The best nutrients for your immune system

In order to have a strong immune system we need to fight these immune system disruptors at the source. By focusing on correcting nutrient deficiencies, we can leverage vitamins and the role they play in our immune system for better health. 

Vitamin D + Immunity

As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D is utilized by every single cell of your body and acts more like a hormone by regulating a multitude of pathways in your body - including how well your immune system functions. 

For example, low levels have been linked to autoimmune conditions like IBS (2) and Multiple Sclerosis (3) whereas symptoms have been shown to improve when vitamin D deficiencies are corrected. Vitamin D is also needed for your body to produce enough T Regulatory cells to keep your immune system balanced.

But for how much our body needs vitamin D to function, it is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies. Since it’s difficult to get enough vitamin D through sunshine and food, supplementation is often necessary. I suggest taking anywhere between 2,000 and 6,000 IU of vitamin D per day. 

Vitamin K2 + Immunity

Another one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the Western world, Vitamin K2 is also essential for a strong immune system by supporting healthy inflammation levels. In fact, one study found that vitamin K2 was effective at inhibiting the pro-inflammatory iNOS in the spinal cord and the brain immune system in rats that had multiple sclerosis symptoms. (4) 

More recent research has confirmed Vitamin K2 as one of the body’s main inflammation modulators with one study showing its ability to inhibit pro-inflammatory NF-kB pathways and interleukins that flare up during COVID-19 infections. (5)

There are several types of K2, but I suggest looking for the MK-4 version. MK-4 regulates gene expression in specific ways that no other form of vitamin K does. You can take anywhere between 100 to 200 mcg per day.

The Takeaway

The great thing about fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D and vitamin K2 is that they enhance the absorption of one another when taken together. Plus, taking them at the same time can help vitamin D levels from going too high. A win-win in my book!

If you are looking to take advantage of this vitamin synergy, I usually suggest taking a vitamin D3-K2 supplement to ensure you are getting enough of these nutrients to make a difference in strengthening your immune system. However, not all supplements on the market are created equally. That’s why I formulated my supplement, The D3-K2.

When formulating this supplement, I made sure to choose Vitamin D3 as it has been shown in multiple studies to be twice as likely to raise vitamin D levels than other forms of vitamin D. I also chose to include menaquinone-7 (MK-7), a highly bioavailable and bioactive form of K2, to balance hormones and enhance absorption of vitamin D.

Whether you are looking to boost your immunity during cold and flu season or strengthen your immune system due to gut dysfunction or another underlying health problem, you can’t go wrong with vitamin D3 and K2.

And since we are right in the middle of cold and flu season, I wanted to make it even easier for you to fight off all the bacteria and viruses headed your way.

From now until Sunday November 13th, get 15% off The D3-K2 with the code SHINEBLOG at checkout!

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