The Top Supplements To Support Your Immune System During Cold + Flu Season

According to the World Health Organization, (1) there are around 1 billion cases of the flu every year across the world, and in the United States alone, there are approximately 1 billion cases (2) of the common cold annually. These widespread infections can put a pause on your daily life, banishing you to the couch for days on end with a box of tissues by your side. 

As a functional medicine expert, I understand that while we can’t avoid sickness altogether, we can do our very best to mitigate how often we get sick and for how long by boosting our immune system with natural supplements. So instead of succumbing to whatever germ comes your way this year, load up on my top ten favorite immune-boosting supplements and get ready to tackle cold and flu season head on.

1. Vitamin C

No list of immune boosting supplements is complete without mentioning Vitamin C. This superstar nutrient is number one when it comes to its ability to ward off sickness, making it the most common ingredient in the cold and flu aisle. This is because your immune system relies on Vitamin C for the healthy production and function of antibodies and white blood cells - your body’s defense system - and to fight oxidative stress that weakens your immune system.

However, I always recommend that you swap out your regular Vitamin C supplements for liposomal Vitamin C, especially during cold and flu season. Unfortunately, you only absorb 14-30% of Vitamin C (3) from regular supplements, whereas liposomal supplements create a fatty encapsulation over Vitamin C to enable the most effective transportation to your cells.

2. Echinacea

Echinacea is a popular herbal supplement that has been used for years as a natural remedy for colds and respiratory infections due to its ability to stimulate your immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells. It is also known for its powerful antiviral properties that can inhibit the replication of cold and flu viruses to reduce the severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms. For example, one study (4) found that echinacea decreased the likelihood of developing a cold by 58% and reduced the duration of a cold by 1.4 days! You can find echinacea in various forms including capsules, tinctures, and teas.

3. Elderberry

Elderberry is another herbal remedy popularly used as a stand-alone supplement or as an ingredient in many natural immune boosting supplements. Due to its rich antioxidant content, including polyphenols, elderberry has been shown to have next-level antiviral, (5) antibacterial, (6) and immune boosting (7) abilities. According to a 2022 study published in the journal Plants, (8) elderberries are able to help ward off various coronaviruses and can even reduce symptoms of fever and congestion by up to 50%.

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a necessary nutrient that your immune cells rely on to function. It also plays an important role in mitigating inflammation levels by decreasing the production of inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 while also increasing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10. 

That’s why deficiencies in this vitamin are often linked (9) to autoimmune conditions, poor immune health, and an increased risk for upper respiratory infections. In fact, studies have found that supplementing with Vitamin D can lower your risk (10) of respiratory infections - whether you have a Vitamin D deficiency or not.

Although Vitamin D can be obtained through exposure to sunlight and foods like eggs and wild-caught seafood, most of us don’t get enough of either, making deficiencies in this nutrient extremely common. I recommend choosing a supplement like The D3-K2. Since vitamin D and vitamin K2 enhance absorption of one another, my supplement is formulated with highly bioavailable forms of both of these nutrients for next-level immune support.

5. Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral that supports your immune system by promoting the production and overall function of both immune cells and antibodies. Studies have found that zinc can reduce the length (11) of your cold by two days and when taken in conjunction with Vitamin C, can further increase Vitamin C’s immune boosting abilities.