Cassel says most of the things people take to boost their immune system, such as vitamins or supplements, don't have any effect on your immune response. Diabetes, obesity and smoking can also interfere with your immune system and cause it to not work the way it is supposed to, Dr. Because our immune response to fighting disease, infections and viruses in the body is so complex, there's a lot we don't know about why some people have a more balanced immune response while others don't.

You may not have a lot of control over how your immune system functions, but there are ways to keep from getting sick. Like other illnesses, COVID coronavirus is believed to be mainly spread from person to person. To prevent illness and avoid being exposed to the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends washing your hands often, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, covering your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others, covering coughs and sneezes, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily.

Cedars-Sinai Blog Can You Really Boost Your Immune System? How your immune system works. Read: Is It a Cold or the Flu?

Can you strengthen your immune system? What you can do to protect your immune system. There are some diet and lifestyle factors that influence your immune response.

How to keep from getting sick. Read: Vaccine Fast Facts. Reducing your risk of exposure to COVID coronavirus. Read: Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency.

Tags: Expert Advice. Popular Categories. Popular Topics. Water serves several essential functions in the body, including:. It's also important to drink plenty of fluids when you're ill. Water replenishes the fluid you're losing through your lungs every time you cough and from losses due to sweating.

Moderate alcohol consumption doesn't appear to positively affect your immune system. And some evidence suggests that binge drinking, or more than four drinks in two hours for women and five for men, impairs immunity.

And while there does not seem to be any good data measuring white blood cell levels for smaller amounts of alcohol, it is assumed that even one or two drinks can blunt your immune system response. As for heavy drinking, a study published in in Alcohol Research: Current Reviews found a link between alcohol use disorder and a possible susceptibility to pneumonia.

So, if you're working hard to stay healthy, it's best to avoid or limit alcohol. One study published in in the Journal of Sports and Health Science described the following benefits of moderate to vigorous exercise:. In contrast, research has found that people with sedentary lifestyles are more likely to get colds or other infectious illnesses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly.

Or, if you prefer vigorous exercise, the CDC recommends 75 minutes at that intensity. A to minute at-home workout , jump rope or jog-in-place session, or a brisk walk around the neighborhood several times a week are good ways to work some sweat into your schedule.

For example, in one study published in in Nature and Science of Sleep , researchers found disrupted sleep caused serious health ramifications, including:. Also, don't assume you can just catch up on sleep after a night or two of staying up late or tossing and turning.

Remember, your body is busy at rest, and it's designed to sleep when the sun goes down. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults between 18—64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Also, older adults need seven to eight hours, and children and adolescents require even more sleep.

Aim for the right amount for your age group, and be as consistent as possible. Turning in and waking up at roughly the same time every day is healthier than an all-over-the-place sleep schedule.

Unchecked stress, anxiety, worry, and panic pack have many negative health effects. And suppressing the immune system is one of them, said Dr. Prolonged stress also drives up levels of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Eventually, too much of those hormones can inflict damage on the body.

You can take small steps to help chill and unwind, including:. Excessive social media usage might increase your stress and anxiety. Still, screen time watching a movie you love or a binge session of your favorite TV show can help take your mind off things.

When it comes to keeping your immune system strong, proper handwashing is one of the most important things. But if you can't get to soap and water, hand sanitizer is the next best thing. Plain old soap and water are all you need. It's important to scrub up for at least 20 seconds—the length of singing "Happy Birthday" twice.

Per the CDC, that's the minimum time needed to significantly reduce the number of microorganisms on your skin. But no matter how good your handwashing skills are, they won't help prevent infection unless you know when to scrub up. In other words, that includes after using the restroom, sneezing, or coughing.

Also, wash your hands before you prepare food, after caring for a sick loved one, treating a wound, or touching any publicly used door handles, knobs, switches, or surfaces, added Dr.

And if your hands are prone to dry skin, the right moisturizer can help. If you don't have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer can help kill most microorganisms. Just be sure to take a peek at the alcohol percentage first.

Alcohol is the active ingredient working to kill viruses and bacteria. You may be unable to avoid viruses and bacteria that spread the common cold and flu entirely. But you can avoid them as best you can by strengthening your immune system.

Focusing on nutrition, hygiene, and other health habits is the key to doing so. These simple immune-boosting habits can help you steer clear of some infections. Others can supercharge your immune system, so you can get better quickly if you get sick. Dietary supplements are minimally regulated by the FDA and may or may not be suitable for you.

The effects of supplements vary from person to person and depend on many variables, including type, dosage, frequency of use, and interactions with current medications.

Please speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting any supplements. Minich DM. A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for "Eating the Rainbow" [published correction appears in J Nutr Metab.

J Nutr Metab. Kapoor R, Sharma B, Kanwar SS. Antiviral phytochemicals: an overview. Biochem Physiol. Calder PC. Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: from molecules to man. Biochem Soc Trans. Stromsnes K, Correas AG, Lehmann J, Gambini J, Olaso-Gonzalez G.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Diet: Role in Healthy Aging. Stadlbauer V. Immunosuppression and probiotics: are they effective and safe? Benef Microbes.

National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Geological Survey. The water in you: Water and the human body. Sarkar D, Jung MK, Wang HJ. Alcohol and the Immune System. Alcohol Res. Nieman DC, Wentz LM. The compelling link between physical activity and the body's defense system.

J Sport Health Sci. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME. Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption.

Nat Sci Sleep.

Good sleep helps strengthen your immune system. Adults should try for at seven to eight hours of sleep a day. Children and teens need more sleep.

A healthful diet is important to a healthy immune system. An eating plan that focuses on plants, fiber, protein and healthful fats can help you feel better and heal faster.

Protein also is essential to a body that is healing. Some of the best foods to boost immunity contain probiotics, live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your gut health , and digestive system.

Probiotics can be found in fermented and cultured foods. Look on the food label for "live active cultures". Some foods that contain probiotics are:. If you want to explore taking a probiotic supplement, talk to your health care provider. A variety of options are available in the vitamin section of grocery and natural food stores.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help keep you well. Eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruits daily to ensure you're getting a variety of nutrients.

Lean proteins and complex carbohydrates, like brown rice and quinoa, are also part of a healthy diet. Reduce how much you consume of processed foods, sugar and beverages that have few nutrients such as soda and alcoholic drinks. Nutritional and health benefits that can boost your immune system. If you want advice on how to get and stay health talking with your health care provider is a good first step.

Articles for your health. HEAL KNOWLEDGE TO DEAL WITH ILLNESS. PREVENT Six ways to boost your immune system naturally before you get sick Asma Siddiqi, MD. Stress can overwork your immune system and drain your ability to stay healthy. Here are six healthy living strategies you can use to boost your immune system: drink plenty of fluids exercise regularly limit stress get plenty of sleep include probiotics from foods or supplements eat a colorful, well-balanced diet.

Water is essential for immune health Water is still the best thing you can drink. Exercise regularly to strengthen immunity Exercise is essential to preventing chronic illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure, and to keep your weight in control.

Reduce stress for increased immune function Daily stress can overwork your immune system and drain your ability to stay healthy. Discover the benefits of mindfulness Deep Breathing techniques Sleep, a natural immunity booster Sleep is essential for the health of your body and brain.

Food and drink to boost your immune system A healthful diet is important to a healthy immune system. No one knows for sure why this happens, but some scientists observe that this increased risk correlates with a decrease in T cells, possibly from the thymus atrophying with age and producing fewer T cells to fight off infection.

Whether this decrease in thymus function explains the drop in T cells or whether other changes play a role is not fully understood. Others are interested in whether the bone marrow becomes less efficient at producing the stem cells that give rise to the cells of the immune system.

A reduction in immune response to infections has been demonstrated by older people's response to vaccines. For example, studies of influenza vaccines have shown that for people over age 65, the vaccine is less effective compared to healthy children over age 2.

But despite the reduction in efficacy, vaccinations for influenza and S. pneumoniae have significantly lowered the rates of sickness and death in older people when compared with no vaccination. There appears to be a connection between nutrition and immunity in the elderly.

A form of malnutrition that is surprisingly common even in affluent countries is known as "micronutrient malnutrition. Older people tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets.

One important question is whether dietary supplements may help older people maintain a healthier immune system. Older people should discuss this question with their doctor. Like any fighting force, the immune system army marches on its stomach. Healthy immune system warriors need good, regular nourishment.

Scientists have long recognized that people who live in poverty and are malnourished are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. For example, researchers don't know whether any particular dietary factors, such as processed foods or high simple sugar intake, will have adversely affect immune function.

There are still relatively few studies of the effects of nutrition on the immune system of humans. There is some evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies — for example, deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E — alter immune responses in animals, as measured in the test tube.

However, the impact of these immune system changes on the health of animals is less clear, and the effect of similar deficiencies on the human immune response has yet to be assessed. So, what can you do? If you suspect your diet is not providing you with all your micronutrient needs — maybe, for instance, you don't like vegetables — taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement may bring other health benefits, beyond any possibly beneficial effects on the immune system.

Taking megadoses of a single vitamin does not. More is not necessarily better. Walk into a store, and you will find bottles of pills and herbal preparations that claim to "support immunity" or otherwise boost the health of your immune system.

Although some preparations have been found to alter some components of immune function, thus far there is no evidence that they actually bolster immunity to the point where you are better protected against infection and disease.

Demonstrating whether an herb — or any substance, for that matter — can enhance immunity is, as yet, a highly complicated matter. Scientists don't know, for example, whether an herb that seems to raise the levels of antibodies in the blood is actually doing anything beneficial for overall immunity.

Modern medicine has come to appreciate the closely linked relationship of mind and body. A wide variety of maladies, including stomach upset, hives, and even heart disease, are linked to the effects of emotional stress.

Despite the challenges, scientists are actively studying the relationship between stress and immune function. For one thing, stress is difficult to define. What may appear to be a stressful situation for one person is not for another. When people are exposed to situations they regard as stressful, it is difficult for them to measure how much stress they feel, and difficult for the scientist to know if a person's subjective impression of the amount of stress is accurate.

The scientist can only measure things that may reflect stress, such as the number of times the heart beats each minute, but such measures also may reflect other factors.

Most scientists studying the relationship of stress and immune function, however, do not study a sudden, short-lived stressor; rather, they try to study more constant and frequent stressors known as chronic stress, such as that caused by relationships with family, friends, and co-workers, or sustained challenges to perform well at one's work.

Some scientists are investigating whether ongoing stress takes a toll on the immune system. But it is hard to perform what scientists call "controlled experiments" in human beings.

In a controlled experiment, the scientist can change one and only one factor, such as the amount of a particular chemical, and then measure the effect of that change on some other measurable phenomenon, such as the amount of antibodies produced by a particular type of immune system cell when it is exposed to the chemical.

In a living animal, and especially in a human being, that kind of control is just not possible, since there are so many other things happening to the animal or person at the time that measurements are being taken. Despite these inevitable difficulties in measuring the relationship of stress to immunity, scientists are making progress.

Almost every mother has said it: "Wear a jacket or you'll catch a cold! Probably not, exposure to moderate cold temperatures doesn't increase your susceptibility to infection. There are two reasons why winter is "cold and flu season.

Also the influenza virus stays airborne longer when air is cold and less humid. But researchers remain interested in this question in different populations.

Some experiments with mice suggest that cold exposure might reduce the ability to cope with infection. But what about humans? Scientists have performed experiments in which volunteers were briefly dunked in cold water or spent short periods of time naked in subfreezing temperatures.

They've studied people who lived in Antarctica and those on expeditions in the Canadian Rockies. The results have been mixed. For example, researchers documented an increase in upper respiratory infections in competitive cross-country skiers who exercise vigorously in the cold, but whether these infections are due to the cold or other factors — such as the intense exercise or the dryness of the air — is not known.

A group of Canadian researchers that has reviewed hundreds of medical studies on the subject and conducted some of its own research concludes that there's no need to worry about moderate cold exposure — it has no detrimental effect on the human immune system.

Should you bundle up when it's cold outside? The answer is "yes" if you're uncomfortable, or if you're going to be outdoors for an extended period where such problems as frostbite and hypothermia are a risk.

But don't worry about immunity. Regular exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases. But does it help to boost your immune system naturally and keep it healthy?

Just like a healthy diet, exercise can contribute to general good health and therefore to a healthy immune system. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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