FOOD & SUPPLEMENT BUNDLE
Foods and supplements claimed to help immunity
55 of them, ranked by strength of evidence. Only 2 reach grade A or B.
At a glance
55 foods and supplements marketed for immunity, each graded one by one against clinical trial evidence. Grade spread: A 1 · B 1 · C 32 · D 13. Only 2 reach grade A or B.
The grade measures how strong the evidence is, not how good something is for you. Grade A means independent research groups replicated a reduction in real clinical events in humans; grade F means well-designed trials established there is no effect. See Methodology.
Claimed to help immunity — strongest evidence first
Within a grade, higher scores come first; verdicts without a score sit at the bottom. Follow a name to see its trials, evidence, and limits.
| A | 86 | Early infant peanut introduction (regular dietary peanut protein begun in infancy) | Prevention of peanut allergy in infants |
| B | 60 | Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) | Reduction of common-cold symptoms and duration |
| C | 59 | Vitamin A (retinol or retinyl palmitate, fat-soluble vitamin, supplement and high-dose public-health preparation) | Reduced mortality among children aged 6–59 months where vitamin A deficiency is a public-health problem |
| C | 56 | Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum/Reishi; beta-1,3/1,6-D-glucan and polysaccharides) | Immune function |
| C | 56 | Colostrum (mainly bovine colostrum) | immunity and gut |
| C | 56 | Yeast/mushroom beta-glucan | Immunity |
| C | 56 | Childhood consumption of unpasteurized raw farm milk | Prevention of childhood asthma and allergic disease |
| C | 56 | Stepwise heated egg powder, 50 mg daily at six to nine months then 250 mg daily to 12 months, alongside aggressive eczema treatment | Prevention of egg allergy confirmed by oral food challenge at 12 months |
| C | 56 | The exact synbiotic combination of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 202195 plus fructooligosaccharide | Reduced sepsis or death by 60 days in healthy, relatively mature rural newborns |
| C | 55 | Zinc | immunity and common cold |
| C | 55 | Lactoferrin | Immune function, iron, and gut health |
| C | 54 | Red ginseng (ginsenosides) | immune enhancement |
| C | 53 | Elderberry (elderberry, Sambucus nigra) | Colds, influenza, and immunity |
| C | 52 | Propolis | immunity/oral: general immune-function/cold-prevention claims and oral antibacterial/gum/plaque claims evaluated separately |
| C | 50 | Fucoidan (sulfated polysaccharides from brown algae such as sea mustard and kelp) | immune and anticancer claims |
| C | 50 | EpiCor dried yeast fermentate | Reduction of cold and flu-like symptoms and immune support |
| C | 49 | AHCC (active hexose correlated compound; shiitake mycelial extract) | Immunity |
| C | 48 | Quercetin | Allergy, antioxidant, and immune effects |
| C | 48 | Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) | Improvement of acute common-cold and bronchitis symptoms and recovery time |
| C | 47 | Weissella cibaria JW15 | Enhanced immune function and defense against infection |
| C | 46 | Selenium | Antioxidant and immune function |
| C | 46 | Enzymatically modified arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3, BioBran) | Natural killer cell activation and immune support during cancer treatment |
| C | 46 | Four gold kiwifruits daily equivalent: two fresh and two freeze-dried | Shorter duration of cold symptoms |
| C | 46 | Dual-strain Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289 lozenges | Additional reduction of residual periodontal-pocket depth after nonsurgical periodontal therapy |
| C | 45 | Larch arabinogalactan | Reduction of colds and upper respiratory infections and immune enhancement |
| C | 43 | Heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum L-137, marketed as Immuno-LP20, a non-viable postbiotic | Reduced incidence and duration of upper respiratory tract infections |
| C | 42 | Spirulina and chlorella | Detoxification and immunity |
| C | 42 | Chaga mushroom (Chaga, Inonotus obliquus/Fuscoporia obliqua) | Immune-function enhancement and anticancer/cancer-prevention or adjunct claims |
| C | 42 | Astragalus membranaceus extract | Immune enhancement and infection prevention |
| C | 42 | L-lysine | Prevention of recurrent herpes labialis and acceleration of lesion healing |
| C | 42 | Spirulina 2 g (Spirulina or Arthrospira platensis oral supplement) | Relief of rhinorrhea, congestion, sneezing, and nasal itching in allergic rhinitis |
| C | 41 | Shiitake mushroom (lentinan, Lentinula edodes/lentinan) | Immunity, anticancer |
| C | 40 | HemoHIM herbal extract containing Angelica, Cnidium, and Paeonia | Enhancement of immune function and defense against infection in healthy adults |
| C | 40 | PLAG (1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-3-acetyl-rac-glycerol) | Enhanced immune function in healthy adults |
| D | 38 | Echinacea (echinacea) | Cold prevention and treatment |
| D | 35 | High-dose zinc gluconate oral supplement | Shortened symptom duration in early COVID-19 |
| D | 34 | Vitamin D | immunity and prevention of acute respiratory infections |
| D | 34 | Mistletoe (Viscum album) | Immunity, blood pressure, and anticancer effects (adjunctive therapy) |
| D | 31 | Boswellia serrata (an oral frankincense extract supplement containing boswellic acids) | Reduced asthma attacks, dyspnea, and wheeze with improved lung function |
| D | 30 | High-dose vitamin C (megadose; ascorbic acid, oral/IV separated) | cold prevention and anticancer claims (cold occurrence prevention, cold treatment/duration shortening, cancer prevention, cancer treatment/adjuvant therapy separated by efficacy) |
| D | 30 | Whole sauerkraut | Reduction in systemic inflammation |
| D | 30 | Nectar- or honey-thick liquids taken in a neutral head position | Reduction of three-month pneumonia compared with chin-down posture while drinking thin liquids |
| D | 28 | Transfer factor derived from colostrum and egg yolk | Transfer of immune memory and prevention of colds |
| D | 28 | Streptococcus salivarius K12, BLIS K12 | Prevention of recurrent pharyngotonsillitis and sore throat |
| D | 28 | Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor, Coriolus, fruiting-body capsules) | General immune enhancement and prevention of cancer or support of cancer treatment |
| D | 28 | Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, nonprescription medicine or supplement) | Prevention of severe asthma exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids in children and adults |
| D | 22 | Oscillococcinum, Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis extractum 200C | Prevention of influenza-like illness and shortening of symptom duration |
| ? | score not listed | Oregano oil from Origanum vulgare, typically carvacrol-rich | Treatment of Candida infection or overgrowth |
| ? | score not listed | Oral bovine thymus glandular extract | T-cell activation, enhanced immunity, and infection prevention |
| ? | score not listed | Mullein leaf (Verbascum; herbal supplement or tea) | Lung cleansing, phlegm clearance, and improved bronchial and respiratory health |
| ? | score not listed | Agaricus blazei extract (Agaricus mushroom supplement) | Cancer prevention, reduced recurrence, and prolonged survival |
| ? | score not listed | Whole perilla or shiso leaves | Relief of seasonal allergic-rhinitis symptoms |
| ? | score not listed | Whole lotus root or lotus-root juice (Nelumbo nucifera rhizome) | Relief of cough and sputum in bronchitis |
| ? | score not listed | Yuja tea made by diluting sweetened yuja preserve in water | Shorter common-cold duration and milder symptoms |
| ? | score not listed | About one clove per day of raw or crushed fresh garlic | Prevention of common-cold occurrence |
Not swallowed — applied, inhaled, held in the mouth, worn, or performed on the body (3)
Same claims, but these are not taken by mouth: rubbed on the skin, breathed in, chewed or rinsed and spat out, worn on the body, or performed as a procedure such as acupuncture or cupping. A different route into the body, so they are listed separately.
| C | 48 | Acupuncture (a nonpharmacologic needling procedure at selected points) | Improvement of seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms, quality of life, and antihistamine use |
| D | 30 | Duct-tape occlusion with weekly soaking and debridement | Complete clearance of common nongenital warts on hands, feet, or other sites |
| ? | score not listed | Inhaled or sprayed hinoki phytoncide, including cypress essential-oil and cypress-water products | Prevention of infections and infection-related hospitalization |
Claimed to harm immunity (3)
Here a higher grade means the harm is better established — the opposite direction from the table above. A low grade means the claim of harm rests on weak evidence.
| C | 50 | Ciprofloxacin 500 mg swallowed with 300 mL milk or yogurt alone | Reduced ciprofloxacin absorption |
| D | 28 | Commercial genetically modified foods and their introduced proteins | More clinical allergic symptoms or disease than conventional foods |
| D | 28 | Increased intake of seed oils rich in linoleic acid | Increased blood inflammatory markers |
What does have evidence for immunity
Not foods or supplements: drugs and procedures graded A or B. Chamgap recommends nothing. It only shows where the evidence is strong. Any treatment decision belongs with your doctor.
| A | 94 | Dexamethasone (prescription corticosteroid) | Reduction of 28-day mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen or mechanical ventilation |
| A | 92 | Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (cabotegravir LA, HIV integrase inhibitor, Apretude, prescription injection) | Reduced sexually acquired HIV-1 infection as pre-exposure prophylaxis in HIV-negative adults at high risk |
| A | 92 | Isoniazid (INH, an oral prescription antituberculosis drug) | Prevention of active tuberculosis in people with latent tuberculosis infection |
| A | 92 | Long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN, a pyrethroid-treated mosquito-barrier product) | Prevention of clinical malaria and all-cause mortality in children in malaria-endemic areas |
| A | 91 | Nine-valent human papillomavirus vaccine (9-valent HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, prescription vaccine) | Prevention of vaccine-type persistent HPV infection and high-grade cervical, vulvar, and vaginal precancer |
| A | 91 | Oral live attenuated rotavirus vaccines (RV1 Rotarix and RV5 RotaTeq, national immunization program) | Prevention of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis and hospitalization in infants |
| A | 91 | Lenacapavir (HIV-1 capsid inhibitor, the active ingredient in Sunlenca, prescription injection) | Prevention of sexually acquired HIV-1 infection with twice-yearly injectable PrEP |
| A | 90 | Emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, a prescription HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis sold as Truvada | Prevention of HIV acquisition with adherent pre-exposure prophylaxis |
| A | 90 | Updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 family, professionally administered vaccine) | Prevention of COVID-19 hospitalization, severe disease, and death in high-risk people |
| A | 89 | Recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (HBsAg, national immunization vaccine) | Prevention of chronic hepatitis B infection and later cirrhosis and liver cancer after infant vaccination |
| A | 89 | Live attenuated varicella vaccine (SuduVax or VARIVAX, national immunization) | Prevention of varicella infection and moderate or severe varicella in children |
| A | 88 | Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine; live vaccine in the national immunization program) | Prevention of measles, mumps, and rubella infections in children |
How to read this list
A grade of C or D does not mean "do not take it." It means the evidence is not yet strong enough to promise the effect. Equally, A or B does not mean it works for everyone.
Chamgap sells nothing and takes no advertising. See all Immunity verdicts.