Best Immunity Booster Supplement for a Healthy Immune System
The immune system is your natural defense against anything that will enter and attack your body. If it is healthy, then you are healthy.
There are lucky enough people to have naturally robust immune systems and others that are so poor they need medical information. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
A healthy diet and lifestyle help boost our body’s immunity, and supplements can be an integral part of this. Considering the amount of international travel and global exposure to illness we are up against today, supporting our natural immunity is more critical than ever.
Unfortunately, hundreds of supplements claim to support immunity. The scientifically proven individual supplements that are best for our immunity are extracts of plants, Vitamin C, and zinc. Many of the immune-boosting supplements on the market do not work as advertised and may not have enough of those ingredients to be considered beneficial.
With this in mind, here is our list of some of the best immunity boosters of 2021.
Best Immunity Booster Supplements
The following rankings are a culmination of research on lab reports and manufacturers alike to ensure we can present the peak in immune system support supplements for 2021.
VitaPost Immune Support
According to the makers of this supplement, VitaPost’s Immune Support uses botanical extracts to support and nourish your immune system. The ingredients include powerful antioxidants and are considered one of the best immune support supplements available today. It has more than a dozen scientifically backed ingredients in its formula, including quercetin, green tea, beta-glucans, arabinogalactan, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and more. With a price tag of just $14 per bottle, it’s incredibly affordable.
Mushroom Defense
Mushrooms are known for a significant amount of health benefits, not least of which include fighting fatigue, protecting you from cognitive decline, and supporting the immune system. Hence, it’s no wonder the makers of Mushroom Defense saw fit to make a supplement complex based on this superfood. Specifically, they advertise their product to protect against bacterial and viral-related health problems and support cognitive function and energy levels.
Their formula includes a rare mushroom extra from a mountainside village outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as well as lion’s man, turkey tail, shiitake, chaga, turkey tail, maitake, and cordyceps Sinensis mushrooms. With a 67-day refund policy, it’s hard to find a reason not to try this immunity support if you are looking for the best available complex.
VitaPost Immune Complex
As the second supplement on our list from this company, the VitaPost immune Complex supplement differs significantly from its predecessor. Taking a different approach to supporting immunity, this formula contains the most proven immune-supporting natural ingredients: elderberry, echinacea, and probiotics. Echinacea is often taken by people who are or looking to prevent being sick. However, studies show that elderberry can shorten the length of the flu or cold symptoms, and probiotics are essential for the digestive tract’s healthy functions. We now know up to 70% of the immune system lies in the gut, so supporting gut health is vital to a healthy immune system.
Zenith Labs Nano C
Vitamin C is probably the most common ingredient of any immune-supporting supplement formula. Still, Dr. Ryan Shelton of Zenith Labs has created a new, bioavailable version called Nano C Immune Support. Rather than the pill form, Nano C is taken via daily drops, with a high dose of nature’s best antioxidant- Vitamin C.
Dr. Shelton and Zenith Labs supplements are unique because the Vitamin C is in a nano form, about 1,000 times smaller than how it is found in nature, thereby combating the absorption issue many vitamin supplements come up against. They claim their supplement will fortify your immune system while shortening recovering time from various common sicknesses.
Epishield Plus
Simple Promise’s Epishield Plus claims to boost the immune system within the first two hours of first trying it. Like other supplements on this list, it includes Vitamin D and C and extracts from the mushroom. But its unique ingredient is fermented yeast, added to boost and maintain an allegedly healthy and robust immune system. Each bottle will run you 50 dollars but is frequently sold out, a good indication of its popularity levels.
Advanced Bionutritionals Resistol
Resistol uses licorice, eleuthero, platycodon, prickly chaff flower, and Andrographis to support a healthy immune system, according to Advanced Bionutritionals. The five herbs featured in the formula have been studied for their positive effects, and many take them daily for their benefits.
Their unique approach to herbs and Poland extracts instead of straight vitamins like the other supplements on this list makes them worthy of trying all on their own. And at under $30 per bottle, Resistol is far more affordable for the everyday user.
Organixx 7M
Organixx 7M not only contains mushroom extracts like some others on this list, but it also explicitly has the shiitake, reishi, and maitake mushrooms in its formula. These three mushrooms are known for their benefits to your immune system, but they also contain beta-glucans that are supposed to be anti-inflammatory antioxidants. This supplement includes the 7m uses cordyceps, lion’s mane, and turkey tail mushroom extracts in smaller amounts. Organixx recommends daily usage for healthy digestion, immune functions, and inflammation control.
BioShield MD
Created by Dr. Mark Rosenberg of Sun Coast Sciences, BioShield MD is a supplement claiming to support immunity. Energy, joints, mental health, and more using clinically effective doses. Along with dozens of low-dose ingredients, BioShield has substantial, clinically proven amounts of tart cherry extract, cocoa extract, resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, and green tea extract. Rich with antioxidants and flavonoids, this supplement should support your immune function from multiple angles.
VitaPost Turmeric & Ginger
VitaPost’s Turmeric & Ginger is a high-end blend of Turmeric and Ginger, aiming to flood your body with antioxidants and boost healthy immune function. As two of the most popular foods in the health community and eastern medicine communities, turmeric and ginger have long been used to improve overall health and support healthy immune system function.
Each capsule contains 100 mg of organic ginger and 500 mg of organic turmeric, with an added 50mg dose of turmeric and a 5 mg dose of black pepper extract. At less than 25 dollars per bottle, this is one of the more reasonably priced supplements on this list that makes it well worth trying if you are unsure of their usefulness.
Immuno Defense 4x
JayLab Pro’s Immuno Defense 4x provides substantial doses of its four main ingredients- 500 mg EpiCor, 500 mg quercetin, 150 mg bromelain, and 166% of your DV of vitamin D3. This supplement is the second on our list to include EpiCor, a type of dried yeast extract, and while not the cheapest on the list, it has scientific studies backing its ingredients.
Doctor G’s Naturals Q-Ion Immune Defense
Doctor G’s Q-Ion Immune Defense claims their formula acts as a potent anti-inflammatory to support antiviral and immune health in your body. One of the few on this list claims to protect against dangerous pathogens, a tall and probably unrealistic order. However, it is one of the few doctor-approved supplements here (always to be taken with a grain of salt as that label only requires a single doctor to approve of it officially).
Doctor G’s Naturals was created by board-certified physician Dr. John, with Dr. Gordon using his expertise to add zinc, bromelain, quercetin, and green tea extra to the formula. This supplement also includes Ion-Blast Technology which claims to add to the bioavailability of zinc and quercetin, essentially making them absorb better and faster.
Immunity 911
PhytAge Labs claims their Immunity 911 supplement uses a wide range of ingredients to support the immune system. PhytAge Labs guarantees their product will work. It contains lower doses of vitamin C than other immune-supporting supplements, but it has substantial doses of red raspberry fruit extract, green tea leaf extract, and Graviola leaf extract. While confident in what they offer, their lack of transparency does make it difficult to verify.
Immunity Formulas Immune Support
Immunity Formulas Immune Support has a unique blend of herbal essential oils in its formula, claiming to solve virus and immune-related problems, including boosting the body’s natural defense, supporting the immune system, purifying the air, and sanitizing surfaces.
Their most vital ingredients include oregano, lemon, peppermint, cinnamon, and turmeric essential oils. While studies are showing essential oils can support the immune system in small ways, others have no evidential support of this claim, so whether it will help you remains to be seen.
The second thing that makes the Immunity Formulas Immune Support supplement different is its ability to be spread on the skin or diffused in the air, rather than being found in pill form. So if you struggle with swallowing large pills or want to switch it up, this may be the product for you.
How We Ranked The Best Immune Supplements
All immune system supplements have similar claims and often even similar ingredients. So how do we rank them or decide which are worthy of consideration?
The Science
First, we look at any scientific evidence for the ingredients behind these claims. It would be ideal to look at studies on the supplements themselves, but because the supplement industry is not FDA regulated in the United States, there is rarely a study to back them up. For example, vitamin C and D, probiotics, Zinc, and elderberry extract all have substantial scientific evidence showing benefits to the body and, specifically, the immune system.
Dosage, Dosage, Dosage
Unfortunately, the lack of regulation means a supplement could contain everything it claims to, all the right things, but not be at a dose that is effective in any way. It’s essential to look for supplements with science-backed dosage amounts, which is valid for any supplement you are looking to take.
No Illegal Lying
One part of the supplement industry that the FDA regulates to prevent extreme and life-altering fraud is the claim to be a cure. It’s important to choose supplements claiming to support good health or different parts of the body, not claim to be the cure-all or prevent-all to diseases and cancers. This is mainly because of COVID. With this new disease, there has been a flood of illegal supplement advertising online claiming to protect you from it or cure you of it- never fall for it.
Manufacturer
Any supplement you take should be purchased from a known manufacturer with a known location and appropriately certified facilities. This is not just roundabout transparency in business issues; it’s literally about safety. We are often putting these supplements directly into our bodies. We need to know where they are coming from and follow the appropriate health guidelines when making their products. We always prefer companies with the most transparency possible.
Medical Advisory Board
Want to know if you’re buying from a highly qualified supplement provider? See if they employ a medical advisory board at their company staffed with actual certified medical doctors and scientists. Preferably, the entire board, but definitely at least the majority of it. It’s no accident that the healthiest, safest, and most likely to work supplement blends have medical professionals involved in their inception.
Reputation
Does the manufacturer even have a good reputation? Some companies pump out many products, and most or all have bad reviews. We looked to see if this was the case with these supplements, and so should you. We prefer a manufacturer with a long and established history, but at least not a bad history, even if that means using a product from a newer company. This limits the likelihood of being conned by someone in it to make a quick dollar off of you.
Sourcing
It is ideal when a company transparently lists where their ingredients are sourced, mainly if they use a unique element not often seen in other supplements of that nature.
Price vs. Value
Hopefully, we were able to provide you with a range of choices when it comes to cost. We all have different budgets and wanted to keep that in mind. We tried to pick some of the best from each end of the price range to show you can have good value at any price.
The Science Behind the Ingredients
If you don’t particularly care about science, feel free to skip this section, but we encourage everyone to care about what science says about the things we are taking to try and be healthier.
Studies support some things making a difference in immune function and being crucial to overall health. Here are the most common or most visible immune support ingredients on this list and what the science says about them:
Vitamin C
Probably the most popular ingredient, numerous studies support the positive effects of Vitamin C. The National Institutes of Health makes it clear we need this vitamin to synthesize L-carnitine, certain neurotransmitters, and collagen. Because our regenerative ability must create connective tissue, it also dramatically impacts our natural healing abilities. As an antioxidant, it targets disease-causing free radicals throughout the body, with some studies showing it helps prevent or delay cancer growth.
Vitamin D
Those deficient in this vital vitamin have a more impaired immune function and many other problems ranging from insomnia to depression to muscle soreness. It’s linked with an increased risk of infection and autoimmunity issues. They even used it to treat infections in the not-so-distant past (before antibiotics) because we could see it had positive effects even then. Vitamin D can also be obtained from sunlight and foods.
Protein
Protein is crucial for several healthy body functions, not least of which is a healthy immune system. While the above supplements mostly don’t contain protein, it seemed worth noting how vital this is to our readers. You can obtain protein from foods like soy products, foul, eggs, fish, beef, pork, nuts, beans, dark green vegetables, and yogurts. Protein becomes an amino acid in the body which is highly vital for healthy immune function. 70% of the immune system is in the gut, specifically your intestinal cells.
Zinc
Obtained from food, zinc deficiency is also associated with a flawed immune system. Zinc is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects, and studies show people with less than the average healthy adult present a higher risk of developing the infectious disease. Even if you are uninterested in immune-supporting supplements, people not getting enough zinc through their diets should seriously consider a zinc supplement.
Probiotics
Although a trendy supplement, probiotics are crucial to a healthy gut fauna, and we have already established that 70% of the immune system is in the gut. This is not just beneficial for the immune system, though. It seems like discovery is made; showing a healthy gut is vital for some healthy functions. Probiotics have been linked to immune-related diseases and viral infections, with some studies showing they can help treat or prevent seasonal allergies.
Elderberry
Elderberry has been used in Europe for centuries as a herbal remedy for the common cold and flu. It has shown to be beneficial for treating fever, which was ideal before creating more potent medications. Some doctors recommend it to their patients to increase cold and flu recovery (though it should not be relied on when having severe symptoms, including COVID). Science says Elderberry is rich in Vitamin C. One study had 60 adults take 15 mL of elderberry syrup 4x a day, with every one of them experiencing improved symptoms up to 4 days earlier over the placebo group.
Echinacea
Much like elderberry, echinacea has also been used for centuries as a medicinal plant. Science has since validated the positive results in supporting the immune system. One study found short-term use shortened the duration and lessened the severity of upper respiratory infections and colds. It appears to only be effective after the onset of symptoms; otherwise, it’s just a tea ingredient.
Ginger
An ingredient of traditional eastern medicines for centuries, today we know ginger to be a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Much like garlic, it also has antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Turmeric
Another antioxidant, turmeric, is rich in curcuminoids which are linked to anti-inflammatory properties. However, this study showed turmeric activating immune cells, which is a wholly different benefit to the immune system than just as an antioxidant. Turmeric is poorly absorbed into the system unless paired with black pepper extract, which increases its bioavailability by 2,000%, which is something to keep in mind if you’re looking to add it to your daily supplement routine.
Best Immunity Booster Supplements Last Words
All immune system supporting supplements use similar vitamins, minerals, or plant extracts to help keep you healthy. There are plenty of studies to back up these ingredients, and you should consider adding something to your daily routine, whether through one of these supplements or diet choices. Everyone should consider taking supplements to help support normal and healthy body functions, including the immune system.
Hopefully, this list has taught you how to pick out your supplements, the basics of what you need, and has encouraged you to give something on this list a try that fits your needs, wants, and budget. In these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to make sure we take care of ourselves and help our immune system protect us. Try one of the best immunity booster supplements in 2021 today!
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The links contained in this product review may result in a small commission if you opt to purchase the product recommended at no additional cost to you. This goes towards supporting our research and editorial team and please know we only recommend high quality products.
Disclaimer:
Please understand that any advice or guidelines revealed here are not even remotely a substitute for sound medical advice from a licensed healthcare provider. Make sure to consult with a professional physician before making any purchasing decision if you use medications or have concerns following the review details shared above. Individual results may vary as the statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
