How nutraceuticals improve our immune system

There are various factors affecting immunity. These include age, poor diet, excessive consumption of sugar and processed food, stress, inadequate sleep and lack of physical exercise.

Some products target parents with immunity-boosting products for kids, particularly infants who are highly susceptible to infections and diseases. Receiving the right nutrition at an early age is vital to building a strong immune system and to promoting health, growth and development.

Other examples include probiotics for pregnant women that help build the immunity of infants through the intestinal microbiome and zinc for children’s body resistance. Immunity-boosting micronutrients that contain zinc, magnesium and selenium, as well as vitamins of groups B, C, A and E and which help to reduce tiredness and improve appetite, sleep and body resistance, also play a vital role for seniors.

Consumers are becoming more aware of the importance and benefits of a healthy gut. In the United Kingdom, 66 percent of consumers believe that looking after their gut health is essential to overall wellness. Around 70 percent of the immune system is in the gut and gut bacteria helps immune system cells to develop, teaching the cells the difference between an antigen (an important factor of chronic inflammatory disorders), autoimmunity, infections and the body's cells and tissues.

While each person's gut microbiota is unique, the most influential factor for a healthy gut is environmental, including diet: supplements that help to improve the probiotic environment and food and beverage formulations containing probiotics, fermentation and prebiotics that improve wellness.

According to the Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology Journal, the consumption of probiotics significantly reduces the incidence of upper respiratory infection and flu-like symptoms. As such, brands are starting to explore the functional benefits of probiotics. For example, there is a new category of therapies for immune-mediated diseases using live human microbiome-derived bacteria.

According to Trends in Food Science & Technology, postbiotic is a term for metabolic byproducts or "beneficial waste products" of probiotic bacteria. Forms of postbiotics include organic acids or short-chain fatty acids, peptidoglycans and polysaccharides.

These bacteria, produced in our digestive tracts, could be key regulators of gastrointestinal health and could help to decrease inflammation and boost immunity. Mostly applied commercially in personal care products, postbiotics are now rapidly appearing in pharmaceutical and functional food and beverage products.

With consumers becoming more socially and environmentally conscious, they are also seeking out more products that use natural sources of nutrients like botanical substances for immunity such as ginger, camu-camu, elderberry and medicinal mushroom.

Botanical ingredients have long been used and are widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda as tonics for their immunity-boosting properties. Recently, companies have produced supplements formulated with echinacea extract to support acute respiratory tract infection, prevent flu, improve the immune system and promote respiratory system health.

A classical choice of botanical ingredient is turmeric standardized for curcuminoids. Turmeric aids in making our immunity stronger owing to the presence of curcumin which contains healing properties. However, because of the low percentage levels in standardized turmeric powder, it is difficult to reap all benefits by merely taking turmeric in small doses; that is why supplements are required.

Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory qualities help to ease cough and cold as well as act as a remedy for upper respiratory problems. It also boosts immunity, reduces symptoms and provides relief by suppressing inflammation and inhibiting viral replication, which is why it is highly valued as a natural resource in the wake of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Another popular ingredient is the sweet and sour elderberry fruit, particularly Sambucus nigra (commonly known as European elder) which has been used for centuries to fight upper-respiratory infections, supply the body with antioxidants and boost immunity in the form of teas and syrups. It is packed with vitamin C, dietary fiber and antioxidants in the form of phenolic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins.

Other companies have launched products containing maca, which provides natural energy, mental agility and bodily resistance. For example, the use of the Reishi mushroom is rapidly on the rise due to its ability to support healthy immune function and aid the body's response to stress.