There is growing interest in the role of the micronutrients essential trace elements and vitamins in optimising health and in prevention or treatment of disease this stems partly from the increase in knowledge and understanding of the biochemical functions of these nutrients but also from the extensive but less well founded commercial claims for such substances. Micronutrients play a central part in metabolism and in the maintenance of tissue function an adequate intake therefore is necessary but provision of excess supplements to people who do not need them may be harmful single micronutrient deficiency states are comparatively easily recognised and treated. Choosing foods to boost your immune system five micronutrients vitamin b 6 vitamin c vitamin e magnesium and zinc play roles in maintaining immune function and supplements containing them are often sold as immune boosters in doses that greatly exceed the recommended daily allowance. This second edition of micronutrients in health and disease proposes a novel concept that in order to simultaneously and optimally reduce oxidative stress chronic inflammation and glutamate it is essential to increase levels of antioxidant enzymes as well as levels of dietary and endogenous antioxidant compounds at the same time this is accomplished by activating the nrf2 pathways and by increasing the levels of antioxidant compounds and b vitamins through supplementation