The immune system is strengthened by a varied diet, not superfoods and dietary supplements, says the doctor

Immunity is helped not by superfoods and dietary supplements, but by a varied diet that covers the basic needs of the body, noted Alexander Umnov, senior lecturer at the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, State University of Education. In a conversation with Lenta.ru, he noted that lemon, ginger and immunity supplements without a confirmed deficiency do not give the promised effect.

According to him, vegetables and fruits are really useful - sources of carotenoids and vitamin C, fatty fish with omega-3 and vitamin D, fermented milk products with probiotics that support the intestinal microflora, where a significant part of the immune cells is located. Also important are nuts and seeds with vitamin E, selenium and zinc, legumes and whole grains as a source of fiber, and protein is needed for the synthesis of antibodies.

“Marketing is often built on the myth of superfoods. Many people believe that lemon or ginger alone are powerful defense boosters, when in fact they simply make a small contribution as part of a varied diet. The same is with dietary supplements for immunity - without a confirmed deficiency, taking them usually does not provide a bonus, and sometimes creates an imbalance,” the doctor explained.

Umnov emphasized that dietary supplements are not medicines, have not undergone the necessary studies, and the substance content in them is unclear. A doctor will never prescribe supplements from an obscure store or those sold at the checkout counter in supermarkets.

“Don’t look for a miracle product for immunity in supermarkets and bloggers’ videos. Build your diet so that it regularly contains different groups of healthy foods, normalize sleep, take care of your nerves - then the immune system will work stably,” he concluded.