Boosting the Immune System with Trace Elements

“Boosting the immune system” through nutrition seems to be the “buzz” phrase these days. From specialized dog food to a variety of nutritional supplements for humans promoted in chemists and health food shops, I seem to be bombarded with the message that me and my animals need an immune system boost.

In fact, I’m rather pleased to see this message getting the publicity it deserves. Prevention of disease is far preferable to having to treat it, and it’s our immune system that is the most important first line of defence against disease. But for this to be effective, our immune systems must be able to function strongly and efficiently. And, yes, good nutrition is vital for these functions.

But what specific nutrients are important for maintaining a well functioning immune system?

In short, it is the nutrients that are involved with producing antibody proteins and the various white blood cells that respond to the bacteria and other organisms that continually invade our bodies. If this production line is compromised by a lack of certain key nutrients, the immune response can be slow or weak, enabling a mild infection to gain a foothold that should have been easily repulsed.

Like any other assembly line, the efficiency and rate of production is dictated by its weakest assembly point. If a key component is in short supply or the energy necessary for driving the production is limited, the output is diminished.

The building blocks for proteins are the amino acids and other molecular structures that make up the finished functional unit. Our general diet provides these building blocks and the energy needed to drive the assembly process, but some specific key components can often be underprovided; especially trace minerals.

Two trace minerals in particular, zinc and copper, are important for immune system efficiency. Zinc is involved as a co-factor in over 260 enzyme systems, and many of these are involved with antibody production. Research has confirmed that adequate available zinc is a prerequisite for the body to be able to mount a robust immune response.

In cattle, supplemental zinc has been shown to boost immune competence by measuring the antibody response to different vaccinations. Compared to non-supplemented controls, the antibody response in amino-acid zinc supplemented groups is greater, and the supplemented groups experience less symptoms of infectious diseases. It is through improved immune function that zinc helps to reduce the somatic cell counts of milk.

Copper is also important for antibody production, and for the bacteria-fighting capability of white cells. Deaths from infection are substantially higher in young animals that are copper deficient, compared to those born with good liver copper reserves or that are given adequate copper supplementation.

I have reservations about the evidence that supports the immuno-stimulating properties of some of the myriad other substances promoted for this purpose, especially some high priced ones enthusiastically promoted for human use, but I am convinced about the value of trace elements.

Expenditure on animal health is always one area that is critically examined when budgets are reviewed. Where disease prevention is concerned, the value of expenditure on things such as vaccination programmes, dry cow therapy, or trace mineral supplements, is often given a second thought. But short term savings in these areas can prove costly later on when disease problems reappear and production is inhibited.

The effectiveness of antibiotic treatments and vaccinations rely on the support of a well functioning immune system. Selenium, zinc and copper, all contribute to this. It can be false economy to minimize trace mineral supplementation if the consequence is a herd with a compromised immune system.