221
@Horace The FDA doesn't test "natural substances" or even approve tests, which is why those hawking them can get away with claims. A simple small double blind study of a common disease shouldn't cost billions, even millions. Not being shown to be effective, means just that. Try to do your own double blind test before becoming convinced something really works for you.
20
@Horace
The absence of evidence that X causes Y is not the same thing as having evidence that X does not cause Y.
17
@oncebitten
Herbal supplements cannot legally make a claim to treat or cure disease in the US without a boatload of expensive tests. No one will run the tests because the herb cannot be patented, so there’s not adequate ROI. In Germany, herbs are more frequently tested with govt funding; rarer in the US.
42
What exactly is meant by the "strength" of the immune system and how does one measure it in order to do these studies? An overactive immune system can be just as much, if not more, of a problem than a less active one. Also, there may be physiological responses to stress or illness that are not the immune system itself (i.e. the system that counteracts invaders or tumor cells) and these other physiological systems may have different requirements than the immune system.
27
@Larry Figdill - I have no expertise in this, but every article I've read that addresses the details says when people die from Corona Virus, it is due to excessive immune response, not inadequate response. While this article has seemingly good recommendations for general health (sleep enough, get adequate vitamin D, don't be overstressed, etc...), I think Larry's post is right on point: it is not even clear whether boosting the "strength" of the immune system would be useful in this case, even if we truly knew how to do so. It sounds like what we really want is 1) prevent virus from being able to initially hijack cells ("strong" immune system does not do this for a new virus to which we have no prior exposure or immunity - need a vaccine); 2) prevent overreaction of immune system that produces cascade and causes respiratory failure.
25
"Eat a balanced diet and skip unproven supplements."
Modern farming has reduced and nutrient levels from foods that may have been far more nutritious if grown in more soil supportive and regenerative systems that added back what we need to stay healthy. So just how does one assure this theoretical dietary balance?
Given this lack in so many common foods, what possible harm could there be to add a decent multivitamin as insurance? Seems like plain common sense to try to compensate for what's missing with a host of factors proven valuable in nutritional science.
If it doesn't work to help shore up your systems, you're not much worse off than if you'd not taken it at all. Compared to the costs of drugs and doctors, some basic nutritional backup is a bargain. But if it does work, you may not even notice – you'll just undramatically not get sick.
106
“Unproven supplements” means ingesting tons of elderberry extract or other wonder supplement. The article mentions multivitamins in the context of vitamin D.
3
@Joe
Taking extra vitamins is just not an assurance you are truly capable of properly absorbing it's nutrients, which is truly a shame. There is simply no guarantee, and a proper blood test still has to be conducted in order to find if your individual body has taken in the vitamins. Also things like taking coffee within 30 minutes can greatly decrease your nutrient intake! People should know about these things...
3
Wrong! Taking vitamin supplements has been repeatedly proven in multiple studies to produce no benefit or in many cases cause harm, with a few very specific exceptions (folic acid during pregnancy for example).
If you want to waste your money, please go right ahead. But don’t spread falsehoods.
1
As other readers have suggested inflammation will not help your immune system if indeed you catch the flu/any other virus. The best way to approach inflammation is to eat a whole food plant-based diet loaded with highly nutritious foods. Eating cheese, pastries, cookies,ice cream and other non-nutritive substances (basically the standard American diet )will encourage your system to fail .
Additionally, Getting your sleep and not creating drama is your best defense against any illness/Health issue.
97
@Cat Cheese is non-nutritive?
31
@Cat Cheese is non-nutritive?? Millions of people depend on cheese as a source of calcium and protein. What kind of cheese are you referring to?
101
@Cat And immunizations!!! Why did you leave them out?
2
The marginal at best "evidence" that the panoply of supplements purported to "boost" the immune system (or prevent strokes, cancer, heart disease --you name it) is actually excellent evidence supporting H.L. Mencken's observation that "no one did ever not make money by underestimating the intelligence of the common man."
9
@sleepdoc
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
He also wrote:
"On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
13
Evidence isn't lacking regarding elderberry's benefits for addressing cold and flu symptoms. There are many quality human clinical trials that this article (and the article linked) have chosen to ignore. Head over to pubmed and do the research yourself.
141
@Rosalee Yes, it is. As of right now there are a total of 3 clinical studies with a total of 147 participants that meet even rudimentary qualifications for evaluation of elderberry extract in influenza, and 1 study on cold with 29 participants. Each of these studies were funded by elderberry extract manufacturers.
None of this means that it doesn't work, but to assume that this incredibly slim, somewhat questionable evidence base is sufficient for a clinical recommendation is misguided at best.
17
@Rosalee
That's right. I have no idea where the NYT gets their so-called health writers but all of them are decades out of date.
Elderberry:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229918310240
2
@mike
Pubmed has over 1200 studies of one sort or another.
People, please keep in mind that some of the fatalities from COVID-19 are believed have been due to an overreaction by the infected person’s immune system to the virus. This appears to be what is causing the severe respiratory symptoms leading to respiratory collapse.
So, it seems fine to eat garlic and onions, but I’d be very careful of taking any supplements that are promoted as stimulating the immune system
28
@Diane
Most of the hundreds of immune stimulating nutraceuticals not only stimulate or beef-up the immune system but also increase specificity - so they only target what they should.
These are not simplistic pharmaceutical drugs that act top-down and willy-nilly with side effects but are foundational nutrients - they provide co-factors and up-regulate the genes that make the bio-pathway work optimally and as needed. They allow an immune system to work as it should. Note that drugs and doctors never cure anything - only your immune system can do that.
You essentially can't overdose with essential nutrients - your body just uses what it needs and stores or gets rid of the excess, unlike pharmaceuticals which are synthetic and thus do not have the good clearance pathways that have evolved over millennia for the nutrients.
5
I am totally in agreement that a good diet, exercise and stress reduction help the immune system function properly. But let's be clear, part of what the immune system does is cause inflammation, a natural and usually beneficial reaction to disease. But inflammation has a downside, including possibly making death more likely from covid-19 in older adults. Older people's immune systems more easily run amok when fighting disease, causing excessive inflammation, sometimes referred to as a cytokine storm.
The immune system is very complicated. Do things that fight inflammation, not exacerbate it.
59
I am tired of being advised to get my vitamin D level checked. Doctors won't order a blood test for vitamin D unless there is a medical reason for it, so you'd probably have to pay for it out of pocket. Anyone know how much it would cost? Around $100?
10
@MTL
$47 at Life Extension.com
$39 at Directlabs.com
You'd have to check whether patients are allowed to order lab tests directly in Vermont. In California, they can.
15
My doctor ordered it at my request. I can’t imagine that any doctor would refuse. Insurance doesn’t cover elective testing, of course, but I think I only paid around $20.
18
@MTL i think a lot of doctors recommend this as part of an annual checkup.
35
Consuming garlic may well be associated with getting fewer communicable diseases, simply because the odor that will surround someone who eats enough of it will keep most other people outside communicable distance.
297
@Glenn Ribotsky Agree!
Actually, the garlic recommendation is tough because what would constitute a therapeutic dose (assuming it even has an effect) is far more than we would normally eat. But if makes people happy to add garlic to their diet -- and the folks around them don't mind -- then go for it!
15
@Tara Parker-Pope
That we would eat more than we normally eat, of course, is the whole idea. Is eating healthy foods still controversial at The Times?
Garlic is excellent imo very slightly cooked in many recipes. A few big cloves I would think would suffice for the health benefits.
12
@Glenn Ribotsky Great suggestion!
1