The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged many people to seek ways to optimize their immune response through "superfoods" or supplements. However, scientists caution that there is no single "wonder pill" that can super-power the immune system. Since the immune system is a highly interconnected system that involves all tissues, from skin to toes, the goal should be supporting its optimal function rather than trying to "boost" it.
The Central Role of the Gut
The human gut contains one of the body's largest resident populations of immune cells. Most of the immune cells are found in the lining of the intestine, where the microbes in the gut play a crucial role in keeping them healthy. These microbes provide key chemical signals to the immune cells as they digest the foods we eat, meaning a healthy gut microbiome is absolutely crucial to a healthy immune system.
The immune system is unique in that its components can migrate around the body, a property known as immunological surveillance. This is when immune cells coordinate to quickly react to an external threat, such as a disease. Swollen lymph nodes when you are sick, for example, are a sign of this surveillance at work.
Why You Can't "Boost" Your Immunity
The common message to "boost" the immune system is misleading. When the body meets an infectious threat, the immune response must react quickly to contain and eradicate it, but it should not stay on. If the response remains active, it causes damage—this is precisely what happens in allergies and autoimmune diseases. Because the immune system is so interconnected, the risks of getting the balance wrong with a single pill are dramatic.
Instead of aiming for a magical boost, scientists recommend focusing on supporting the system through established healthy habits:
Exercise: Regular physical activity has been shown to boost immune function.
Sleep and Stress: Getting enough sleep and reducing stress can help the immune system operate at an optimal level.
Avoid "Convenience" Diets: Diets low in fiber and high in fatty convenience foods, coupled with sedentary lifestyles and high stress, prevent the immune response from working as it should.
Fueling the Gut Microbiome
To support your immunity through diet, you need to be actively feeding your gut microbes and making them more diverse.
Variety is Key: Aim to eat 30 different types of plant a week, which ensures you get all the fiber your gut needs.
Polyphenols as Fuel: Consume plants high in polyphenols, which are natural chemicals that act as "rocket fuel" for gut microbes. Foods high in polyphenols include brightly colored berries, dark chocolate, coffee beans, and even red wine.
Fecal Transplants: A Promising but Risky Frontier
The research connecting the gut and immune system has led to the development of fecal microbial transplants (FMTs), where a stool sample from a healthy person is used to treat someone who is unwell. This process, colloquially known as a "poo transplant," has been successfully used for decades to cure severe bowel infections like Clostridium difficile in 90% of cases.
While this is an exciting area of research now being used for other conditions, experts strongly caution that it is not to be tried at home. FMTs should be supervised within a medical clinic, where the risk of infection or side effects is low.
Ultimately, while there is no magic pill, scientific knowledge is leading to new drug treatments and therapies—such as vaccination (which stimulates immunity without full-blown infection) and treatments that try to switch the immune response off in autoimmune diseases. The more scientists learn, the more possibilities emerge to treat diseases and win the war against infection.
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