I’ll never forget the words from my immunologist. It was the same speculation I heard a week earlier from my oncologist, right after a relieving conversation where she shared that I didn’t have cancer. If I’m being open, this was the third time I’d heard about my overachieving immune system, as the words echoed what my rheumatologist had suspected, as well. 

Now, before you think this is about some rare disease or a catchy headline, I’m sharing my story because it’s an important lesson for you and how you can protect your health. In the face of coronavirus concerns and immune system hype, I’ve watched helplessly as supplement manufacturers have blatantly lied about the realities of “boosting” your immunity.

For more than 20 years, I’ve suffered from inexplicably high fevers without any answers. My fevers would last for more than 60 days and run upwards of 104 degrees, forcing me into delirium, causing me to lose upwards of 30 pounds, and leaving me a shell of a human. 

Of all the things I expected to find out —  cancer, infectious disease, the plague (that’s what I called my mysterious illness) — a “boosted immune system” was the last thing on my mind. But, this became my reality once I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.

If you want to really understand what you can do to work with the natural functions of your body, it’s important to know that a “boosted” immune system is not what you think and not what you want. Instead, it’s time to rethink sickness and disease — and follow these science-backed recommendations to help you stay as healthy as possible.

How Your Immune System Really Works

It didn’t take the outbreak of coronavirus to make you worry about your immune system. The multivitamin industry is a multi-billion dollar business. From Vitamin C gummies to antioxidant drinks and zinc lozenges, there’s no shortage of options that promise to protect your immune response.

The only problem is, like most supplements, there’s a lot more smoke (read: marketing) than substance. 

With a few exceptions, most vitamins and minerals won’t do anything for your immune system unless you are severely malnourished and deficient. And, we’re not talking about missing your daily fruits and vegetables. We’re talking about you living in a perpetual state of sickness.

The idea that you can pop a pill, drink a fizzy potion, chug kombucha, super-charge with billions and billions of probiotics, mainline IV cocktails, or do anything else to “boost” your immune system is…well…how can I put this clearly…

It’s bullshit.  

This is not doom and gloom or a haters anthem. Just the opposite. There are a few impactful things you can do (without spending money) to protect your immune system. But, there just happen to be many (many) more potentially useless options that don’t. 

A quick disclaimer: if you take multivitamins, Greens drinks, or other supplements for a variety of other reasons — or just to fill the gaps in your diet — there’s no need to stop if it works for you. This is just about what you can really do to help support your immune system.

Here are 8 truths that will change the way you think of your body, save you money, and  — most importantly — make it easier to course-correct and take care of yourself both before and after you get sick. 

Immune System 101

Your immune system might be the most impressive design of the human body. You have two different components that protect you from disease — the innate and the adaptive. 

Your body has a first line of defense, like your skin and mucous membranes. Once a disease passes through, that’s when your innate immune response kicks in. These the proteins and cells that fight against any disease or infection by increasing inflammation (yes, inflammation can be a good thing — more on this later) to create a protective barrier aimed at preventing the spread of any infection that has penetrated your body.

The easiest way to think about this is imagining the behind-the-scenes magic your body works after you get a cut anywhere on your body and you need to heal with simultaneously preventing the creation or spread infection.

On the other hand, the adaptive immune response is what you probably think about as your immune system. This how your body responds when you get sick and your body quickly works to recognize the disease, create antibodies or immune cells, and defeat the infection, bacteria, or virus. 

This function (and limitations) of your adaptive immune system is both what makes coronavirus so dangerous — and what makes your immune system so fascinating. 

If your body has no way of recognizing a disease (this is what makes a virus novel), then you’re going to get sick. But, assuming your body can overcome the disease and create immune cells to overcome the infection, your newfound immunity (the cells) stays in your body forever.

It’s why many doctors believe that it might be impossible for you to suffer from the exact infection twice. Once it’s learned, you’re protected. That’s also why you shouldn’t worry about being inside weakening your immunity. It’s not how your body works. 

It’s the same mechanism that allows vaccines to be effective. The disabled version of the bug is introduced into your body, you “learn it” and creates the methods to defeat it, and then you can use this newfound defensive mechanism to keep you safe. 

Therein lies the most important part of your adaptive immune system. You have to adapt to the disease, and to do so you must come in contact with it.

But, you can’t improve your immune system’s database without fighting infections first.

An Immune “Boost” Is Not Good For You

Your immune system can’t be easily manipulated. Anyone that tells you they can “boost” one part of your immune system is lying. Not to mention, doing so could be a massive mistake. 

Think about the story of my autoimmune disease. As my doctor’s made painfully clear, I have a “boosted” immune system. When I get sick, my body responds by triggering high fevers. This is a natural reaction.

Despite what you might think, a fever is a good thing. It’s your body’s way of fighting disease by heating up your internal system, making the illness uncomfortable and vulnerable so you can kill it off.

But, my reaction is broken. It’s a supercharged response that means my body heats up even hotter — and there’s no off-switch. So, I stay hot — long after the original bug has been killed, and my entire body suffers as a result. This, in a nutshell, is what happens with all autoimmune conditions (but not all result in symptoms like fevers).

Now, apply that same concept to your own body. When you think about boosting your immune system, you probably imagine being healthier, feeling stronger, and recovering faster.

But, when your immune system is actually boosted and working — much like my fevers — the “effectiveness” would result in you being miserable. 

Think about when you’re sick. The aches and fevers and even the snot (yeah, I just wrote snot) are not the symptoms of sickness; they are all a byproduct of your innate immune system at work.

The same goes for allergies. The itchy eyes and burning throat are your immune system reacting, learning, and fighting.

So, if you truly boost your immune system, you would intensify those uncomfortable symptoms. 

Safe to say, unless your body is in fight-mode, you don’t want an overactive (AKA “boosted”) immune system because that’s what causes autoimmune disorders, a disease to which there is no cure.

Instead, you want a healthy, functioning immune system that knows when to fight infection when it’s needed, can relax when it’s not, and is able to maintain a strong barrier against disease. To make this your reality, stop looking for boosts and start focusing on the things take make it harder for your body to function normally.

Stress Is The Original Immune System Killer

If you really want to help your immune system, start by looking at your stress levels. Whether you feel it or not, stress disarms your immune system and prevents it from working at its normal levels. 

As far back as the 1980s, breakthroughs in the stress-immune system relationship occurred in research that focused on students and how their immune systems were suppressed leading up to exams. The research found that your T-cells (the fighters that protect you against everything from viruses to life-threatening diseases like cancer) decrease in the face of stress. 

There was also fascinating research at Carnegie Mellon, which found that people who had less stress in their lives were better able to fight off the common cold when exposed to the virus. Similar responses immunosuppression was mimicked in other stressful situations, including studies that show people in difficult relationships heal slower if they suffer cuts or other wounds. 

So what’s happening? A great immune system is one that isn’t being dragged down by life (as opposed to “boosted” by pills). Better health starts with seeing big-picture immune sabotage, and (thankfully) they are all easy concepts to understand

Your immune system has an army of cells that keep you happy (T and B cells are your main immune fighting cells). And those cells produce an immune response that produces cytokines (friendly protein cells that help your body) and antibodies that destroy foreign pathogens. 

Unfortunately, stressors shut down your natural immune response, which means your fighter cells can’t function as they normally do to keep you healthy. 

If you need to destress, 10-15 minutes of meditation is a great place to start. If you’re new to it, try. an app like Stop, Breathe & Think, Calm, or Headspace.

Not feeling your inner zen? Here are two additional options with science on their side.

Stress-relief option 1: Take 2 deep breaths when you feel your heart racing, or before you answer a call or have a meeting. According to the Program on Integrative Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, the deep breath will make you sound more confident and reset your heart rate to reduce stress.

Stress-relief option 2: Grab coffee with your friends. Researchers at the University of Bristol in England discovered that when stressed-out men consumed caffeine by themselves, they remained nervous and jittery. But, when they caffeine-loaded as part of a group, their feelings of stress subsided.

Count The Hours You Sleep — Or Else

Sleep deprivation is the other part of the 1-2 combo that can knock out your immune system. If stress stresses out your immune system, then sleep deprivation exhausts your body into making mistakes that leave you vulnerable. 

A lack of sleep can prevent your immune cells from making their way to your lymph nodes (where they help you fight disease) or confuse your body and make it harder for them to create the right antibodies to fight back against infection.

How bad can it be? One study showed that regularly sleeping only 6 hours per night makes you four times more likely to catch a cold compared to sleeping 7 hours per night. And the risk gets even worse if you sleep fewer than 5 hours per night.

If you need help improving your sleep, here are a few simple guidelines that can make it easier to fall (and stay) asleep.

• Go to bed around the same time every night
• Time your sleep in 1.5-hour increments. This is a full cycle, so it will help ensure you don’t wake up in REM sleep, which could leave you groggy and tired.
• Sleep in a colder room than your preferred “room temperature.” Some research suggests between 60-70 degrees.
• If possible, exercise earlier in the day.
• Don’t consume alcohol before you sleep. (Yes, we realize this might be tough sometimes.)
• Limit screen time about 1-hour before you sleep.
• Clear your mind. Either watch a comedy, do a puzzle, or journal right before you sleep. This will trigger a part of your brain that will help “calm” your thoughts so it’s easier for you to fall asleep.

Movement Might Be The Best Medicine

If you go back in time just 10 years ago, many people believed that exercise actually weakens your immune system. Turns out, nothing could be farther from the truth. 

Whether you lift weights, run, cycle, or walk — any type of exercise, especially when combined with more sleep and less stress — is a key part of keeping your immune system functioning well.

Exercise works in many ways to make sure your immune defensive systems can act quickly and effectively, and it can even help offset stress or sleep difficulties. (This all assumes that you’re allowing for proper recovery.)

Recent research found that regular exercise:

• Helps the overall health of your immune system
• Decreases your risk of illness
• Helps mediate the correct inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses
• Delays the onset of age-related immune decline

Even better, a review of studies found that movement truly is medicine. From the study conclusion:

Contemporary evidence from epidemiological studies shows that leading a physically active lifestyle reduces the incidence of communicable (e.g., bacterial and viral infections) and non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer), implying that immune competency is enhanced by regular exercise bouts.

When you exercise, your body recognizes stress. Even though it’s good stress, it’s still a strain on your body, so you produce neutrophils and lymphocytes (the T-cell and natural killer cells we mentioned earlier), which flow throughout your body to keep you strong, fight off invaders, and help create antibodies when necessary.

In other words, exercise helps spark more activity in these cells for about 3-4 hours, which means your body is both more likely to find and disable potentially harmful germs and diseases.

As an added bonus, the cells perform “immune surveillance” and patrol your body searching for infection.  

It’s likely the reason why people who exercise regularly (at least 5 times per week) miss nearly 50% fewer days from sickness than those who don’t. 

What’s more, exercise has been shown to help decrease stress and improve sleep. In other words, exercise might be the first domino to keeping you healthy because it’s insurance for the other two vulnerabilities (stress and sleep) that weaken your normal immune system function.

Here are bodyweight workouts that can help you get in your movement in any situation or location.

Protein Protects (Much More Than Muscle)

We’ve mentioned how protein plays a role to help keep your body safe. You might think of protein as the key ingredient in muscle building (it is), but — when you look at the bigger picture — protein plays a vital role in every cell in your body. This includes your immune system and helping create the cells that help fight disease.

Proteins are a key component of the very antibodies developed by your immune systems designed to keep you safe. Eating protein ensures that your body has enough of the raw materials needed to allow your immune system to respond to bacteria and viruses in your body.

Proteins (cytokines, in particular) also help ensure that your immune system doesn’t go overboard and start working too hard. It’s all part of a system designed to give your body what it needs and prevent it from targeting your healthy cells. 

High-quality complete protein options include:

• Dairy products, such as milk, cheese/cottage cheese, and yogurt
• Whey protein
• Eggs
• Seafood and fish
• Beef
• Chicken
• Bison
• Pork
• Pea Protein
• Soybeans
• Blended meals (beans and rice)
• Vegan protein powders with multiple protein sources

If You Supplement, Focus on Vitamin D

While no one supplement can even come close to providing the benefits of good sleep, less stress, and consistent exercise, there is one vitamin that appears to be more important than others. 

More research is still needed, but a lot of emerging data — especially since the COVID-19 pandemic — has suggested that Vitamin D deficiency is closely linked to immune system vulnerabilities. 

One study found that taking higher levels of vitamin D (in older individuals) led to a 40 percent decrease in respiratory infections over the course of a year. 

This makes sense because Vitamin D is thought to play a vital role in both your innate and adaptive immune response (although scientists are still studying to learn how it all works). And Vitamin D plays an essential part in producing antimicrobial proteins that fight back against sickness, especially in the respiratory tract. 

Plus, unlike many vitamins and minerals which can be produced by your body naturally or are rarely deficient, Vitamin D deficiency might impact more than 1 billion people worldwide. 

To support your body naturally, try to get about 15-20 minutes of sun per day. If that’s not happening, look towards natural food sources such as:

• Fatty fish rich in Omega-3’s, such as salmon or mackerel (or you can use cod liver oil)
• Whole eggs
• Mushrooms
• Milk fortified with Vitamin D

Otherwise, you can use supplements that offer at least 2000-3000 IU of Vitamin D3. (Just be sure to ideally look for products or brands that are NSF Certified for Sport.)

You Booze, You Lose (That’s Your Immune System Speaking)

You won’t hear us telling you to completely avoid alcohol (life happens, and that includes rough days and celebrations). But, if you’re consistently drinking in essence, then your immune system is the one that’s suffering.

If you look at the research (there’s a lot of it), too much alcohol — and binge drinking moments — prevent the normal functioning of your immune system, and it leaves you more susceptible to everything from upper respiratory infections to slower recovery from cuts and muscle injuries.

And, to add insult to injury, it might also alter your gut microbiome in a way that weakens your immune system. 

If you find yourself drinking every day — or drinking too much when you go out, take the old 1-2-3 method to establish more control.

• Step 1: Carve out non-drinking days. This is a commitment and a way to create guardrails and build habits. (If you know you drink every Friday night, don’t start by removing that day. Make it easy to succeed and build from there.)
• Step 2: Remove alcohol from your home. Just like a dieter who struggles with dessert, increasing the difficulty of accessibility makes it easier to drink less.
• Step 3: Track your drinks, so you can hold yourself accountable and be honest about how much you’re drinking and how much you need to cut back.

If you love technology, you can try out the Less Drinks app and see if that helps.

The Bottom Line: How to Protect Your Immune System

Remember, no matter how well your immune system functions, if you come in contact with a novel pathogen or virus, you still might get sick. In situations like battling COVID-19, your best line of defense is being smart about your social contact, avoiding touching your face, and washing your hands frequently. 

And, while you can’t prevent yourself from getting sick or boost certain aspects of your immune system, you can be sure to do the little things that won’t weaken your immune system or leave you unnecessarily vulnerable. 

If you need help creating a plan designed for your lifestyle, check out our online coaching program. Simply fill out an application, and you’ll be assigned 2 coaches who will assess your exact needs, create habits that are easy to master, and build a customized plan that will upgrade your fitness and nutrition.

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.

The post Why Boosting Your Immune System Makes You Feel Sicker appeared first on Born Fitness.

One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)

But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”

No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.

The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.

That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.

The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.

But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.  

In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:

1. Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
2. What do I hope to achieve with it?

“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.

Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here. 

Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.

At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.

If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.

For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.

When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.

Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?

Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.

Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.

If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.

That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.

You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.  

The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.

Multivitamins and Muscle Mass

There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.

One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.

The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.

Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function

Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.

These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.

The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.   

Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?

The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.

Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).

It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.

While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.

Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.

The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.

Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?

A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.

For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.

The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need. 

Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal

Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.

You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.

These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:

U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.

NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.

Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)  

Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.  

Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?

While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.

Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.

Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.

Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.

Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.

Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.

To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…

If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.

From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.

For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.

Of course, you should also consult with your physician.

Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.

Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.

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The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.

The thing is, when I started running my own business I planned for many things. I did not plan for how spending more than 150 days per year traveling might create a universe of perpetual illness. In reality, my problems are no different than yours. The same pathogens and pitfalls that made me sick make you sick. The only change is that my travel schedule might make me a little more susceptible to reoccurring illness. Or, that’s what I thought.

You know that sometimes getting sick is inevitable. What you may not know—or at least what I never realized—is that you can set up your day in a way that protects your body and reduces the likelihood of the flu, upset stomach, or any seasonal sickness from taking you down.

Did you know: glutathione, a powerful antioxidant in whey, helps protect your body from illness.

Want to be healthier more often? Here are some suggestions that you can make a part of your day without much inconvenience to support your immune system. Your goal: apply three or more of these tips, and you’ll avoid the majority of errors I made.

Tip #1: The Hydration Fix

Airplanes are notorious as a sickness hotbed and a major threat to your immune sytem. You probably assume that it’s because you’re in an enclosed space. While that’s true, most people are also enclosed at their jobs. The difference? Airplanes lack humidity. Some studies suggest that humidity can be as low as 10 to 20 percent on a flight, in order to help maintain air cabin pressure.

While that might not seem important, the low levels of moisture can leave you dehydrated, which leaves you an increased risk of catching a respiratory virus.

Your defense is drink, drink, and drink more water. If you know you might have trouble drinking as much while flying, start hydrating early. Have at least 30 ounces of liquid (preferably water or add something with flavor like Emergen-C^®, keeping in mind the recommended serving), and aim for 60-80 ounces of water the entire day of travel. And when the beverage cart comes around, try to make sure to get something to keep you hydrated during the flight. (More on this in a moment.)

Tip #2: Seep Your Thirst

If the hydration aspect wasn’t clear, it’s not just how much you drink, but also what you drink. Water is great, but tea is a valuable beverage that protects your immune system. Specifically, black tea has been found to release interferon, which helps your body fight off disease.

Tip #3: Breakfast For Immune System Support

Many people know me for my thoughts on intermittent fasting (which can be an effective diet routine). While breakfast is not necessary for weight loss, it’s not unnecessary either. And when I’m on the road and trying to stay healthy, eating an earlier breakfast is a part of my immune defense protocol. Much of my beliefs come from personal experience: when I eat breakfast, I seem to handle life on the road better. But I wanted to know why.

Research from the University of Wales offers some correlational support from the “eat early-stay healthy” hypothesis. The scientists found that people who skipped breakfast were more likely to have an infection at some point during the 10-week study. The main question is why, and research from the Netherlands presents an interesting theory. Those scientists found that a big breakfast (more than 1,000 calories) increased the production of anti-viral agents by more than 400 percent.

It’s too soon to say that big breakfast = no sickness, but if you struggle with your health, it might be worth the try.

Tip #4: The Protein Cure

Motion sickness is a real problem when traveling, and some are stomach problems, in general. And while your issues could be with your equilibrium, usually it’s nausea that sends you down a dangerous path to sickness.

Your best bet for prevention might be what you least suspect: protein. For years, researchers have examined the relationship between protein and pregnant mothers as a way to reduce nausea and stomach pains. But it might apply to anyone not carrying a child, as well.

Penn State researchers have found that eating a protein heavy meal—compared to carbs or fasting—helped reduce nausea up to 26 percent. And additional research has found that protein also reduced stomach discomfort associated with motion or seasickness and travel-related stomach discomfort and bloating. The key is not going overboard. Try using 20 to 30 grams of protein (usually just 1 scoop of protein powder or a few eggs) to see if it does the trick.

Tip #5: When In Doubt, Go For More Protein (Powder)

Very few supplements are worth the hype, but protein powders might be one of the few that won’t let you down. As you just learned, protein can help prevent stomach discomfort and nausea, and whey protein specifically can boost your immune system by fighting against inflammation.

Specifically, glutathione, a powerful antioxidant in whey, helps protect your body from illness. Whey can also trigger an increase in healthy bacteria (bifidobacteria) in your gut, which has antimicrobial benefits and heightens your immune response by producing higher levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and cytokines—all which protect your body and fight infections.

Tip #6: Invest in Nutritional Insurance

I’ve discussed it before, there’s no way to “cure” a cold, but there are things you can do to stay healthy, such as making sure you take B vitamins (specifically biotin, which helps with white blood cell activity), vitamin C, and vitamin D (which might be the best vitamin for fighting off upper respiratory infections, according to Canadian researchers.

In an ideal world, you’ll eat fruits and vegetables with every meal and you’re covered. But when traveling—or following a general work schedule—every day won’t be perfect and your diet might be less than desirable. Your approach? A multi-vitamin supplement or greens powder or juice that supplies the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients that help protect your body.

My approach is either drinking my typical morning smoothie or—especially when traveling—I simply take a couple of Emergen-C Chewables (I like the Immune+ Orange Blast), which has me covered for all the basics and removes the need for shaker bottles and mixing a powder.

Tip #7: Challenge Your Brain

Like most things on this list, sometimes the best thing for your body is the least obvious. So take this to heart: a little stress is good for your body.

You see, your body possesses many immune system proteins that help protect you from illness. Recent research has dug deeper into understanding these proteins, their roles, and what triggers them to do their job. One such protein, SIgA, receives a boost when doing challenges that are mentally stimulating.

The secret sauce: don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you create prolonged stress, instead of receiving an immune boost, you can overwhelm the system and cause shutdown.

Small work projects, crossword puzzles, or trying to solve a few problems each day can be enough to provide a daily boost to keep you healthy.

*These statements has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.

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I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by EMERGEN‐Zzzz. I received compensation for this post. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about EMERGEN‐Zzzz as a product or its effectiveness.

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.

The post The Every-Person’s Guide To Immune System Support appeared first on Born Fitness.