Recommended supplements to boost immune system

I’ve been thinking about other things that we can be doing to boost my son’s immune system.

Currently, my son is on a high quality liquid multivitamin, Genestra  liquid B vitamin, a liquid calcium magnesium supplement, Vitamin D drops, probiotics and flax seed oil.

These are some recommended supplements and dosages  to help boost the immune system (from McCarthy and Kartzinel’s Healing and Preventing Autism book – page 70):

• zinc – 20 mg (my son currently gets 6 mg supplemented)
• selenium – 50 mcg to 100 mcg (not currently supplemented)
• chromium – 50-100 mcg (not currently supplemented)
• vitamin A (my son currently gets 315 mg, which is the estimated average requirement [EAR], according to the vitamin bottle)
• vitamin C – 500-1,000 mg (he’s currently gets 75 mg supplemented)
• vitamin E – 100-400 IU (my son currently gets 9 mg, which is the equivalent to about 13.4 IU; for his age, the recommended dietary allowance is 7 mg or 10.4 IU)
• vitamin B6 (my son currently gets 50 mg)
• fatty acids (i.e., cod liver oil, DHA, flax oil) – 1/2 tsp (my son currently gets 1 tsp)
• probiotics – 2 times/day (my son currently gets 1/4 tsp/day)
• colostrum (not currently supplemented)

Out of this list, my son is not currently supplemented with selenium, chromium or colostrum.

Dietary sources of selenium include: tuna, beef, cod, turkey, chicken, egg, oatmeal, rice, etc. Based on the list, my son is probably getting enough selenium from the typical things that he eats.

Dietary sources of chromium include: broccoli (this is a great source – 1/2 cup of broccoli provides 11 mcg), grape juice, potatoes, garlic, etc. Thankfully my son loves broccoli, but he doesn’t eat it everyday. Based on the list, I’m not sure if my son is getting enough chromium, so this is something to think about. I know that I supplement with chromium from time to time, especially when I am craving chocolate. I find the chromium helps to reduce my cravings.

Colostrum is acquired from cow’s milk. It appears to be toxic to many viruses and fungi and promotes repair of intestinal cells. More information about colostrum is here. My own hesitation with colostrum is that it contains lactose and I’m worried about my son’s sensitivites to lactose (although McCarthy and Kartinzel mention that generally children with lactose sensitivities still seem to tolerate the colostrum).

This helps me to put my mind at ease that my son is probably getting the vitamins and minerals that he needs (he’s probably getting at least the daily recommended values, but isn’t necessarily getting the dosages recommended by McCarthy and Kartzinel). It helps that over the last 6 months, we’ve been able to slowly introduce new foods (thanks to Heilkunst homeopathy), so his diet is becoming more varied.

One new supplement that my son will be taking soon is cactus juice, which is supposed to be great for the immune system. It was recommended by a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. I’ll let you know how it goes.

If you have any other thoughts on supplements and what is helping your child, let me know.