8 Essential Winter Supplements to Support Your Health

The winter months are rife with big indoor holiday gatherings, chilly and dry weather, reduced sun exposure, and often increased stress and less sleep.

With this combination of factors, many people notoriously get sick during winter—so much so that it’s often called “cold and flu season” instead.

Although nothing can beat a perfectly balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and antioxidant-rich foods, it can sometimes be hard to meet your nutritional goals when you’re constantly going to holiday parties or surrounded by sweet treats all day. This can lead to your immune system not functioning as well as it should.

Fortunately, some supplements can help to make up for any dietary deficiencies you may be having this winter—and even if you are nailing your nutrition, these winter supplements can still bolster your immune system to keep you healthy all winter long.

Supplements to Support Your Health in the Winter

1. Vitamin C

Everyone relates “vitamin C” with immunity—and for good reason, as it’s been proven that vitamin C supports immune cell health, including stimulating white blood cells like leukocytes and T cells. 

A large meta-analysis found that supplementing with vitamin C (200mg or more per day) is effective in reducing the severity or duration of the common cold. However, it’s not always conclusive that vitamin C helps to prevent illness.

One area in which vitamin C helps to prevent illness is in people with high physical stress, like marathon runners and athletes. The same meta-analysis concluded that they have a 52% reduced risk of developing a cold when regularly taking a vitamin C supplement.

Check out this in-depth article for our favorite vitamin C supplements. 

2. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is necessary for healthy innate and adaptive immune responses. While innate immunity provides a non-specific first line of defense against foreign pathogens, the adaptive immune system contains a memory of previous threats to target invaders specifically. 

One of the ways that vitamin D supports immune function is by boosting the production of antimicrobial peptides and other defensive immune cells. Vitamin D also strengthens the barrier function of epithelial cells, helping provide a physical line of defense against pathogens. 

Most people get far less sunlight in the winter months, so vitamin D levels can become depleted without supplementation. Although the recommended intake for vitamin D supplements is just 600 IU, many experts recommend taking more—likely around 2,000 IU, or more if deficient. 

Nordic Naturals has vitamin D3-K2 gummies with 1,000 IUs per serving. Vitamin D3 helps your body absorb calcium better, while K2 directs the calcium to go where it’s needed (the bones). If you want a higher dose, try Sports Research D3-K2 for 5,000 IUs per serving. If you’re unsure which dose to take, get blood tests to check your vitamin D levels and speak with your doctor.

3. Probiotics

The gut and the immune system are tightly linked, as an unhealthy gut microbiome negatively impacts immune function, causing a reduced ability to mount proper immune responses against pathogens and illness.

A more diverse microbiome with greater quantities of beneficial bacteria can help immune health by lowering inflammation, strengthening the gut lining to physically prevent pathogens from entering the bloodstream, and increasing immune cells like T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells.

Although you can get probiotics from your food (and should!), some days are better than others when it comes to eating yogurt and sauerkraut. Therefore, probiotic supplements can help bridge the gap and ensure your gut bugs are happy and healthy. One of our favorite probiotic supplements is Ancient Nutrition SBO Probiotic, which uses soil-based organism probiotics that may survive better in the gut.

4. Functional Mushrooms

Several members of the functional mushroom family are thought to benefit immune health—especially chaga, reishi, and turkey tail. 

Research has found that chaga promotes the activity of white blood cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells, which help the body fight infections and pathogens.

Turkey tail mushrooms also boost the activity of beneficial immune cells that fight infection, including natural killer cells, helper T cells, and neutrophils. 

Similarly, the polysaccharide compounds found in reishi stimulate macrophages, T cells, and B cells.Try the Solaray Fermented Mushroom Complete for a blend of several functional mushrooms, including organic chaga, reishi, cordyceps, shiitake, turkey tail, and lion’s mane.

5. Quercetin

Quercetin is an antioxidant compound best known for its role in preventing or fighting seasonal allergies. Although allergies typically flare in the spring and summer, quercetin still shows promise as a supplement for supporting immune health all year round.

It is known to calm inflammatory responses, and research shows that quercetin exhibits anti-viral activity. 

In a study of older adults who were physically fit and healthy, quercetin supplementation (1,000mg/day for 12 weeks) reduced the severity and total time spent sick from upper respiratory tract infections (like the common cold). However, quercetin did not prevent illness from developing. 

A good choice is NOW Quercetin with Bromelain, which adds bromelain (a digestive enzyme derived from pineapple) to boost bioavailability. 

6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Many people are surprised to know the large role that omega-3 fats—primarily particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA—play in immune health.

Found primarily in oily fish like salmon and anchovies, omega-3s are anti-inflammatory compounds that regulate immune cell activation. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids have modulatory effects on neutrophils, macrophages, T cells, and B cells.

Omega-3 fats are also crucial components of cell membranes—which include immune cells—thereby enhancing their function and integrity. 

While taking omega-3 supplements after you have already gotten sick probably won’t do too much, taking them while you’re still healthy can help to bolster your immune system functioning to prevent illness later on.One of the top-rated omega-3 supplements (by doctors and customers alike) is Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega.

7. Zinc

Another well-known nutrient for immune health, zinc is one of the winter supplements that should definitely be on your list. We need zinc for the development and healthy functioning of neutrophils, natural killer cells, T lymphocytes, and macrophages.

Zinc also helps with the production of antioxidant enzymes and strengthens the integrity of our mucus membranes, which we need in our noses, airways, digestive tracts, and more to physically repel or chemically degrade pathogens. 

A large meta-analysis concluded that zinc supplements may reduce the duration of ongoing colds, but they don’t work to prevent them. 

Thorne Zinc Picolinate is a good option, as it uses a better-absorbed form of zinc. 

8. Magnesium

Lastly, an important supplement in the wintertime is magnesium, which can help to support mood and prevent seasonal depression (seasonal affective disorder).

Magnesium is a mineral needed for healthy brain function, which also applies to mental health. 

One reason why magnesium supplements may help support a healthy mood during the cold, dark winter months is that magnesium facilitates the production of serotonin, our “happy hormone.” It can also help our bodies to manage stress responses better. There are many different types of supplemental magnesium. Magnesium threonate may be the version that is most associated with brain health and mood, like this one from Life Extension.

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