Place for readers | Is there a way to “boost” an immune system?

Twice a month, our journalist answers readers’ questions about health and well-being.

The immune system is made up of cells, tissue and organs, and its function is crucial: it protects the body against infections and disease. As the cold season returns (which is also that of respiratory viruses!), it is normal to wonder if there is anything to do to promote your body’s immune defenses.

But first, a little background.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists warned people about claims associated with natural health products, such as those that “boost the immune system.” The pandemic has also highlighted the lack of control surrounding these claims without scientifically credible and often vague foundations. In public health, the situation becomes problematic when these supplements replace validated medical approaches (such as vaccination) and give people a false sense of security.

Does this mean that there is nothing you can do to make your immune system more effective? While there is no miracle solution, you can’t go wrong by maintaining… healthy lifestyle habits.

“When you do good things for your body, does that do good things for the immune system? Probably, yes,” summarizes neurologist Jack Antel, professor at McGill University and associate member of the department of microbiology and immunology.

When people around him ask him the question, researcher André Veillette answers them this: “Try to have the most balanced life possible, to have the most balanced nutrition possible, to have your illnesses treated if you have them. and get vaccinated and wear masks when you need to wear them. » Ideally, we also try not to smoke and not to drink too much, adds the D^r Veillette, director of the Molecular Oncology Research Unit at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute. Exercising and sleeping well can also be beneficial.

“Is there rigorous scientific evidence that shows that being wise and eating well will prevent infections? I wouldn’t stake my scientific reputation on it either. It’s not clear, but it’s logical,” summarizes André Veillette.

A good idea, supplements?

Consumers may wonder whether they should take dietary supplements, such as vitamin C, vitamin B, or minerals such as zinc.

In its public information sheet, the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health, in the United States, advises getting all these vitamins and minerals, which are indeed important for the immune system, from their diet. “In most cases, if you are not deficient, increasing your vitamin and mineral intake through dietary supplements does not help prevent infections or help you recover from them more quickly,” she says. we read there.

“For people who have a normal pace of life, with normal nutrition, there is very little evidence that these supplements are important or necessary to protect against infections or to stimulate the system,” says André Veillette, according to whom We must nevertheless respect the decision of those who make it.

And the treatments?

In the medical world, there are ways to stimulate the immune system. When you get vaccinated, for example, the immune system recognizes the inactive or weakened element of the organism against which you want to protect yourself, and it produces antibodies. “In almost all vaccines, they add a substance called adjuvant, which makes the immune system more active and the response stronger,” explains Dr.^r Jack Antel.

Strengthening the immune system is now at the heart of new cancer treatments. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy attack cancer cells, immunotherapy mobilizes the immune system so that it can recognize and destroy cancer cells.

In addition, certain patients can receive antibodies to allow them to fight the viruses and bacteria they will encounter, adds the D^r Watch. This is the case for those who suffer from congenital immunodeficiency. Treatments can also be administered to counteract chemotherapy-induced immune system weakness, he adds. “But it’s not something we would do in healthy people, because there can be side effects,” emphasizes the researcher.

Neurologist Jack Antel points out an important thing: an overly strong immune system can also lead to negative consequences. In autoimmune diseases, for example, the immune system – dysfunctional – attacks components of the body. “I work in multiple sclerosis, and we believe that in this disease the immune system is too strong and is directed against a target in the brain,” he explains. To control the disease, doctors use medications that lower the immune response.