People may choose to take supplements for any number of specific reasons, from health conditions to deficiencies. However, you do not need to wait until you have a deficiency to start making use of a multivitamin. Liquid vitamin and mineral supplements are designed to boost your overall health and wellness by filling in the nutritional gaps in your diet with a steady supply of nutrients that you otherwise might not receive. These nutrients help power your body’s internal systems, including the very important immune system. In this article, we will examine a few of the best liquid vitamins for immune system health so that you have an idea of where to begin your search for an immune-boosting supplement.

The Importance of Immune Health

Your immune system protects your body from outside microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, and fungi that can cause disease as well as internal disease-causing cells (1). It is made up of two subsystems, the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system, which work together to fight against germs (2). Despite the inherent complexity of the immune system and all its moving parts, there are efficient ways to promote its health and lend it a helping hand. 

The best ways to boost your immune system come in the form of lifestyle changes. Try to exercise regularly, maximize your sleep, and minimize your stress levels as much as possible. You can also assist your immune cells by providing them with the nutrients they need to be healthy and operate at their highest capacities. Eating a diet packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables will help your body gain the micronutrients that are important to your immune cells. However, if you feel that you are not getting enough of certain nutrients linked to immune health such as iron, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E, you can supplement your diet with a liquid multivitamin or individual liquid vitamins (3).

Immune-Boosting Liquid Vitamins and Minerals

As you may know, liquid supplements generally have higher absorption rates than their solid competitors, like gummies, pills, and capsules. With your supplement’s nutrients already in their liquid forms at the time of consumption, you do not have to worry about digestion slowing down the process, as absorption can begin immediately. Faster absorption guarantees that the nutrients in your supplement will be able to do their jobs in your body as intended, one of those jobs often being to boost your immune system. Let’s take a brief look at 3 immune-boosting vitamins and minerals that can be effectively utilized in liquid form either via individual liquid drops or in a multivitamin.

Vitamin C

When you think of immune health, one of the first nutrients you think of is likely vitamin C, with its widely known ability to fight back against the common cold. As an assistant to the immune system, vitamin C is a key micronutrient for the human body, providing support to cells in both subsets of the immune system (4). In fact, taking a liquid vitamin C supplement in the early stages of a cold may help to reduce your symptoms and even shorten the duration of the illness.

Zinc

Zinc is another essential micronutrient for helping out the immune system. Similar to vitamin C, it affects cells in both subsets of the immune system, promoting normal development of the cells and stabilizing their functions (5). Though it is a trace mineral, meaning it is only necessary to the body in relatively small amounts, zinc plays an important role in defending your internal systems, helping fight off any unwanted bacteria and viruses.

Vitamin B6

Among the group of versatile B complex vitamins, vitamin B6 is known for a variety of functions throughout the body, including assisting the immune system. This nutrient helps carry out chemical reactions and regulate immune responses to various diseases and infections (6). In fact, vitamin B6 deficiency may have a negative impact on the body’s ability to combat invading organisms, so it is extremely important to ensure that you consume enough of it and other immune-boosting nutrients either via your diet or a multivitamin.

Resources

1. “The Immune System.” John Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system.
2. “How Does the Immune System Work?” Informed Health, 23 April 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279364/.
3. “How to Boost Your Immune System.” Harvard Health Publishing, 15 February 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.
4. Carr, Anitra C. and Silvia Maggini. “Vitamin C and Immune Function.” National Library of Medicine, 3 November 2017, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29099763/.
5. Prasad, A.S. “Zinc in Human Health: Effect of Zinc on Immune Cells.” BioMed Central, 3 April 2008, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2277319/.
6. Qian, Bingjun et al. “Effects of Vitamin B6 Deficiency on the Composition and Functional Potential of T Cell Populations.” Journal of Immunology Research, 6 March 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5358464/.