To think that vitamin C and vitamins for immunity are a scam

It's not questionable to us tho -
Why don't you respect your opinions ?

Because your OP makes you sound like an anti-science nutjob. Your following posts are slightly less unreasonable.

People swear by the vitamin c infusion

In my lived experience vits and supplements make a huge difference.
If I take vit c with zinc I get better so quickly. Especially if I have a tiny bit of milk with some fresh turmeric powder added to it.
That is just one example.

People bleat on about a full and varied diet. For many people that is unrealistic for them to get all the required optimal levels from their diet. Also for example I have thyroid issues and therefore my absorption rates are much lower for certain vitamins.

This. My own GP told me more or less this. Also, veg is much more beneficial nutritionally than eating a lot of fruit.

That was just a very factual post, there was nothing rude about it

Did you lose a lot of blood when giving birth? Could you be anemic? Low iron totally ficks tour immune system. Also, as others have said, low vitamin d does the same. Everyone in the UK should take vitamin d from Oct through to march especially if you have darker skin.

I think they have benefits. I was feeling low mentally and physically for a long time, I start on daily pro-biotic, feel a big difference in energy levels and mood.

I take vitamin C and zinc every day and have done since I was a teenager and I hardly ever get a cold. I haven't had more than a mild sniffle since 2022 and I have a one year old.

This.
If you exercise when you have a respiratory virus, you’re at greater risk of viral cardiomyopathy. It’s OK if you’re on the mend, but if you’re still feeling unwell you shouldn’t do it.

I do know what you mean but I tell myself that if it’s this bad when I’m doing all the right things, think how much worse it would be if I wasn’t!

You have a small child and they are germ machines.

I have a strong immune system, plenty of vitamins etc. I also have a 3 year old at nursery. I get all sorts.

The difference is I can fight it off without much medical intervention (rarely need antibiotics for example), not that it will go away quickly. DH is the same, and this last one has been battering him for ten days. It's just hit me like a train and I know it's gonna be a rough one.

Sometimes, viruses are stronger. The fact you're healthy means you'll get rid of it but it won't be overnight.

And don't run when you're sinuses are blocked. If you can't breathe properly you're not circulating oxygen at the rate you need and so running will just make it take you longer to get rid.

@HowManyDucks

Yes, as a couple of others have already said, be sure not to use high dose (or extra) vitamin supplements to create expensive urine for little benefit.

From my POV, add a couple more food sources, mostly fruits or vegetables which add to the Vitamin C load. Consider added onions, garlic, chives too.

As well, are you a daily or near daily exerciser? Some aerobic burn for your respiratory system? Pacey walking? Swimming? Bicycling? Stationary bike?

One great addition which will give an extra few percent immunity is a single echinacea tablet daily.

If your body is functioning well and you're eating well and you dress comfortably warm as the weather begins to chill, you're working for cold prevention.

Where I am, Australia, most people over 60 and everyone over 67 also qualifies for the annual fluvax. I have had 23 fluvaxes over the last 26 years and only one severe and one mild winter influenza (coincidentally in two of the years I missed booking in at the poly-clinic for my fluvax),

If you can run, you aren't very ill you just have a few symptoms from your immune system fighting off the bug. If you think having a healthy immune system = never getting a cold in the first place you don't understand basic immunology. Things like having thickenned mucus is not caused directly by the virus, it's caused by your body fighting off the virus. Congratulations you have a robust immune system.

Vitamins exist, your body needs them, you will get ill with deficiency issues, and be less able to fight off other illnesses, if you don't get them. That's proven science. Taking more than 100% of the rda isn't usually necessary and is unlikely to bring much benefit.

Vitamin supplements only help if you have a deficit. Otherwise, as GPs love to say, it’s just expensive wee.

If you are lacking Vitamin D or iron, you may be tired. Vitamin C, your skin may be crap and your immune system not at its best. Etc etc.

Small children are virus incubators - between nursery and playgroups and so in, they share bugs at a phenomenal rate, have no personal hygiene around coughs and sneezes (because they are too young) and basically share all that lovely stew of illness with their families.

I hope you feel better soon.

I usually have a rock solid immune system and colds only get me for a day here and there, but this year something took me out for like 6 weeks.
But yes, the problem is having a child. Going to all the baby groups, soft play, if your child is in childcare, they’ll pick it all up. Also, the year after having my son i was far worse at picking up everything because my immune system was shot from pregnancy, birth, breast feeding and exhaustion.

But eating healthy very much does help on the whole and usually when I feel a cold coming on, I’ll take one of those vit c tabs in a drink, and 9/10 I’ll be okay the next day. But of course everyone is very different.

Exercising when you have a virus puts extra strain on your body and will make it harder, not easier to fight the virus off.

Vitamin C and/or a good diet doesn't guarantee you won't get viruses. It's just you're more likely to get them and find it harder to fight them off if you're deficient.

You still shouldn’t go out running with a cold - you’ll feel even worse. Rest and fluids is what you need.

Taking extra vitamin C will only help prevent colds if low Vitamin C is why you’re getting colds in the first place.

It’s not some kind of magic cure to prevent all colds - if you have a one year old that’s full of germs (as they all are) then it won’t make any real difference.

Running has the potential to turn it into a chesty cough. You need to rest so your body can focus its resources on fighting the infection.