Is Taking Vitamin Supplements Necessary for a Strong Immunity Even at the Age of 20?
15 Dec 2025 · 6 min
JJ Virgin argues that vitamin supplements are worth taking at 20 because modern stress and toxins increase nutrient needs beyond what food provides. She recommends starting with a quality multivitamin, vitamin D3 with K (targeting 50-80 ng/mL), vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and fish oil, emphasizing that 70-80% of immunity lives in the gut.
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Learn more@mcafee.com online protection are taking vitamin supplements necessary for a strong immune system, even at the age of 20? This is JJ Virgin, four time New York best selling author, celebrity nutrition expert and Fitness hall of Famer. I've been on a lifelong quest for answers to the toughest health questions and now I'm sharing what I found with you. Welcome to Ask the Health Expert.
Ruth.
During my Superimmune Secrets Masterclass asked Are taking vitamin supplements necessary for a strong immunity even at the age of 20? You kids. You kids.
You're not immune.
Let me give you my thoughts. I'll be right back.
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All right, so I'm a mom and my kids are 23 and 24. My bonus daughter, I totally scored on that one, let me tell you, is 21. And I have them absolutely taking an array of immune supplements because I want them immune strong. And the deal is nutrient deficiencies can happen at any age and that leaves you unprotected. Now here's kind of my algorithm for all this. First of all, get what you can from food supplements, supplement a healthy diet. I used to say that you can't take a bad diet and supplement it into a good diet. But it turns out there was a study done where people were eating McDonald's and taking antioxidants and actually lowered some of the bad response to the challenges with food. So can't really say that. But here's what I will say. It starts with good food and there's a lot of important nutrients to support a good healthy immune system. Vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, glutathione, quercetin, magnesium, beta glucan, vitamins D and K. So those are just a couple, like a few. And there's more than that. But those are some of the key ones that really help with a good immune system. And of course a good gut. It has 70 to 80% of your immune system is in your gut. So the first thing I'm going to say is make sure your diet is dialed in and you're eating foods that really support not just a good healthy immune system, but great blood sugar balance, good energy and focus and all of that. So that's step one. Next, you cannot get everything that you need from food and it doesn't matter what age you are. I've had my kids on supplements pretty much their whole lives. And it's super important because there's certain nutrients it's really hard to get enough of from diet. And let me give you a couple of big ones. First of all, I think everyone should be on a good multivitamin, multimineral antioxidant formula that has the basics, methylated B vitamins, chelated minerals, so your body can absorb them, optimal amounts of bioavailable vitamins and some antioxidants as well. So I see that as just your health assurance. Right? So that's step one. And you want to make sure in there that you've got vitamin D3 and K1 and two good amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A and beta carotene, D, zinc, selenium, magnesium, quercetin. Those are some of my key ones for the immune system. Here's the challenge. I see so many vitamin D deficiencies for a couple different reasons. Depends on if you're seasonal where you live. So maybe that during the winter you don't get out in the sunshine or you're wearing sunscreen or you're just not getting outside or genetically you cannot make vitamin D well from sunshine. So vitamin D with K is one that you're going to want to look at to supplement and to optimize yourself into the range of 50 to 80 ngs per ML. Vitamin C, when you're under stress, you deplete, or if you're sick, you deplete and you'll need more of it. So I find minimally, depending on your weight and, you know, age and weight, you'll need probably 500 milligrams twice a day. But if you're sick, it might be more like 2000mg a couple of times a day. Next one that you'll probably need to add some extras in is zinc. Now, you could be eating oysters and nuts and getting some, but you might need to add some extra there. But one that I really see beyond the multi that people need extra of at any age is magnesium. Magnesium is such a key powerhouse mineral and also tends to be one that we're deficient in. And then one other one that I'm going to do a shout out on is fish oil. Now, hopefully you're eating wild fish, clean wild fish a couple times a week, but you really also want to look at supplementing with fish oil. It does so many amazing things for the body beyond just helping support a strong immune system, reducing inflammation. Great for your brain and heart and bones. So that's another one. So the answer is yes. Vitamin supplements, I believe are necessary at any age. We're not getting what we need from our food and then we're under the extra stress from the type of world we live in now, plus all the toxins. So we need more. This is JJ with Ask the Health Expert. I do this five times a week, so make sure you never miss a show by going to subscribetojay.com. Foreign.
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