Blog article

So what vitamins and supplements are best? 

Vitamin A

• Vitamin A is not anti viral but helps to maintain  immune function. Vitamin A deficiency leads to a susceptibility to infection.
• If you do not eat enough protein you will be Vitamin A deficient. 
• So need to eat 1.2 to 1.5g of protein per kg of body weight per day.

Vitamin C 

• Is anti viral and an anti oxidant.
• Great benefit for those who do lots of exercise. 
• Dose 500mg to 2g/day.
• The ascorbic acid in Vatamin C inhibits the proliferation of the influenza virus.

Zinc

• Moderately anti viral and as an anti biotic. Reduces inflammation. Decreases severity and duration of the flu.
• Common as we get older, if immunodeficient, obese or with diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Vitamin D3

• It is an immune modulator and conserves Vit C in the body. It is also an anti oxidant thus helping to protect us from infection.
• As we age levels decrease particularly in Winter. Acceptable levels are 80nmol/L. But in a sunny country like Australia 135 to 200nmol/L are best.
• Best to aim for 80% of top levels in the pathology range.  So if you only have 75nmol/L from your blood test then to raise it to say 100nmol/L you would need to take 1000i.u for 3 months then retest. That would be one Vit D3 capsule. 

Or to get your Vit D3 naturally you need the following mins in the sun, arms and shoulders visible. 

7 to 40 mins at noon in Winter

6 to 7 mins at 10am or 3pm in Summer . With figures somewhere in between in Spring and Autumn.

Ubiquinol or Ubiqunone - Co Q10

• This is depleted when we are ill leading to a loss in energy with a possible damage to mitochondria( energy cells).
• Moderates inflammation.

Diabetes 

• Elevated blood glucose associated with diabetes can increase viral infections caused by influenza and replication of the influenza virus. 
• Elevated blood glucose can also suppress the immune response and exacerbate respiratory problems.

Join the discussion