Abstract

Crucial Role of Nutraceuticals in the Immune System

Author(s): Nirav R.Soni

The world is fighting against the pandemic. We have taken precautionary measures like hand washing, wear a masks, social distancing, sanitizing, Wear a visor; Considering the current pandemic of COVID-19 where no effective preventive and curative medicine is available, a healthy immune system is one of the most important weapons .There are several vitamins and trace elements which are essential for the normal functioning of the immune system. Furthermore, supplementation of these have shown positive impact on enhancing immunity in viral infections But what about our immunity, we have come up with a nutraceuticals in this topic. Among trace elements, selenium and zinc have also shown favorable immune-modulatory effects in viral respiratory infections. Supplementation of Vitamin A, D and Zn and selenium, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and prebiotics & probiotics, beta 1,3/1,6 glucan and Echinacea, they boost the immunity of human body system may be beneficial for both prevention and treatment of viral infections while exact mechanisms behind some of their benefits are unclear, research continues to uncover beneficial relationships between these and the immune system. With innovative ingredients such as these, formulators have an arsenal of immune-boosting ingredients to use in product development. Here is a look at some reported immune-enhancers. Nutraceuticals are present in most of the food ingredients with varying concentration. Concentration, time and duration of supply of nutraceuticals influence human health. Manipulating the foods, the concentration of active ingredients can be increased. Diet rich in nutraceuticals along with regular exercise, stress reduction and maintenance of healthy body weight will maximize health and reduce disease risk. Nutraceuticals, including dietary supplements and functional foods, are a $152 billion world market. The percentage of those aged 65 years and older using nutraceutical products is higher than for any other age group and has doubled in recent years. Aging is associated with decreased immunity, increased morbidity and mortality resulting from infectious agents, and poor nutritional status. Deficiencies in vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, zinc, and selenium. Thus, if nutraceutical products can improve micronutrient status, the regular use of nutraceuticals by the elderly population may provide an opportunity to enhance immunity in this at-risk population. Results from human clinical trials evaluating the use of nutraceuticals to support immune restoration in the elderly, however, have been largely inconsistent. Additional clinical trials using consistent outcome measures are needed, which will require a cooperative commitment from the nutraceutical industry and academia. Human body immune system gets weakened through various reasons. The first is that immune response does not tend to be as effective during the colder months of fall and winter compared to warmer months. Secondly, chronic stress can cause almost all measures of immune system function to drop across the board. The third reason is that poor diet can compromise immune response. There are plenty of disorders especially skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis very common in Indian population. Dermatologists use mainly corticosteroids for treatment of these disorders which drug is responsible for reducing immunity level and above mentioned key protected cells. Certain other disorders and conditions like cancer, AIDS and alcoholism also precipitates immune deficiency states. So in a way certain health conditions and treatment both are responsible for getting immunity down