Consumer awareness of the importance of immune health to overall health is driving the immune health market at 7 percent per annum. Consumers are using nutraceuticals not only to support immune health in times of stress but to also keep their immune systems healthy all year long. Research is continually revealing newer and better nutraceuticals for efficiently helping the immune system. Savvy consumers are eager and willing to try out well-formulated products. The immune health market is growing fast. Datamonitor estimates the immune health market at $15billion.¹

Here’s a list of 25 nutraceuticals for supporting immune health. While the list is not exhaustive, these particular ingredients are backed by considerable scientific evidence.

1. Dietary Fiber consists of plant materials that cannot be digested by enzymes in the digestive system. However, tiny microflora (bacteria) that live in the gut can digest dietary fiber and during the process produce important nutrients for the body. Research suggests that the consumption of certain soluble fibers actually works to enhance immunity.²
2. Prebioitics are dietary ingredients that cannot be digested. They help promote the growth of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in the stomach. Vegetables like chicory roots, banana, tomato, and alliums are rich in fructooligosaccharides, plant-based sugars that exhibit prebiotic qualities. Some other examples of these oligosaccharides are raffinose and stachyose, found in beans and peas. Prebiotics help support the intestinal immune system. Beta glucan is another prebiotic with great potential for promoting beneficial bacteria in the gut.^3-4
3. Selenium helps to maintain proper immune function. Selenium plays an important role in antioxidant activity in the body which helps to support proper immune system function.⁵
4. Capsaicin not only works as a weight loss ingredient, but it also has immune-modulating effects on cells.⁶
5. Curcumin, or Cucuma longa, is the orangey-yellow component of turmeric. Curcuma longa has a long history of therapeutic use in the Ayurvedic and Chinese systems of medicine. Curcumin has been found to have antioxidant and several other immune system benefiting properties.⁷
6. Echinacea is a species native to North American and was used as a traditional herbal remedy by the Great Plains Indian tribes. It may be even more powerful when combined with Vitamin C.⁸
7. Astragalus, a Chinese herb, may help keep the immune system working optimally. Complex polysaccharides in Astragalus affect the immune system.⁹
8. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) used as a dietary supplement is seen to help modulate immune function. CLA affects aspects of both innate and adaptive immune responses.¹⁰
9. Zinc is a trace element essential for supporting immune health. Daily consumption of zinc is important because the body does not have a specialized system to store zinc.¹¹
10. Vitamin C is one of the most common and well-known immune supporting nutrients. Vitamin C is also an important physiological antioxidant that limits the damaging effects of free radicals through its antioxidant activity.¹²
11. Vitamin D, in adequate amounts, is needed to keep the body’s immune system running at high performance. Vitamin D also promotes calcium absorption.¹³
12. Green Tea supports immune function by helping reduce oxidative stress. Green Tea’s beneficial effects are attributed to its high amounts of polyphenols which are important antioxidants.¹⁴
13. Proanthocyanidins found in berries offer considerable support for immune health because of their role in the gut mucosal immune system. According to experts, almost 50 percent of the body’s immunity begins in the gut.¹⁵
14. Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation has been associated with decreased levels of body cells related to immune response. ¹⁶
15. Garlic contains active components that not only support cardiovascular health but also help empower the immune system. ¹⁷
16. Arginine supplementation has been noted to help stimulate immune reactivity in healthy human beings.¹⁸
17. Ginseng may help to boost the immune system. Several clinical studies have shown that Ginseng does boost the performance of cells playing a role in immunity.¹⁹
18. Resveratrol studies indicate that resveratrol modulates several human immune cell functions and suggest that this activity may be related to its effects on key immune system activity.20
19. Astaxanthin, a bioactive natural carotenoid, may support a healthy immune response, particularly in healthy young women. Its antioxidant potency is said to be 500 times more powerful than that of Vitamin E.²¹
20. Elderberry has a long history of use to support healthy immune system function. Its beneficial effects have been attributed to its flavonoid content.²²
21. Whey Protein Isolate contains glycomacropeptides and immunoglobulin that play a newly recognized role in supporting the immune system.²³
22. Ningxia wolf berry (Lycium chinensis), an ancient Chinese herb, is primarily used to support kidney and liver functions, but it also offers great benefits for enhancing innate immunity.²⁴
23. Cacao is where we get our cocoa from. Its rich antioxidant constituents not only help to support heart health, but it may also possess immune-modulating effects.²⁵
24. John’s Wort is a natural immune supporting agent because it contains functional ingredients that positively impact the body’s immune response and defense systems.²⁶
25. Fucoidan derived from seaweed has been an important dietary component for many island and coastal nations such as Japan, Polynesia and Tonga for centuries. It helps to support the immune system.²⁷

It’s not just a matter of putting different ingredients to create an immune health support supplement. You need to know how each ingredient works in the body and whether there are contraindications within the ingredients, and which ones would work synergistically for optimal results.  Failing to do so can hurt the efficacy of your product and irreparably damage the reputation of your brand. Get in touch with an expert manufacturer of dietary supplement products such as NutraScience Labs. They’ll help you bring a customized formula to market that is manufactured according to mandated cGMP guidelines and that only contains the highest quality ingredients.