Multivitamins & Immunity: Beat Colds & Flu – Yes News Network

Don’t want to have your life disrupted by the flu/cold? Does it often happen that one person wins the bid and the whole family wins? Many people know that good health depends on good immunity, but they don’t know how to strengthen the immune system or maintain healthy immunity. Some people think that just supplementing with more vitamin C is enough, but in fact only one nutrient is not enough, because all vitamins and minerals are necessary to maintain various functions of the human body. A recent large-scale study published in this year’s (2025) Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition pointed out that regular multivitamin supplementation for several months can significantly reduce the prevalence of colds and flu by 43% compared with the control group, and can be reduced by up to 59% for people over 45 years old! ¹

Reduce the risk of catching a cold and supplement with multivitamins for comprehensive protection

If you want to help prevent upper respiratory tract infections, new research shows that taking a daily multivitamin can make a difference. This large-scale Asian study analyzed electronic questionnaires filled out by 3,415 adults over 18 years old, and reviewed the subjects’ multivitamin supplementation status and infection experience in the past three months. The results of the study found that in terms of the prevalence of colds and flu, subjects who regularly supplemented multivitamins,Compared to the control group,MVMacute upper respiratory tract infection (caused by the common cold and flu) is less prevalent and can be reduced by 42.8%and the symptoms are mild, and can reach 59.3% in people over 45 years old.

If you really have a cold, you should take a multivitamin supplement to relieve the symptoms.

The study analysis also pointed out that among those who regularly supplemented the habit of taking multivitamins, the probability of experiencing symptoms such as nasal congestion, sore throat, headache, fatigue, diarrhea, and sneezing when they accidentally caught a cold was significantly lower, and the symptoms were usually mild. These subjects are less likely to need intravenous drip treatment, miss work or take leave due to serious illness, and are less likely to suffer from other infections at the same time. The researchers further found that compared with subjects who did not regularly supplement multivitamins, the immune function scores of people who regularly supplemented multivitamins were significantly higher than those who did not supplement, indicating that they had better immunity. This result infers that continuous supplementation of multivitamins may help promote healthy functions, enhance resistance, and have a positive help in preventing and alleviating the symptoms of colds and flu.

A balanced and adequate supply of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can jointly strengthen the three lines of defense of the immune system.

Why are multivitamins good for your health? This is because vitamins and minerals are needed for immune health, but modern people often have an unbalanced diet. Therefore, comprehensive supplementation of essential nutrients through multivitamins can help strengthen the body’s immune system and is indispensable for maintaining various physiological functions of the body. The human immune system has three lines of defense. The production of various immune cells and systems from the skin, mucous membranes, white blood cells to antibodies, etc., all rely on the coordinated operation of various nutrients including vitamins and minerals. Therefore, taking in balanced and sufficient nutrients every day is the key to maintaining normal immune function.⁴

The skin and mucous membranes are the body’s first barrier against external pathogens. Maintaining the integrity of these barriers is very important for immune protection. If you can maintain healthy skin and mucous membranes, you can prevent the invasion of foreign germs. Many vitamins and minerals can help maintain the health of skin and mucous membranes, such as vitamins A, B1, B2, nicotinic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, etc. Vitamin A helps maintain the integrity of epithelial cells, vitamin C helps maintain the tightness of cell arrangement, promotes collagen synthesis and aids in wound healing, and zinc helps in the synthesis of protein in skin tissue. Zinc is involved in protein synthesis and cell division, and is indispensable for skin repair and immune cell activation.

Nutrients such as calcium help regulate cell permeability. In the process of eliminating germs, free radicals can easily cause tissue damage and inflammation. Vitamin E helps maintain the integrity of cell membranes, improves the health of skin and blood cells, and reduces the production of free radicals. Iodine helps regulate the oxidation of cells. Selenium participates in the function of antioxidant enzymes and helps reduce inflammation. In addition, calcium plays a regulatory role in cell signaling and contributes to the normal function of immune cells.

In addition, immune function requires continuous balanced and adequate nutritional support. For example, vitamin B complex can maintain normal metabolism of various energies and support the activity of immune cells; magnesium and chromium help maintain normal metabolism of sugars, and biotin (vitamin B6) is indispensable in amino acid metabolism and antibody production. A balanced intake of these nutrients can not only maintain the normal operation of the immune system, but also help promote metabolism, regulate physiological functions, enhance physical strength, and maintain overall health.

Worried about nutrition or not eating enough? 4Choose the right multivitamin to help you stay healthy

Balanced and adequate nutrition comes from diet. The National Health Administration recommends eating more of six major food categories to absorb the nutrients your body needs. However, the “Report on Survey Results on Changes in National Nutrition and Health Status 2017-2020”²It shows that Chinese people lead busy lives and have difficulty maintaining a balanced eating habit, which leads to insufficient intake of various nutrients. Coupled with the developed culture of eating out, dietary patterns deviate from dietary guideline recommendations, which is one of the main reasons for insufficient nutrient intake.

Among them, insufficient intake of vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, calcium, etc. is the most obvious. In addition, 80% of people’s intake of fruits and vegetables does not meet the standard, which shows that there is still a significant gap between the dietary patterns of the Chinese people and the healthy eating guidelines.

It is recommended that you refer to the Taiwan version of the “My Plate” formula designed by the National Health Service of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2018.³“A cup of milk every morning and evening, a fist-sized fruit at each meal, more vegetables than fruits, as much rice as vegetables, a palm of beans, fish, eggs and meat, and a teaspoon of nuts and seeds.” Ordering an extra plate of boiled vegetables during meals, eating an extra portion of fruit after meals, or eating more seafood, milk, nuts and other foods will help to supplement rich and diverse vitamins and minerals, and also obtain balanced nutrition.

If you are still worried that your daily nutritional intake is not up to standard, you can also supplement with a multi-nutrient formula of multi-vitamins. Regular supplementation can effectively strengthen the loopholes in the immune defense line. When choosing a multivitamin, you can evaluate it from four key points: ingredients, manufacturing, quality, and safety.

First of all, in terms of nutritional content, it is recommended to include various nutrients that are often lacking, such as vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, calcium, etc., and further strengthen nutrients that help strengthen the body, such as vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, zinc, etc. In terms of manufacturing, you can choose comprehensive vitamins developed and produced by reputable major brands. A good reputation will give you more confidence. In terms of quality, choose comprehensive vitamins that are backed by research and recommended by professionals. The products are effective and trustworthy. In terms of safety, choose comprehensive vitamins that have passed multiple tests for heavy metals, microorganisms, plasticizers, etc., so long-term supplementation is safe and secure.

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