Balance is needed in all aspects of our lives. Work-life balance. A balanced diet. A positive bank account balance. It’s easy to hyperfocus on those aspects and forget or neglect one major component of your life: your body. The human body is complex, but one way to help your immune system stay strong is by maintaining a good balance of micronutrients. These include things like vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world and flu season just around the corner, maintaining a healthy balance of micronutrients is more important than ever before. A lack of certain micronutrients may put you at greater risk of contracting one or both of these viruses as well as other illnesses. Vitamin, mineral and antioxidant deficiencies have also been shown to contribute to chronic degenerative processes such as arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important micronutrients connected to your immune system.
Vitamins
Half of Americans may be deficient in vitamin D. This is especially true in areas where it is difficult for people to get enough sun exposure in the winter months. Vitamin D has shown to be vital to bone growth, cell growth and neuromuscular function. Lower levels of vitamin D have also been shown to increase the risk of viral respiratory tract infections.
A partner to vitamin D in terms of immunological health is vitamin A. Vitamin A works in your gut, which is where many people first lose their immune tolerance. Having an intolerant immune system can lead to a wide range of illnesses. Vitamin A works to protect your gut’s immune response by increasing antimicrobial peptides and helps fight off germs and bacteria in the body.
Minerals
Zinc is commonly thought of as the white cream lifeguards smear on their noses to protect themselves from sunburn. However, the micronutrient form of zinc is crucial to many aspects of your health. It plays a big role in immune function and its ability to fight inflammation.
Up to 75 percent of Americans may not be meeting their recommended levels of magnesium. Magnesium is a co-factor in more than 300 enzyme systems that support the immune system. Researchers believe a lack of this important mineral may cause the buildup of calcium in the muscles lining the airways of the lungs, causing them to constrict, making it more difficult to breathe.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are compounds that combine to make proteins. A deficiency of dietary protein or amino acids has long been known to impair immune function and increase our susceptibility to infectious disease.
Glutamine is one amino acid that is a vital building block of protein and the immune system. The most common cause of a glutamine deficiency is physical stress. When the body is taxed by physical stress, blood and muscle concentrations of glutamine are rapidly depleted as the body is unable to reproduce this amino acid fast enough to meet its needs.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are molecules that fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals are compounds that are linked to multiple diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer — if their levels become too high in your body.
Several environmental factors, such as exposure to pollutants, alcohol, medications, infections or poor diet, can lead to an antioxidant imbalance.
Co-enzyme Q10, or CoQ10 for short, acts as an antioxidant, which protects cells from damage and plays an important part in metabolism. Studies also show CoQ10 may help protect the lungs by reducing inflammation. That is important when dealing with any sort of respiratory issue.
Called a vitamin, vitamin E is considered a key antioxidant. It helps to keep cells from damage and is also involved in the body’s immune function. Vitamin E deficiencies often run in families.
Test Your Levels
So you see how important some of these micronutrients are to a balanced immune system — something extremely essential with the concern of COVID-19 and the rise of other diseases — infectious or not.
Are you curious about your body’s balance? Any Lab Test Now can help. Our Micronutrient Test measures your body’s ability to absorb different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other essential nutrients into your white blood cells. The results will tell you which vitamins you are deficient in and which to focus on — thereby preventing any unnecessary spending on costly supplements for the wrong vitamins.
No doctor’s prescription is needed for this blood test, and you don’t need to fast.
Be at Ease
Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work, including finding out your micronutrient levels.
We provide you a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 185+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put your mind at as much ease as possible during the coronavirus outbreak. We are here to help.
Find your closest Any Lab Test Now store at www.anylabtestnow.com.
