5 Vitamins to Boost Your Immune System in Winter

Between stomach bugs and the common cold, it seems there’s always ‘something going around’ - especially during the colder seasons.

When your immune system is well-supported, your body is better equipped for fighting off infections and viruses. While there are plenty of over-the-counter medicines to treat common winter illnesses, boosting your immune system naturally with vitamins can help prevent you from getting ill in the first place.

We’ve listed five of the best winter vitamins that could help boost your immune system naturally.

Which illnesses are more common in winter?

Supporting your immune system with vitamins is beneficial all year round. However, you may notice illnesses like the common cold, sore throats, the flu, covid-19, and norovirus (stomach bug) are more common during winter.

Alongside these viruses, people with pre-existing joint or skin conditions may find they experience more flare ups during colder months as well

Why do we get more sick in the winter?​

As the cold weather starts to set in, and we breathe colder air as a result of the icy temperatures, it can begin to weaken our immune system.

In fact, research suggests a drop in the temperature of nasal tissue as little as 5°C, can significantly impact our immune system’s ability to ward off illness – reducing it by almost half.

In order to prevent excessive heat loss, blood vessels in the nose start to constrict when they feel a chill. In turn, this can make it difficult for virus-fighting blood cells (white blood cells) to reach the mucus membrane, making it easier for viruses to be breathed into our system.

Additionally, the shorter days of winter can lead to a decrease in natural vitamin D levels, which can also weaken your immune system. Plus, we often stay indoors and remain in close proximity for longer during cold weather, providing fertile ground for viruses to spread from person to person.

What vitamins can I take to boost my immune system when pregnant?

While some vitamins are safe to take during pregnancy, such as the NHS recommendation of folic acid for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, there are also a few that are best avoided.

For example, you should stay clear of vitamin A when pregnant, especially in concentrated methods such as vitamin supplements. Vitamin E, cod liver oil, and liver meat are best kept out of your immune boosting diet as well.

As such, it’s always best to speak to your care provider first about what immune boosting vitamins are safe to consume, both via supplements and naturally through your diet.

What vitamins should I take to fend off common winter illnesses?

Including vitamins into a healthy and balanced diet is a great way to boost your immune system naturally. But with many foods and drinks promising to keep you healthy, it can be difficult to know which ones are best.

To give your body the best chance of fighting off viruses, illness, and flare ups, see five of the best vitamins for your immune system, and the foods you can find them in, below:  

1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A plays a pivotal role in the function and production of white blood cells, making it an excellent vitamin to take during the colder months.

The body uses these virus-fighting white blood cells to capture any bacteria that enters the bloodstream through the nose or mouth, flushing it out before we fall ill. A lack of this immune boosting vitamin can not only increase your chances of getting sick, but you may also find it reduces your recovery time when you do feel ill.

You can take vitamin A supplements, but you can also find it naturally in foods such as:

*mg = milligrams

2. Vitamin B6

Looking after our immune system during the winter is essential to staving off illnesses, but it’s also just as important to look after our minds – that’s where vitamin B6 comes in.

Commonly referred to as S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or the winter blues, colder, darker, dreary months can lead to spells of low mood, anxiety, and fatigue for some. However, vitamin B6 can help block nerve cells and slow down brain activity, which in turn has a calming and soothing effect on the body.

You can find this winter vitamin in foods like:

*mg = milligrams

You can also take a vitamin B complex supplement to get all eight B vitamins in one go.

3. Vitamin B12

Another B vitamin to add to your winter vitamin list is vitamin B12. Alongside being a great supplement for the immune system, B12 can help boost low energy levels as well.

As the winter months typically bring less sunlight and more darkness, our bodies start to naturally produce the sleep hormone melatonin in response, leaving us feeling sleepy. Vitamin B12 helps us stay energised by turning carbohydrates into glucose, which then produces energy for the body.

You can find vitamin B12 in:

*mg = milligrams

While you may have seen vitamin B12 injections popularised on the internet, these are typically used for aesthetic reasons and aren’t proven to boost your immune system. Instead, it’s best to get your B12 through a healthy, balanced diet.

4. Vitamin C

As one of the best vitamins for the immune system, vitamin C helps protect cells to keep them strong. However, it’s also useful to help soothe skin condition flare ups. 

Certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis, may flare up in winter, as the colder weather strips the skin of its natural moisture. Some studies have found that vitamin C can help the skin retain water more effectively, meaning it could help protect your skin during those colder months.  

There are plenty of foods that contain this essential winter vitamin, but some of the best ones include:

*mg = milligrams

5. Vitamin D

Not only can vitamin D help you fight off viruses, but it’s also beneficial for bone health and great for protecting against joint pain flare ups in winter.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is one of the essential nutrients needed to maintain the strength of your bones. As such, low levels of vitamin D can lead to joint pain, but supplementing it into your diet may help boost those levels to help alleviate the symptoms.

You can find this winter vitamin in plenty of foods:

*mcg = micrograms

While vitamin D and all the vitamins above have immune boosting properties, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to consult your GP about the preferred way to supplement them into your diet. 

How can Benenden Health help with winter-related illnesses?

Feeling full of a cold, dealing with aching joints, or experiencing skin condition flare ups can be stressful.

At Benenden Health we believe that private healthcare should be accessible to all. With access to a 24/7 GP Helpline from day one, you can have all day access to booking over the phone GP consultations, as well as video call consultations between the hours of 8am and 10pm – ensuring you can get the help you need, when you need it.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for more ways to stay healthy through your diet and boost your immune system, head over to our Be Healthy hub.