Boosting our immunity: separating fads from the facts
Most of us have a list of ‘immune boosting’ remedies that have been thrust on us by well-meaning friends or even strangers. But do these supplements and vitamins actually improve our health and wellbeing? speaks to the experts
Almost half (46%) of South Africans take a daily health supplement to improve their immunity and overall wellbeing, according to research by Pharma Dynamics, a local immune-boosting supplement provider. Last year, consumers spent more than R48-million on supplements.
Professor Theresa Rossouw, a clinical scientist in the Department of Immunology at the University of Pretoria, says there is no scientific evidence to prove that taking vitamins, minerals or supplements has any effect on boosting one’s immunity, unless one has some kind of deficiency. Sometimes, taking a supplement can be harmful, possibly leading to liver problems or neurological damage.
The immune system, Rossouw says, is very complex and there is still confusion about how it works and why some people have a better response to infection than others.
The immune system is made up of cells, tissues and organs. Its purpose is to identify and kill invaders, which could include infections, autoimmune diseases and cancers, as well as microbes such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, explains Dr Thulja Trikamjee, an allergy and immunity specialist and paediatrician from Cape Town.
The immune system has two parts: the innate, which patrols the body and detects pathogens or invaders and begins to fight them off. This triggers the adaptive system (the second part), bringing in the big guns. It may take a few days to kick in; it targets specific pathogens. For instance, a T cell, one of the important white blood cells of the immune system, specific to Covid-19, will not respond to flu viruses or bacteria pathogens.
Rossouw says a runny nose, fever and aching body are signs that the immune system is doing its job and signalling that the body is fighting the disease. This can last about seven to 10 days because the two parts (innate and adaptive) have to communicate with each other.
A runny nose helps to flush out pathogens, a fever stops the pathogens from replicating, and an aching body signals to the brain that it is time to slow down.
So the best way to treat an infection, such as a common cold, is to allow the immune system to do its work and to let it run its course.
It’s a different matter if you have risk factors such as diabetes, are older, or are immunocompromised.
Collateral damage may occur to the body in the time it takes to identify and respond to an infection. The higher the infection level, the longer it will take to eliminate it and the higher the risk of collateral damage, such as lung damage in the case of Covid-19.
Our bodies are able to clear most infections except for chronic viruses such as HIV.
According to Trikamjee, one way to strengthen the body’s response to invaders is to get natural exposure to pathogens and then let the body take up the fight. Then, if the body comes across the same pathogen later, it will recognise it from the previous fight. It quickly consults the memory manual and goes into rapid response.
That is why vaccines are so effective: they expose our bodies to live or dead microbes that can help the body identify and fight real pathogens when one comes into contact with them.
No one is born with a “superior” immune system, and genes play a relatively small role. Our environment, immunisations, exposure to germs, stress levels and even our microbiome all have a big role to play in our immune system’s ability to fight disease. In rare cases the system genetically inherits “mistakes” in the immune cells that could cause specific diseases that pass from one generation to another.
Trikamjee says the best way to stay healthy and avoid getting sick is to follow a balanced diet – using organic produce if possible. She says studies show that people in rural areas, where there is less pollution and a supply of fresh spring water and organic food, are less likely to succumb to infections and allergies.
Rossouw adds that no supplement can replace a balanced diet. She says it is crucial to get enough sleep and exercise and to keep stress levels under control.
She believes we should follow our own instincts: a positive mindset and a feeling of being in control go a long way in fighting adversity and staying healthy.