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IMMUNE BOOSTING WITH VITAMIN C & VITAMIN D

28 Oct

The immune system is a complex network of cells and proteins working together to defend and protect the body from “invaders” such as viruses, infections, and diseases. The main parts of the immune system are white blood cells, antibodies, the complement system, the lymphatic system, the spleen, the thymus, and the bone marrow.

The memory cells (types of white blood cells) of the immune system keep a record of every microbe it has ever been defeated. In this way, they can recognize and destroy the microbe quickly if it enters the body again before it can multiply.

If you want to strengthen your immune system, it is essential to handle it like a system and not an entity. Balance and harmony are required for the normal function of it and a healthy lifestyle is the best way to succeed it.

Unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, lack of exercise and consumption of unhealthy foods can weaken our immune system.

According to WHO, 60% of related factors to individual health and quality of life are correlated to lifestyle.

The role of Vitamin C and Vitamin D

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin. That means that it is dissolved in water and readily absorbed into tissues for immediate use. The body doesn’t store it. To maintain adequate levels of vitamin C you need to consume food that contains it every day. Humans cannot synthesize ascorbic acid due to lack of an enzyme (gluconolactone oxidase). That’s why ascorbic acid has to be supplemented mainly through fruits, vegetables and tablets. Both natural and synthetic ascorbic acid are chemically identical and there are no known differences in their biological activities or bioavailability.

Vitamin C:

  • plays a critical role in wound repair and healing/regeneration process as it stimulates collagen synthesis.
  • It is also essential for the synthesis of muscle carnitine. Carnitine is required for transport and transfer of fatty acids into mitochondria where it can be used for energy production.
  • It is also necessary for the transformation of cholesterol to bile acids.
  • It enhances the availability and absorption of iron from non-heme iron sources

Vitamin C is an important part of the immune system as it contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. It protects the body’s cells against reactive oxygen species that are generated by immune cells to kill pathogens. Ascorbic acid has been shown to stimulate immune system by enhancing T-cell proliferation in response to infection. These cells are capable of lysing infected targets by producing large quantities of cytokines and by helping B cells to synthesize immunoglobulins to control inflammatory reactions. Further, it has been shown that ascorbic acid blocks pathways that lead to apoptosis of T-cells and thus stimulate or maintain T cell proliferation to attack the infection.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, along with vitamin E, beta-carotene, and many other plant-based nutrients. Antioxidants block some of the damage caused by free radicals, substances that damage DNA. The buildup of free radicals over time may contribute to the aging process and the development of health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Vitamin C is a highly effective antioxidant, due to its ability to readily donate electrons, thus protecting important biomolecules. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C enable it to protect lung cells exposed to oxidants and oxidant-mediated damage caused by various pollutants, heavy metals, pesticides, and xenobiotics.

Sources rich in Vitamin C

Oranges, red pepper, kiwi fruit, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, grapefruit juice,

Vitamin D

Vitamin D (also referred as calciferol), is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it can dissolve in fats and oils and it is stored in tissue for future use. Vitamin D is many times referred as the “sunshine vitamin” because it is produced in the skin in response to the sunlight.

Sunlight exposure can provide most people with their entire vitamin D requirement. Vitamin D is found naturally in only a few foods, such as some fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines), fish liver oils, eggs from hens that have been fed vitamin D, and mushrooms exposed to sunlight or UV light.

Vitamin D its important in regulating body levels of calcium and phosphorus, and in mineralization of bone. But it has physiologic effects much broader than a role in mineral homeostasis and bone function. As one example, many immune cells not only express vitamin D receptors, but are capable of synthesizing active vitamin D. Deficiency in vitamin D has been associated with an increased incidence of autoimmune disease and susceptibility to disease.

The active form of vitamin D regulates two important antimicrobial proteins (cathelicidin and defensin). These are critical components of the innate immune system because they directly kill pathogens, especially bacteria, and thereby enhance immunity. Vitamin D has also been shown to stimulate other components of innate immunity, including immune cell proliferation and cytokine production. Through these roles, vitamin D helps protect against infections caused by pathogens.

Sources of Vitamin D

  • Being exposed to the sun. About 15-20 minutes three days per week is usually sufficient.
  • Eating foods rich in Vitamin D such as cod liver oil, salmon, tuna.
  • Through nutritional supplements.

Vitamin C and D also play important roles in brain metabolism. Vitamin C deficiency induces fatigue and mood disturbance, whereas hypovitaminosis D has been linked to cognitive dysfunction and depression. Vitamin C acts as co-factor of hydroxylating enzymes, which are important for collagen synthesis and may also play a role in the transformation of Vitamin D into active metabolites. There is an association between Vitamin D and Vitamin C pathways indicates the need for both to be considered in our dietary.

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