Could Vitamin Therapy Help My Immune System?

To be clear, no one ever made the claim that vitamins and supplements would cure me of sarcoidosis. However, they might boost my immune system, and that might help me to better manage the symptoms.

From my own research and conversations with physicians, I learned that we should be able to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. However, foods often aren’t as nutrient-rich as they should be. Vitamin therapy can assist when the body isn’t absorbing nutrients well from food.

Under the direction of my doctor, I agreed to try a vitamin and supplement protocol. The list included: vitamins A, C, B6, B12, and E, Coenzyme Q10, and zinc.

At the same time, we introduced probiotics to help repair my gut and aid in absorption.

I started experiencing severe stomach upset and nausea rather quickly. This side effect occurred even though I took the supplements with food as instructed, and not on an empty stomach.

Luckily, my physician knew that zinc is often the culprit with these types of symptoms. We eliminated zinc as a supplement, and the nausea and stomach challenges subsided. Moving forward, I needed to focus on getting enough zinc through foods, and not rely on supplements.

Initially, I felt that I was spending a good amount of money on these vitamins and supplements, but not seeing any results. Unfortunately, this only increased my stress level. However, the brand of vitamins and supplements sold at my doctor’s office is relatively inexpensive compared to other brands. In addition, the brand has good reviews, so overall they are a good value for the money.

Although an overnight change was an unrealistic expectation on my part, I was still frustrated with the lack of progress. However, this protocol became part of my care plan, along with an anti-inflammatory diet and other therapies such as acupuncture and an infrared sauna, and I did start to feel a positive effect on my overall health and well-being.

Vitamin therapy certainly isn’t a quick fix for the immune system, but I do feel that it has helped boost mine, preventing me from getting as many colds and viruses as I once did. I continue to take vitamins and supplements, as directed by my doctor. It’s just one more option to help manage sarcoidosis.

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Note: Sarcoidosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Sarcoidosis News or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to sarcoidosis.