Nutrition & FitnessDiet & Nutrition

The Last Word: Can You Actually ‘Boost’ Your Immune System?

We analyzed research and consulted health experts to understand if there’s anything you can or should do to boost your immune system.
The Last Word: Can You Actually ‘Boost’ Your Immune System?
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Updated on June 22, 2025
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Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.


The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that help your body fight infections, illnesses, and diseases. It works to recognize and protect against these foreign invaders that can make you sick.

When your immune system is functioning properly, it’s able to stop or fight off germs or foreign cells that can cause you harm. So, it makes sense to want to know how to keep your immune system at peak function.

But is there anything you can do to boost your immune system, or is boosting the immune system just a concept created to market wellness products such as packaged foods, drinks, and supplements?

The Claim About Boosting Your Immune System

You’ve probably seen ads for supplements claiming the ingredients will boost your immune system. And if you are currently battling or trying to avoid getting a cold, flu, or other common viruses, it can be tempting to buy into those types of claims — especially if the promise is you won’t get sick or you’ll recover from illness faster.

“The concept of boosting or strengthening the immune system is problematic because it highlights the idea that immunity is like a muscle we can strengthen and train with supplements,” says Christine Kingsley, advanced practice registered nurse and health and wellness director at the Lung Institute in Manchester, Connecticut.

Scientific Research on Healthy Immune Systems

This belief that you can strengthen the immune system is a key reason people use nutritional supplements, according to research, but some marketing claims can be misleading.

“The immune system is a highly complex, tightly regulated system, so it’s challenging for a particular supplement or food to have a significant effect in ‘boosting’ the immune system,” says Megan Meyer, PhD, a science communications consultant based in Durham, North Carolina. She also explains that an overactive immune system shouldn’t be a goal.

Your immune system is made up of several different elements, and each plays a role in defending the body against harmful invaders that can make you ill or cause damage. According to Cleveland Clinic, the main parts of the immune system include: 

  • White blood cells
  • Lymph nodes
  • Spleen
  • Tonsils and adenoids
  • Thymus
  • Bone marrow
  • Skin and mucus membranes
  • Stomach and bowels

While you want this system to function well, you don’t necessarily need to “boost” it. And there isn’t really evidence to prove that certain actions or nutrients can boost the immune system. Kingsley says she prefers to use the term nurture the immune system, which is more in line with what we currently know about how nutrition and healthy habits impact the body’s various systems, including immunity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Cleveland Clinic recommend these tips to help immune system function:

Graphic illustration titled Eat These Foods to Boost Your Immune System, including garlic, leafy greens, yogurt, oranges, dark chocolate, nuts, Everyday Health logo located bottom left
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    How to Support Immunity

    “There are a few micro and macronutrients that can support immune health,” says Dr. Meyer. Other behavioral factors (like sleep habits) support immunity, too.

    Zinc

    Zinc is a nutrient found in the body that helps the immune system and metabolism function, according to Mayo Clinic.

     You usually don't need a supplement if you get enough zinc through your diet. But, there is some older research to suggest zinc supplements can be used to potentially prevent or decrease symptoms in a variety of health issues, including the common cold and pneumonia.

     Meyer recommends taking zinc supplements or using zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold. As the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes, avoid intranasal zinc, which is associated with loss of smell.


    Vitamin D

    Vitamin D, which the body gets from food and direct sun exposure, also plays a role in immune system function. One study examined the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in U.S. veterans in reducing infection and mortality rates from COVID-19.

    Researchers found an association between vitamin D and reduced severity of infection and the spread of COVID-19. Study participants with low vitamin D levels had received a higher benefit from supplementation than those who had higher vitamin D levels before getting the supplement.

    Since there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the United States it is worth speaking with your healthcare provider about whether you should supplement your diet.

    Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Omega-3 fatty acids, also known as healthy fats, are found in certain plants and fatty fish and are essential in helping the body’s cells function properly, according to Cleveland Clinic.

     Meyer says omega-3s may also be helpful for supporting immune health, and one review suggests omega-3 supplementation may reduce the risk COVID-19 infection and decrease the duration of symptoms.

    Sleep

    Sleep, or lack of sleep, can also have an impact on immune function. Meyer says lack of sleep has been shown to decrease key immune cells and increase inflammation, leading to a higher risk for infection. Research supports this notion.

    So, if you’re not getting enough consistent quality sleep, aiming to improve sleep habits can help your body’s immune system function better.

    The Takeaway

    • Healthy habits, including certain nutrients, can help your immune system do its work.
    • Nutrients don't necessarily boost the immune system but support the body's overall health.
    • Supplements are most effective if there is a vitamin deficiency.
    • Give your body fuel to maintain immune system function by meeting nutritional requirements.
    EDITORIAL SOURCES
    Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
    Resources
    1. Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. October 21, 2022.
    2. Immune System. Cleveland Clinic. October 20, 2023.
    3. Macedo AC et al. Boosting the Immune System, From Science to Myth: Analysis The Infosphere With Google. Frontiers in Medicine. July 24, 2019.
    4. Healthy habits: enhancing immunity. Healthy Weight and Growth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 19, 2023.
    5. Yes, There is Such a Thing as Stress Sickness. Cleveland Clinic. December 1, 2023.
    6. Zinc. Mayo Clinic. March 26, 2025.
    7. Mozaffarian D et al. Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: Effects on risk factors, molecular pathways, and clinical events. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. November 2011.
    8. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. The common cold and complementary health approaches: What the science says. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. December 2020.
    9. Gibbons J et al. Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality. Scientific Reports. November 12, 2022.
    10. Aiyong C et al. Prevalence, trend, and predictor analyses of vitamin D deficiency in the US population, 2001–2018. Frontiers in Nutrition. October 3, 2022.
    11. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Cleveland Clinic. November 17, 2022.
    12. Fadiyah NN et al. Potential of Omega 3 Supplementation for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Scoping Review. International Journal of General Medicine. April 11, 2022.
    13. Gabarino S et al. Role of Sleep Deprivation in immune-related Disease Risk and Outcomes. Communications Biology. November 18, 2021.
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    Grant Chu, MD, is an assistant clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Chu is also the associate director of education at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, using technology to further medical education.

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