Adequate nutritient intakes are required for the immune system to function efficintly. A good multivitamin can enhance the immune system by supporting the body's natural defences on both a structural and cellular level.
A recent article published in the British Journal of Nutrition summarises the roles of select vitamins and trace elements in immune function.
Adequate intake of micronutrients are required for the immune system to function efficiently. Micronutrient deficiency suppresses immunity by affecting antibody responses, leading to imbalances in the immune system. This situation increases susceptibility to infections, which increases disease and death risk. In addition, infections aggravate micronutrients deficiencies by reducing nutrition intake, increaring losses and interfering with utilisation by altering metabolic pathways. Inadequate intakes of micronutrients are common in people with eating disoders, smokers( active & passive), individuals with chronic alcohol abuse, certain diseases, during pregnancy and lactation, and in the ederly.
Micronutrients contribute to the body's natural defences on three levels by supporting physical barriers(skin/mucosa), cellular immunity and antibody production. Vitamins A, C,E and the mineral zinc assist in enhancing the skin barrier function. Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and folic acid, and the minerals iron, zinc, copper and selenium work synergistically to support the protective activities of the immune cells. Finally, all these micronutrients, with the exception of Vitamin C and iron, are essential for the production of antibodies.
Overall, inadequate intake and status of this vitamins and minerals may lead to a suppressed immune system, which increases the risk of infections and aggravates malnutrition. Therefore, supplementation with a multivitamin that includes these micronutritients can support the body's natural defence system by enhancing all three levels of immunity.
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