HEALTH DEFENDER STACK

The Health Defender Stack is a synergistic blend of phytonutrients designed to support the immune system and prevent and protect against pathogenic cellular activity.

MORINGA OLEIFERA

Moringa oleifera is a potent nutrient to enhance immune system function. Any substance that can affect the part of the immune system known as the cytokine system is known as an immunomodulator. Researchers have determined that the diversity of vitamins, proteins, and polysaccharides found in the Moringa tree act as modulation in repairing the damaged cytokine communication pathways while improving other aspects of the immune system such as increasing production and activity levels of T cells, macrophages, natural killer cells leading to the subsequent production of interferon, interleukins and tumour necrotic factor.

QUERCETIN

Quercetin, a polyphenol flavonoid derived from plants, has a wide range of biological actions including anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, and psychostimulant activities, as well as the ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation, platelet aggregation and capillary permeability, and to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis. The zinc ionophore activity of quercetin facilitates the transport of zinc across the cell membrane and it is established that zinc will slow down the replication of virus genetic material through inhibition of enzyme RNA polymerase. Quercetin is a safe dietary supplement.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient for humans, and has multiple functions related to its ability to be an electron donor. Vitamin C benefits immune system function by supporting multiple cellular functions involving both the innate and adaptive immune system. These benefits are: supporting epithelial barrier function against pathogens, enhancing differentiation and proliferation of B- and T-cells, promoting the oxidant scavenging activity of the skin protecting against oxidative stress, enhancing chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and generation of reactive oxygen species to kill pathogens. Vitamin C deficiency results in impaired immunity and higher susceptibility to infections. Furthermore, supplementation with vitamin C appears to be able to both prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections.

VITAMIN D3

Vitamin D has important immune system roles in addition to its effects on calcium and bone homeostasis. The vitamin D receptor is found on immune cells: B cells, T cells and antigen presenting cells. Vitamin D can modulate both the innate and adaptive immune responses.

It should be noted that deficiency of vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity issues as well as an increased vulnerability to infection. There have been multiple studies linking lower levels of vitamin D with increased infection. The immune cells affecting autoimmune diseases are responsive to the beneficial effects of vitamin D. Further there have been a number of studies examining vitamin D levels and rates of influenza and other viral infections. All have reported an association of lower vitamin D levels and increased rates of infection, and in one study it was shown that a therapeutic dose of vitamin D resulted in a statistically significant (42%) decrease in the incidence of influenza infection.

ZINC

Supplementation with zinc and/or zinc ionophores, that help zinc enter the cell interior, has been shown to be essential to the support and maintenance of the human innate and adaptive immune system for decades. “The importance of zinc for human health has been recognized since the early 1960s. Zinc is an essential micronutrient required for the activity of more than 300 enzymes and 1,000 transcription factors and for the control of genetic expression. It also plays important roles in nucleic acid/protein synthesis, cell replication, and tissue growth and repair. Zinc deficiency is known to be associated with various pathological conditions, including impaired immunity, delayed wound healing, retarded growth, neural development disorders and degenerative diseases.”

K2

The role of Vitamin K2 in defending against viral in is more of a synergistic effect on other nutrients. Vitamin D3, vitamin K2 and magnesium should be supplemented to prevent long-term health risks.  Known primarily for the role in maintaining and building bone along with D3 and magnesium, the anti-viral aspects cannot be overlooked.