COVID-19: Balancing Is More Important Than Boosting Your Immune System

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world’s attention to the importance of the immune system. Our immune system is the body’s defence force against disease-causing bacteria, viruses and other organisms that we touch, ingest and inhale on a daily basis.

When faced with a virus such as COVID-19, you need your immune system to be able to fight it. After the virus has been defeated however, having your immune system return to a calm, balanced state – a state of homeostasis – is of the utmost importance. 

A Cytokine Storm

In as much as 15% of all the serious COVID-19 cases, the immune system goes into an extremely overstimulated state, resulting in the immune system attacking organs such as the lungs and liver. Organ failure and even death may follow. This is similar to an auto-immune reaction where the immune cells go out of control. Inflammatory cytokines cause the problem.

Doctors call this condition a “cytokine storm”.

Cytokine storms can overtake people of any age. Some scientists believe that this may explain why seemingly healthy young people died during the SARS and H1N1 epidemics and why some people who contract COVID-19 are succumbing to acute respiratory distress syndrome, a common consequence of a cytokine storm.

What Are Cytokines And Are They Necessary?

Cytokines are a group of proteins secreted by cells of the immune system that act as chemical messengers. As signalling molecules, cytokines affect the action of other immune cells, basically telling the immune system what to do.

Through this process, they mediate and regulate the immune system. Stress, poor nutrition, toxins and trauma have been shown to reduce cytokines, which in turn diminishes cell communication, leaving the immune system in disarray. Replenishing our cytokines are vital to our immune system.

Two broad types of cytokines exist, namely, Th1 (pro-inflammatory) and Th2 (anti-inflammatory). When a virus enters the body, the immune system senses a foreign substance and releases inflammatory cytokines that enlist other immune cells to help. This process should be controlled and regulated, but in some patients with COVID-19, inflammation goes into overdrive, flooding the lungs with fluid.

The optimal scenario is a shift from an all-out attack against the invader to that of a balanced approach. The right timing between Th1 (pro-inflammatory) and Th2 (anti-inflammatory) leads to homeostasis, keeping the inflammatory cytokines in check.

A Balanced Immune System is Critical to your Health

Most of us have heard about the importance of boosting the immune system. However, boosting the immune system to cope with viruses is only part of what is needed. The immune system needs to also intelligently return to a regulated and balanced state without any over-reaction.

Innate Immune System: Overly Boosting the Immune System can be Harmful

When a foreign invader, such as COVID-19, is recognised by the immune system, the innate (non- specific) aspect of the immune system immediately kicks in. Inflammatory cytokines may bring about inflammation, fever, swelling and fluid in the lungs. Other immune system cells are then enlisted to help with the attack.

Many immune supplements, mainly plant-based, only stimulate the innate aspect of the immune system. Unregulated overstimulation can become a problem.

Adaptive Immune System: Acquired Immunity can also Provide Long-Lasting Protection

This is the more complex part of the immune system, occurring after the innate immune action. The attacking army is specific to the invader. Adaptive immunity also includes a "memory" so that if the immune system encounters the same invader again, it can deal with it more efficiently.

Immune Modulation: Important to Regulate your Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems

Since balance is key, a true immune modulator is required to regulate the immune system, working on both its innate and adaptive aspects along with balancing the Th1 and Th2 cytokines. Santivia Immune is a true immune modulator, helping your immune system by providing both innate and adaptive functions. This has been clinically proven.

According to Immunologist, Dr Jesse Stoff, “Ai/E10 [the key ingredient in Sanntivia Immune] demonstrated a complex and integrated immune modulation response, unlike any other known substance. The substance demonstrates support for a combination of activation, modulation, and information transfer activities that appear to correlate to the observed benefits of the substance. Without the three factors in combination, an immune system response would be greatly narrowed to as little as a one-dimensional immune stimulation effect”.*

A clinical study, conducted by immunologist Dr Mario Clerici at the University of Milan with his findings published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Nutrition and Dietary Supplements, indicates “Ai/E10 diverse array of mRNA is well evidenced by its ability to enhance the expression of key genes important to the innate and adaptive immune system as well as the process of immune modulation,” (Clerici, 2011).

Boost and Balance your Immune With Santivia Immune

Thus, keep your immune system optimised by taking Santivia Immune daily.

It boosts as well as balances your immune system.


*Stoff, J. A. (2006, Dec.). Examination of Immune Response Modifiers in Healthy Individuals as Compared to Refined Lacteal Complex. Townsend Letter.
Clerici, M. (2011, Sept.). Evaluation of Bovine-Derived Lacteal Complex Supplementation on Gene Expression in BALB/c Mice. Nutrition and Dietary Supplements.