There was probably a time in your practice – and not too long ago – when your patients were interested in immune-building nutrients for only a few months out of the year. Maybe there were some exceptions, including those with recurring or chronic conditions like seasonal allergies or bronchial asthma, but for the most part, getting through the “cold and flu season” was pretty much the only worry.

How things have changed.

Now, a strong resistance to immune threats is a primary concern year-round, and with good reason. The challenge is finding an effective option your patients can use every day. That’s where your expertise and the right combination of nutrients comes into the picture.

Four must-have ingredients you can recommend for a strong immune system are andrographis, melatonin, selenium, and zinc.

Andrographis: Ayurvedic Virus Fighter

Widely used in Ayurvedic medicine in India for thousands of years, andrographis is probably best known in the West as a botanical that boosts the immune system’s ability to fight viruses and bacteria. Its application for stopping colds, flus, and other viral infections has never been more important than it is now.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, andrographis relieved the intensity of cold symptoms including fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, and the sleeplessness that accompanies a cold, in just two days. By the fourth day, participants experienced a significant decrease in all symptoms, which also included headache, earache, phlegm production, and the frequency and intensity of coughing spells.

Another clinical study of individuals with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) showed similar results. In this case, 223 patients either received andrographis or a placebo. By the third day, there was a dramatic difference in cough, headache, sore throat, and disturbed sleep. People in the placebo group noticed no improvement —in fact, some symptoms got worse— while those in the andrographis group saw a major difference in only five days.

In addition to relieving cold and flu symptoms, andrographis can stop the growth of dangerous bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection).

Considering how over prescribed antibiotics have become in the past twenty years—and how much stronger bacterial infections have become as a result—this botanical could be a much more effective form of treatment.

Andrographis protects and strengthens the body at a microscopic level, boosting the activity of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and Nrf2—all powerful cellular defenders. Key compounds in andrographis, called andrographolides, are most associated with the herb’s effectiveness, so consider recommending a supplemental form standardized for these components.

Melatonin: For More Than Sleep

Most of your patients will probably think of melatonin as a sleep aid and not much else. While they’re right that melatonin helps set our circadian rhythms, it does much more than that.

Melatonin works with both the innate and adaptive immune systems. It protects individuals from bacteria and viruses they encounter regularly and from new illnesses as well.

Melatonin helps by unleashing carefully calibrated levels of cytokines. This response is a moderate one, so there’s no fear of creating a cytokine storm as seen in cases of Covid-19. In fact, that is why some researchers initially recommended its use in Europe to help treat the illness.

Selenium: A Virus-Resisting Mineral

Viruses take hold because they take advantage of weaknesses in the cells caused by oxidative damage. And, aside from sneaking in while the body is under stress, viruses can actually create much of the oxidative damage that allows them to replicate so easily.

Selenium, working through the mineral-specific amino acid, selenocysteine, can stop that replication cycle by helping to signal the body’s own responses to bacterial or viral invaders. In fact, research from the University of Chapel Hill in North Carolina shows deficiencies of selenium could make individuals more susceptible to viral infections, because their cells just can’t withstand the attack of the pathogens.

Additionally, being deficient in both selenium and zinc can put your patients at risk of acute and chronic respiratory conditions, including asthma. Clinical research has also found these deficiencies ramp up C-reactive protein levels, create an imbalance of lymphocytes, and lower levels of antioxidant enzyme activity (like glutathione), that ultimately reduce healthy actions in the lungs and overall respiratory function. If your patients suffer from asthma or any respiratory condition, it is imperative they have sufficient levels of selenium.

Zinc: Boosts Critical for Immune Defense

In addition to selenium, zinc is critical for a well-functioning immune system, interacting with at least 300 different enzymes and reactions in the body, including T-lymphocyte (white blood cell) activity.

Researchers who pooled the results of three clinical studies found zinc reduced the duration of cold symptoms by 42 percent compared to a placebo. But they also noted it is incredibly important for patients to get zinc on board as soon as they start feeling ill for the best results. As for forms of the mineral, zinc chelated to the amino acid glycine (zinc bisglycinate) is one of the most bioavailable. The amino acid helps shepherd the mineral through the intestinal wall, allowing it to be readily used by the body. And the better the absorption, the more likely your patients are going to get positive results.

Four Nutrients for a Strong Defense

For powerful immune protection from bacterial and viral infections, recommend patients take a combination of zinc (zinc bisglycinate chelate), selenium (as selenium yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae), andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) leaf extract, providing at least 60 mg of andrographolides, and melatonin before bedtime. It can help them fend off immune threats and speed recovery in the cases of colds, flus, and other viral and bacterial challenges.