When it comes to immune health, it is essential for brand owners to determine what type of immune support theyre trying to provide through a formulation.

Examples include:

a. A person thinks they may be coming down with a cold or flu—they need something to stimulate immune response.

b. A person has a chronic immune weakness such as allergies, colds, flu, etc. —they need something for long-term support of immune functionality.

c. A person has an autoimmune or overactive immune response—they need something to modulate or even downregulate immune function.

d. A person has chronic inflammation such as joint pain, cardiovascular problems, etc.—they need something to support the bodys response to inflammation (inflammation is an initial response by the immune system to potential harm from things such as physical trauma, bacteria, virus, etc.).

Of these, supplement manufacturers should keep in mind that the first two are what most consumers think about when a product is touted as an immune health product. They are either sick and need acute help to stimulate the immune system, or theyre looking for long-term benefits to support the immune system and its functionality. The following examples of both short- and long-term nutraceutical ingredients for immune health are but a few of the numerous immune support ingredients with scientific substantiation.

Short term

• Vitamin C acts by increasing lymphocyte activity, phagocyte function, leukocyte mobility, antibody and interferon production. In general, high doses of vitamin C need to be consumed daily in order to activate the immune system. Products containing small amounts of vitamin C provide little to no benefit to a person seeking an immediate immune response.
• Echinacea acts by activating many critical cells involved with a healthy immune response to infection, such as neutrophils, macrophages, leukocytes, natural killer (NK) cells and other chemical messengers.
• Elderberry has several effects, including antiviral and immunomodulating effects, and it inhibits the replication of several strains of influenza viruses A and B, as well as H1N1 "swine" flu. It also increases the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukins (ILs) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). One of the unique properties of elderberry is it is a botanical extract offering both acute and long-term use benefits for immune health.
• Zinc is essential for neutrophil, NK cell and T-lymphocyte function. For acute use, zinc appears to be beneficial when used orally as a lozenge and taken frequently throughout the day—not in one large dose, swallowed whole.

Long term

• Medicinal mushrooms such as chaga, reishi, maitake, shitake and cordyceps impact lymphocytes, macrophages, T cells and NK cells.
• 1,3/1,6 beta-glucan increases macrophage phagocytosis of tumor cells, increases the cytotoxicity of NK cells and stimulates the release of IL-1 and TNF.
• Probiotics offer beneficial impacts by different mechanisms, including their capacity to increase the intestinal barrier function, prevent pathogenic bacterial movement and modulate inflammation. Since an estimated 70% of the immune system originates in the gut, supporting the microbiome can play a positive role in immune health.
• In numerous published clinical studies, low blood levels of vitamin D have been correlated with an increased risk of infections. A secondary analysis of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) examined serum D levels of nearly 19,000 participants. The results suggested lower vitamin D levels were associated with higher episodes of self-reported upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). For vitamin D to be beneficial, it is advisable to get vitamin D testing done to ensure the proper amounts are consumed.