The One Supplement I Always Take For My Immune System In The Winter

You want to give your immune system a little love and support this winter and spring, but where do you start? It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the options. I mean, vitamin C, elderberry, zinc, and probiotics are just a few of the many science-backed ways to boost your immune system. Where do you even begin?

Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years to support so many aspects of health, including a healthy immune response. They are chock-full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components that we need to stay healthy. In fact, according to Heather Moday, M.D., integrative immunologist and founder of the Moday Center for Functional and Integrative Medicine, "Some of the most powerful1 immune-boosting, antiviral, and anti-cancer substances are found in mushrooms."

Science suspects that the main active ingredients in mushrooms are the alpha-glucans and beta-glucans, which can affect the immune system in a number of positive ways. For example, the mushrooms in the Myco-Immune supplement I mention below have been shown to increase NK-cell activity, phagocytosis, and B- and T-lymphocytes—all measures of immune activity. Certain mushrooms have also been tested in the context of oncology1, and although we're away from it now, in the future it's possible that they'll be used to modulate the immune system as part of treatment.

The thing I love most about mushrooms is that there are so many ways to incorporate them into your routine—and very few of them involve a supplement capsule. You can find them in powders and liquid form that you can add to your oatmeal, smoothies, coffee, or golden milk. If you're freaked out by mushrooms and don't like the way they taste, don't worry; it's easy to find a product that is practically tasteless.

Dr. Moday recommends looking for reishi, shiitake, and, her personal favorite, maitake mushrooms (which have been shown to increase our immune cells' ability to engulf bacteria). Chaga is also a great choice: "It's used as an antiviral against the flu2 and has been shown to boost and rebalance the immune system3," says Will Cole, D.C., FNCP, functional medicine practitioner and mbg Collective member.