With sickness lurking around every corner, it’s no wonder that everyone’s looking for the best ways to fend off the flu.
But when the first line of defense to fight off colds is to take an antibiotic when you catch one, it’s not leaving much room for prevention.
Rather than dosing up on immune boosters when you’re already sick, take the steps necessary to prevent getting there in the first place.
And we’ll be the first to tell you that there are some pretty powerful natural immune-boosters out there that can protect your actual first line of defense.
We’re talking about one of the most well-known immune system supporters around and whether it lives up to its claim to fame. Let’s talk vitamin C and immune health.
Vitamin C 101
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, belongs to the class of water-soluble vitamins that must be ingested daily to maintain sufficient levels. Its role in the immune system is a classic, but it also plays an important role in other aspects of good health, including:
- Collagen synthesis (healthy skin, hair, nails, and connective tissues)
- Wound repair
- Bone formation
- Strengthens blood vessels
- Neutralizes free radicals and protects against DNA damage
As an electron donor, and thus a reducing agent, the majority of the physiological and biochemical actions of vitamin C are attributed to this, which makes it a powerful antioxidant 1.
But unlike other molecules that become unstable and highly reactive when they lose electrons, vitamin C is relatively stable, making it a great free radical scavenger—one of its most notable jobs.
But it’s also important to note that vitamin C isn’t stored in the body, which means it needs to be replenished daily to maintain proper levels. And when sickness strikes, those demands increase further due to increased inflammation and metabolic demands 2.
Keep in mind that while the body can synthesize some other vitamins, it cannot synthesize vitamin C; humans lack the enzyme called gulonolactone oxidase that is required for producing ascorbic acid from its immediate precursor 1. That means it can only come from one of two sources: food or supplements.
The Link Between Vitamin C And Immune Health
The role of vitamin C in immune health is nothing new. We can guess that your parents always told you to drink your orange juice to avoid getting sick, right? Well, as it turns out, they were partially correct.
However, the sugar in OJ negates many of the immune-boosting benefits. But in any capacity, vitamin C is a powerful immune booster in several respects.
It’s A Powerful Antioxidant
Like we mentioned before, the capacity of vitamin C to act as a reducing agent by donating electrons makes it one of the most effective antioxidants.
Antioxidants are a key part of any diet because they protect against oxidative stress-induced cellular damage by reactive oxygen species (free radicals) 3; they scavenge, neutralize, and prevent harm.
Free radicals are generated as normal metabolic byproducts, but they’re also generated from things like intense exercise, environmental toxins, smoking, and industrial chemicals.
When the body becomes overloaded with free radicals that cannot be gradually neutralized and destroyed, their accumulation generates what’s called oxidative stress.
High levels of oxidative stress play a major role in developing chronic and degenerative diseases like cancer, autoimmune conditions, premature aging, cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases 4.
Supports Mucosal Barriers
Mucosal barriers are your body’s first line of defense against external insults of which include invading pathogens.
The epidermal layer that protects the body is composed primarily of keratinocytes, while the dermal layer is made of fibroblasts that secrete collagen—one of the most abundant proteins in the human body 2.
The highest levels of vitamin C are found in the epidermis; it is actively accumulated into both epidermal and dermal cells, which suggests that it plays a major role in structure and function within the skin.
To break that down further, here’s what vitamin C does for mucosal barriers 2:
- Enhances collagen production and stabilization
- Protects against free radical-induced damage
- Supports keratinocyte differentiation and lipid synthesis
- Enhances fibroblast proliferation and movement
- Speeds up wound healing
And with all of those powerful properties, it’s also heavily involved in all phases of the wound healing process.
In the inflammatory phase, it’s an essential part of neutrophil apoptosis and clearance; and during the proliferative phase, vitamin C contributes to the synthesis, maturation, secretion, and degradation of collagen 5.
Vitamin C deficiency can affect the maturation phase by altering collagen production and scar formation, which means keeping levels up is important!
Enhances Production Of Lymphocytes
When it comes to vitamin C and lymphocytes, the role is a bit less clear, but studies suggest it plays a role in supporting differentiation and proliferation of B and T-cells because of its role in regulating genes.
Research finds that vitamin C accumulates in lymphocytes and promotes T-cell proliferation, which results in enhanced antibody generation 6.
Antibodies are produced by the adaptive (acquired) immune system in response to invading pathogens to protect the body against subsequent attacks.
Vitamin C Deficiency
Despite how widely available it is in food sources, vitamin C is the fourth most common nutrient deficiency in the United States 7. Insufficient intake of vitamin C impairs immune function and increases susceptibility to illness and infections.
But like we also said, when the body becomes ill or infected, there is an increased demand for vitamin C to support higher inflammation levels and metabolic requirements.
Studies also show that supplementation with vitamin C may prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections 2.
You’re likely not going to notice a vitamin C deficiency right away, but when cold and flu season comes around, your susceptibility to getting sick should give you some indication.
Top 2 Ways To Boost Your Vitamin C Levels
So, now that you know how vitamin C is involved in supporting proper immune function, how do you make sure you’re getting enough?
1. Increase Your Fruit And Vegetable Consumption
Because vitamin C can only come from diet or supplements, increasing your intake of vitamin C-rich foods is the quickest and tastiest way to boost your levels. Some of the foods highest in vitamin C include 1:
- Fruit: Cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, mango, orange, papaya, strawberries, tangerines
- Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, plantains, snow peas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
2. Supplement
While supplementing with pure vitamin C is an easy and effective way to increase levels and support immune function, why not take it a step further with PL-Immune™?
This isn’t your average immune booster. PL-Immune™ is the most dynamic immune support supplement available that supports short and long-range immune defenses by activating and enhancing five different types of immune cells to:
- Fortify first-line immune defenses and long-range immune responses
- Increase the number and activity of immune cells
- Replenish antioxidants for immune system offense and defense
- Maintain work productivity and performance via overall immune wellness
- Fight immune challenges and fatigue associated with exercise and high-stress activities
Performance Lab® PL-Immune™ is one supplement designed to cover every aspect of your immune system and address any immune concerns.
PL-Immune™ restores weakened defenses first, then activates immune cells helping them to coordinate, multiply, and perform.
Whatever the immune challenge, PL-Immune™ supplies broad-range support to support your immune system and help it fight, adapt, and evolve to best defend you.
Final Thoughts
The immune system is hands down one of the most important systems in your body, and as long as you keep it protected, it will protect you.
Giving it the nutrients it needs to function optimally will keep you protected from every immune challenge your body faces.
And when you add in PL-Immune™, you’re dosing up on vitamin C, along with five other powerful immune-stimulators, to keep you protected from every angle.
References
- SJ Padayatty, A Katz, Y Wang, et al. Vitamin C as an antioxidant: evaluation of its role in disease prevention. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003;22(1):18-35.
- AC Carr, S Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9(11):1211.
- MG Traber, JF Vitamins C and E: beneficial effects from a mechanistic perspective. Free Radic Biol Med. 2011;51(5):1000-1013.
- LA Pham-Huy, H He, C Pham-Huy. Free radicals, antioxidants in disease and health.Int J Biomed Sci. 2008;4(2):89-96.
- J Vitamin C: a wound healing perspective.Br J Community Nurs. 2013;Suppl:S6-S11.
- M Tanaka, N Muto, E Gohda, I Yamamoto. Enhancement by ascorbic acid 2-glucoside or repeated additions of ascorbate of mitogen-induced IgM and IgG productions by human peripheral blood lymphocytes.Jpn J Pharmacol. 1994;66(4):451-456.
- RL Schleicher, MD Carroll, ES Ford, DA Lacher. Serum vitamin C and the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in the United States: 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(5):1252-1263.
