How to Prepare Your Immune System for Autumn – Don’t Look for a Miracle Supplement

Every autumn, we are confronted with adverts for products promising to “boost”, “kick-start” or “supercharge” our immune system. But the immune system isn’t an engine that needs restarting every September. Nor do we actually want it to work as intensively as possible. We want it to work correctly and respond appropriately.

Every autumn, we are confronted with adverts for products promising to “boost”, “kick-start” or “supercharge” our immune system. But the immune system isn’t an engine that needs restarting every September. Nor do we actually want it to work as intensively as possible. We want it to work correctly and respond appropriately.

For a healthy person, there is usually no reason to take several different immune-stimulating products as a preventive measure. The things that matter most are far more ordinary – which is perhaps exactly why we sometimes overlook them.

So, what can we actually do for our immune system?

Get enough sleep. Sleep isn’t wasted time. Chronic sleep deprivation places a real strain on the body and can affect the immune system’s ability to respond appropriately.

Exercise regularly and spend time outdoors. You don’t need to run a marathon or go to the gym every day. Regular, moderate physical activity – ideally outdoors – is enough. When it comes to the body’s overall resilience, consistency matters more than athletic performance.

Eat a varied diet. Vegetables, fruit, good-quality sources of protein, wholegrain foods and naturally fermented foods are usually a better investment than a shelf full of supplements. Supplementing vitamins and trace elements makes most sense when there is an actual deficiency.

Don’t forget vitamin D. At our latitude, vitamin D levels tend to be low, particularly during the winter months. But here, too, “more is better” does not apply. The aim isn’t to take megadoses, but to prevent deficiency.

Ventilate indoor spaces regularly. During autumn and winter, we spend more time indoors, and respiratory infections spread more easily in poorly ventilated spaces. Regularly airing rooms at home, at work and at school is a simple but surprisingly effective measure.

Take care of your mucous membranes. Overheated rooms and dry air can dry out the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory tract – yet these form one of our first lines of defence against infection.

Don’t try to push through illness. Once we do develop an infection, the body needs time to recover. Fever, fatigue or aches and pains are not obstacles that need to be overcome at all costs. Rest is part of the treatment.

Make use of vaccination where appropriate. Unlike general “immune boosting”, vaccination is a highly targeted way of preparing the immune system for a specific infection. Which vaccinations are appropriate depends on age, health status and individual risk factors.

What about beta-glucans?

Beta-glucans are natural polysaccharides found, for example, in the cell walls of yeast and certain fungi. Some can influence the innate immune response, which is why they are used in immunomodulatory supplements.

However, this does not mean that everyone should start taking beta-glucans as soon as September arrives.

They may be beneficial particularly for people who experience recurrent respiratory tract infections. For some well-defined products – for example, pleuran derived from oyster mushrooms – clinical studies have shown a reduction in the number of respiratory infections. To date, most experience has been gained in children who suffer from recurrent infections.

It is also important to understand that “beta-glucan” does not refer to one specific product. Products can differ significantly in their source, structure, purity and dosage. Evidence of an effect for one standardised preparation does not automatically mean that every product labelled “beta-glucan” will work in the same way.

“With beta-glucans, it is important to distinguish between individual products. If we have clinical data for one specific standardised preparation, we cannot automatically apply those findings to every product containing beta-glucan,” explains Dr Karin Černá.

For an otherwise healthy person who experiences one or two common viral infections during the winter, beta-glucan is certainly not an essential part of the medicine cabinet. However, it may be a useful option for people who suffer from infections more frequently.

What about bacterial lysates?

Bacterial lysates contain fragments of bacteria commonly involved in respiratory tract infections. They are not intended to treat an infection that is already under way. Their purpose is, in a sense, to “train” the mucosal and systemic immune response and reduce the risk of further infections.

In some patients with recurrent respiratory infections, bacterial lysates may help reduce the frequency of infections, particularly in children and selected at-risk groups.

However, bacterial lysates are not something everyone should take preventively. They are much more appropriate as a targeted preventive measure for people who tend to suffer from recurrent infections. Whether they are suitable should be assessed according to age, the nature of the infections and the person’s overall health.

So, what should you buy at the pharmacy?

For a healthy person without recurrent infections, the answer is often surprisingly simple: nothing special at all.

But if someone develops one infection after another every winter, it is worth finding out why. In some cases, vitamin D supplementation may be appropriate; in others, a standardised beta-glucan or bacterial lysate may be considered.

However, if infections are unusually frequent, severe or complicated, it is better to investigate the underlying cause than to try one “immune support” product after another.

“A stronger immune system does not automatically mean a better one. In allergic or autoimmune conditions, the problem is not simply that the immune system is weak. On the contrary, it may respond too strongly or in the wrong way. Our aim, therefore, is not to stimulate the immune system indiscriminately, but to support its proper regulation and an appropriate immune response,” explains Dr Karin Černá.

When does it make sense to see an immunologist?

One cold, or several common viral infections during autumn and winter, does not in itself mean that there is something wrong with your immune system.

It is worth paying closer attention if infections are unusually frequent, severe, prolonged or complicated, if pneumonia repeatedly occurs, or if treatment requires unusually intensive or repeated courses of antibiotics.

In such cases, it makes sense to investigate the underlying cause and, where necessary, tailor treatment to the specific findings.

The best way to prepare your immune system for autumn remains refreshingly simple: sleep well, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, spend time outdoors, ventilate indoor spaces and give your body time to rest when you are ill. Beta-glucans or bacterial lysates can be useful – but mainly when there is a genuine reason to use them.