Men’s Health Australia - 01.07.2018

HEALTH

POP THESE, NOT THOSE

It can protect against cell damage that would otherwise deter white blood cells

from fighting germs. Abbreviate a cold with 500 milligrams three or four times a

day instead of one megadose.

Its immunity advantages are uncertain and depend on the species, plant parts

used and dosage. The above ground parts of the plant can shorten a cold, but you’d

essentially have to take the whole bottle on the first day. That’d cost you.

Certain probiotic species may promote secretion of immunoglobulin A, a critical

antibody. To promote digestive health, take safe, well-studied probiotics, such as

Lactobacillus GG and Bifidobacterium infantis.

This herb helps prevent colds by boosting bone marrow’s ability to produce

white blood cells. Try taking 500-1000 milligrams twice a day, especially

when traveling.

It can battle a cold, but evidence is strongest for fighting flu. One study found that

elderberry liquid extract inhibits influenza A and B viruses. Try a tablespoon a day

ofelderberryextract.It’ssweet,soyouwon’tgag.

Some of these proprietary vitamin-plus-mineral supplements contain zinc,

which many believe promotes immunity, but there’s little evidence to support that.

One possibility could be patients experiencing a placebo effect.

The verdict on popular supplements

• REPORTED BY LAURA TEDESCO AND JACKIE FRERE

Airborne

and other

blends

Elderberry

Astragalus

Probiotics

Echinacea

Vitamin C

3

JAKE

STORIALE

JOB

Marketing manager

HEALTH STREAK

160,000+

kilometres with

no sniles

THE FREQUENT FLYER

HEALTH THREATS
Storiale remembers looking at his phone
calendar and realising he’d been on the
road for 21 days. As an event planner for an
electrical supply company, he spends some
eight months of the year away from home.
Given that planes are notorious petri dishes,
how does Storiale keep his health grounded?

NEVER-GET-SICK STRATEGY

• Don’t overuse antibiotics. “I’ve taken
  antibiotics no more than two or three times
  in the past decade because I think there’s
  something natural about getting sick and
  building my immune system that way,” he
  says. “I also rarely take Advil or Tylenol.”
  The irst part of Storiale’s strategy makes
  sense, says pharmacist Tara Raymaakers.
  Fostering immunity means developing
  antibodies against pathogens, so the next
  time your body meets a virus or bacteria, its
  antibodies can spring into action. However,
  she notes, “over-the-counter remedies have
  nothing to do with immunity because they
  just treat symptoms of an existing illness”.
  Immunity is about your past exposure to an
  illness, not your response to the symptoms.


• Whatever you do, believe in it. Storiale may
  be onto something else, though. His bias
  against OTC remedies, however lawed, may
  be his best medicine. He describes himself
  as “very optimistic,” and this may be what’s
  keeping him healthy, says Dr Emeran Mayer,
  a gastroenterologist and author of The Mind-
  Gut Connection. When you take something
  you believe is good for you, your brain tells
  your body it should feel better. And it turns
  out your body is a good listener.
  Sources: Victoria Maizes, M.D., director, University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine;
  Roger Clemens, Dr.P.H., University of Southern California School of Pharmacy