Immune Supplement suggestions?

[learning]

Hi, I would appreciate if anyone could give me ideas for immune boosting supplementing suggestions. I have seen some things in health magazines.

Does anyone here use some?

What would be good for seniors?
Those in middle age?
Those in early twenties?
Those in early adolescent?
Those for children under twelve?

Thanks.

[D. Medvedev Fan]

That is just stuff to strengthen the immune system?

[learning]

Yes, and I have seen new adds for this, and also hear of some diseases that may be affected by a poor immune system, so wish to look into this more. For example, I was at a health food store and saw different pill bottles (in the vitamin area) that advertised they were for this. It is new to me ( and perhaps a fad, I don't know) but I thought I should look into it.

[D. Medvedev Fan]

I don't know much about various immune supplements, but this is what I do know has worked. My family mostly uses multivitamins, calcium with magnesium (you'd be surprised how many things involve this) and zinc, and individual things as needed/applicable.

Both my parents and my brother and I (now early 20s) since our teenage years have used echinacia, which helps boost one's immune system but is not to be is to be used continually past a certain period of time (e.g. 8 weeks on the bottle I have). Echinacia has typically helped a bit when getting sick.

Vitamin C, Zinc, and vitamin E are also good for that. My dad got those zinc lozenges, like vitamin C ones or cough ones that found near them. I haven't heard any complaints. I recently got a zinc suppliment with vitamin C in it as well and it was helpful when getting over an infection.

[learning]

Thanks. I myself use a multi-vitamine with mineral supplements, and I add folic acid, vit B 6 and B 12 and some other things too, like echinea when a sore throat starts up, etc. I'll list a few of these new 'immune booster' things and see if any one knows anything about them.

Ginseng
Glutathione
Green tea (have in tea bags)
Mushrooms, such as shitake, enokidake, maitake and oyster mushroom
Oregano oil
Oregon grape
Probiotics
Selenium
Tea tree oil
(they also mention Vit A, B, C and Zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids and Garlic which are well known, like Vit A in carrots or other orange veg's., and echinea)

some others that are new are sterols and sterolins, astragalus(a Chinese medicine)

[Mr. Tinkles]

I suppose I will be shot down in flames for suggesting that eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables would be the best thing to do?

Show me the real, double blind evidence any of these supplements work for people who are not ill.

[learning]

Of course eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg's is the best. But sometimes, supplements help when people are ill, or fighting off diseases that hit them. I know that some things have been proven, but because supplements are considered like food, there is not enough of these 'double blind' tests that do prove that these things work. In Germany, for instance, there are some supplements that are given almost like drugs, and they have done some tests on them. But for myself, I know that nutritionists say some of these things help, esp. the vit B 6 and B 12 etc. Whether it is because of the pollution or the way food is raised, or preserved, whatever, we just don't seem to have the high nutritional value we used to have.

I have only proof, personally, of something that works. When I used to get a sore throat, it would last for a week. When I take echinea (and I don't take for more than two weeks at a time) it stops the sore throat within a day or two, three at the most. I usually take the echinea capsule that has 1,000 mg.