To function well, our immune system requires regular intake of several essential vitamins. Learn more about them to ensure that your body can provide sufficient protection against daily stress and illnesses! 

Why do we need vitamins? 

Their role is essential for maintaining all normal functions in the body. There are several vitamins that play a key role in maintaining a well-functioning immune system: vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and vitamin B17, also known as amygdalin. They support your body’s defense and aid in your recovery when you get sick. Moreover, a good immune system is related to your overall well-being. When your immune system works well, it helps you feel energetic and maintain a good quality of life. 

To maintain adequate levels of these important vitamins in your body, it’s necessary to eat a varied diet every day. However, vitamin deficiencies and deficiencies in other essential nutrients are common these days, and the reasons are complex. Poor eating habits, strict diets for weight loss, and a fast-paced lifestyle that doesn’t allow for well-planned balanced menus are some of the factors that often lead to chronic deficiency of beneficial substances in the body. 

Stress can also be a cause of various vitamin deficiencies

When we are under significant stress for an extended period of time, it has been proven to deplete the body’s resources of B-group vitamins. Stress can also activate processes that lead to difficulties in absorbing various beneficial nutrients. Therefore, if we are subjected to severe stress, suffer from chronic fatigue, or if our bodies are exhausted from illness, it is important to support our bodies and their immune response. 

These five important vitamins help activate the body’s natural defenses, improve your overall physical fitness, and include: 

Vitamin C

Widely known as the “universal fighter,” vitamin C is often sought after when we’re ill or simply feeling tired. This vitamin is an extremely potent antioxidant that helps our bodies repair damage caused by free radicals, including to our DNA. Vitamin C promotes tissue regeneration throughout our bodies and contributes to faster wound healing. It plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones, hair, skin, and cartilage.

It also plays a crucial role in iron absorption and, consequently, in preventing iron-deficiency anemia. How important is this? More so than you might think. Perhaps you don’t know, but globally, iron deficiency affects 25% of people at some stage in their lives, which means one in every four individuals! 

Foods rich in vitamin C include red and green bell peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi, brussels sprouts, strawberries, as well as raw or steamed broccoli. 

Vitamin D 

Until recently, vitamin D remained in the shadow of vitamin C when discussing vitamins that support the immune system. However, a deficiency of this fat-soluble vitamin can lead to a decrease in the body’s natural defenses and cause damage to the skeletal system, including rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. Chronic vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of several types of cancer, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. 

At the same time, vitamin D deficiency is disturbingly common. In the United States, for example, it has been found in up to 42% of the population, with the percentage nearly doubling when it comes to the elderly. That’s why lately, in scientific circles and mass media channels, there is increasing talk about the importance of vitamin D and how to regularly obtain it in sufficient quantities. 

Vitamin D deficiency is difficult to diagnose without specific tests because it manifests slowly and without specific symptoms. Therefore, it’s important to proactively obtain it, including through foods like fatty fish or egg yolks. The most reliable way to encourage your body to synthesize vitamin D is to expose yourself to enough sunlight without missing even the cold winter days. A 20-minute walk in the park with open palms and face exposed to the sun is sufficient daily prevention. Additionally, our bodies have the ability to accumulate and store synthesized vitamin D from the summer, so they can draw from this resource throughout the rest of the year. 

Vitamin E

Many women are familiar with vitamin E as a cosmetic product, but its functions in the body go far beyond skin and hair care. It’s true that vitamin E can help combat skin aging as it acts as an antioxidant and reduces inflammation. It helps maintain well-hydrated and shiny hair, reducing hair loss, making it a popular ingredient in hair mask recipes. 

As an assistant to a healthy immune system, vitamin E protects cell membranes from oxidative damage. 

It is found in the membranes of all cells in the body but is most highly concentrated in immune system cells, which are at the greatest risk of damage. A deficiency of vitamin E reduces the body’s ability to respond to infectious microorganisms and produce antibodies quickly. 

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin stored by the body in fatty tissues and the liver. Foods rich in this vitamin include certain vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, wheat, soybean), nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. 

Vitamin B6

All the vitamins in the B-complex group are important for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Vitamin B6 plays a role in biochemical processes in the body that are part of our natural defense against diseases. It also helps control inflammatory processes and is needed for regulating sleep, mood, and reducing the risk of depression. 

Adequate levels of vitamin B6 in the body have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. 

Foods rich in vitamin B6 include chicken, salmon, tuna, beef liver, and chickpeas. 

Vitamin B17

Vitamin B17, also known as amygdalin, was relatively recently isolated, and scientific interest in it continues to be significant. 

Found in natural sources such as apricot kernels, apples, plums, bitter almonds, and cherries, amygdalin has potent antioxidant action. It enhances the body’s natural resistance to infections and has been shown to regulate high blood pressure naturally. This eases the workload on our hearts and can contribute to an extended lifespan. 

To provide your body with vitamin B17 and improve your overall physical condition, you can take it in the form of a supplement. One such dietary supplement is Apriben, a product that provides comprehensive support to the body and its natural defense mechanisms. It contains active ingredients, including vitamin B17, that optimize physical health, body tone, and the functions of the immune and cardiovascular systems, especially in the presence of stressful factors. 

Apriben also contains: 

Shiitake mushroom: Beneficial for the function of the immune and nervous systems, as well as the overall body tone. 

Reishi mushroom: Helps with blood circulation, optimizes physical health, and enhances the body’s natural defenses. 

Chaga mushroom: Contains a range of biologically active substances such as beta-glucans, fungal fibers, enzymes, and others that stimulate the body’s resilience. 

Apriben is an excellent complementary means for a strong immune system and overall strengthening of the body. Don’t forget to maintain a diverse and balanced diet along with it; this significantly reduces the risk of severe nutrient deficiencies in your body. And remember the golden rule that the more colorful your food on your plate, the more important vitamins you provide to your body! 
 

Citations: 

1. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12520530/ 
2. – https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-b6/ 

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