GERM WARFARE

While the market is flooded with supplements promising to keep winter illness at bay, there’s no such thing as a magic pill. Instead, bolster your defences by consulting our scale of certified highs and surprising lows

Bolstering your immune system is now more important than ever. Here, we reveal your strongest allies

01 MODERATE EXERCISE

If you exercise too long or too hard, your immune system weakens, according to research by Appalachian State University. So, follow the 60/60 rule: exercise for 60 minutes or less, with an average intensity of about 60% of your maximum heart rate. That means you can still do HIIT workouts, as long as you take it extra easy during the recovery periods.

02 HAVING SEX

While some research indicates that people who have sex once or twice a week have higher levels of immunity related proteins, the science is pretty flaccid. Other research links masturbation to increased immune cells, but the link is far from solid. Don’t let this stop you, though.

03 VITAMIN C

Taking vitamin C pills won’t reduce your risk of catching a cold, according to a review of 29 clinical trials. Plus, supplements aren’t closely regulated and may contain impurities. Last autumn, a US firm recalled a vitamin C supp after it was found to contain an erectile-dysfunction drug.

04 PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTS

Despite the persistent hype, there have yet to be any rigorous, long-term clinical trials showing that probiotic supplements offer tangible benefits for people who are already healthy, according to an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Probiotic foods such as yogurt, kimchi and miso, however? Those may help, so tuck in.