According to the American Physician and Immunologist and Director of NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Dr. Anthony Fauci, the so-called “immune-boosting supplements” getting popular these days do “nothing.” However, he recommends two vitamins to help keep the body’s immune system healthy – vitamin C and D.
Dr. Fauci, 79, said during an Instagram live that he doesn’t mind recommending Vitamin D as he takes the supplements. If someone is deficient in Vitamin D, Dr. Fauci says that it plays a role in that person’s susceptibility to infection.
According to a study by the University of Chicago Medicine, there is a link between vitamin D deficiency and the susceptibility of being infected by COVID-19. Those with untreated Vitamin D deficiency were more likely to test positive for coronavirus. As per the chief of hospital medicine at Univ. of Chicago Medicine, David Meltzer, Vitamin D is essential to the immune system’s function. Also, vitamin D supplementation has previously been shown to reduce the risk of acquiring viral respiratory tract infections.
In addition to Vitamin D, Dr. Fauci also recommends vitamin C as a great supplement to boost one’s immunity. Vitamin C is a “good antioxidant.” Ascorbic acid, another name for vitamin C, strengthens the immune system by supporting various cellular functions, according to a study published by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) in 2017. Moreover, according to the authors of the NIH study, vitamin C also helps in treating and preventing systemic and respiratory infections.
In another interview last September 4 with actress Tiffany Haddish, Dr. Fauci said that in most clinical studies, the “so-called” immune-boosting health supplements didn’t provide health benefits except to people with some deficiency. He added that the intake of herbal supplements does nothing or might even harm you if you take too much of them.
Overall, Dr. Fauci concluded that the best way to boost one’s immunity is to get an adequate amount of sleep and be physically active, to which he referred as much better than taking a bunch of herbs that may not have medical benefits.
Dr. Fauci, who is currently a member of the White House COVID-19 task force, said in an interview in March that he would work 20 hours a day to deal with the pandemic. He was thankful to his wife, Christine Grady, who works as a nurse bioethicist, to remind him to take good care of his health. In an interview with InStyle Magazine July, Dr. Fauci also said that he makes time to power walk at least 3.5 miles per day to relieve stress and keep his health in check.
On Thursday, Dr. Fauci warned Americans that they should get themselves ready to “hunker down” until 2021 due to COVID-19 because the fall and winter will not be easy.
➡ Looking to get featured on Future Sharks?
