What is your immune system and can you boost it?

Stress can affect the immune system in several ways. Chronic stress can suppress the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to infections and diseases. Stress can also cause inflammation in the body, which can impair the immune response and make it less effective. On the other hand, acute stress, such as the kind that occurs in response to a sudden threat, may actually help the ability of the immune system to fight off infections.

Many vitamins, supplements and health foods claim to “boost” or “strengthen” your immune system, but this isn’t really possible. However, the opposite is true – neglecting your diet and living an unhealthy lifestyle can have a negative impact on your immune system.

The best way to take care of your immune system is to get all the routine vaccinations offered to you on the NHS. You’ll have received most of your routine vaccinations as a child, but there are some you’ll be offered as an adult too, including the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu jab. To find out which vaccinations you might be eligible for as an adult, check out this page.

To function properly, our bodies need a range of macronutrients and micronutrients, which are found across various food groups. In general, healthy eating incorporates lots of starchy carbohydrates and different fruits and vegetables, as well as smaller amounts of protein and low-fat dairy.

If you aren’t sure where to start with a healthy diet, check out the NHS Eatwell Guide and our healthy eating guide for more top tips. They contain lots of detailed information about what to aim for each day including calorie recommendations. The basic rule is to get plenty of variety across all the major food groups – in other words, only eating green vegetables doesn’t equate to a healthy diet.

Maintaining a diet like this should mean that you get all the nutrients you need, which in turn will support your immune system.

Sometimes it can be difficult to keep up the kind of diet described above – especially if you’re vegan or have food allergies. While it’s best to get nutrients through your food, you can try taking supplements if you think there’s anything major lacking in your diet.

All the vitamins and minerals set out by the NHS here are vital for good general health, but there are a few which are particularly important for your immune system, including vitamin D. The NHS recommends that everyone in the UK take vitamin D supplements of 10 micrograms (mcg) between October and the beginning of March.

Other important nutrients for your immune system include:

Where possible, it’s best to try and get these nutrients in your diet, but if you struggle to do this you should speak to your GP about taking daily supplements. The recommended dosages for each of these vitamins can be found at this page.

The NHS recommends that Brits take vitamin D supplements in the autumn, winter and early spring. This is because most of our “natural” vitamin D intake comes from sun exposure. During the coldest, darkest months, sunlight in the UK isn’t strong enough to generate adequate vitamin D.

In the spring and summer, however, we should be able to get enough vitamin D by spending some time outdoors each day. Of course, it’s important to do this in a safe way that doesn’t risk sunburn and skin cancer.

If you’d like to learn more about safely getting vitamin D from sun exposure, read vitamin D for different skin types and ages.

A “healthy” lifestyle will look different to everyone, but there are some basic rules you should try to follow if you want to maintain your immune system and good general health:

Lastly, try to practise good hygiene as this will stop you getting sick in the first place!

In conclusion, the immune system is a crucial component of the human body that protects us from infection and disease. Although you can't boost your immune system you can support it with a healthy diet, proper sleep, and regular exercise.

If you need more help on how to support your immunity, read our health and wellbeing advice, including tips for dealing with stress and help with healthy eating.