Fullscript Academy

Winter can be a beautiful yet challenging time of the year. The arrival of cooler temperatures and shorter days can significantly impact our immune health, mood, and resilience to stress.

Fullscript’s Medical Advisory Team has provided some evidence-based ingredients to help support these common health concerns. While many ingredients may be considered part of a wellness protocol, these ingredients were selected based on general safety, effectiveness, and broad applicability.

Adrenal support

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

125–600 mg per day, depending on the form, for a minimum of 6 weeks (Auddy 2008)(Chandrasekhar 2012)

• Daily supplementation with ashwagandha may help increase resilience to stress and reduce the physical symptoms of stress such as feelings of anxiety and elevated blood pressure and heart rate. (Chandrasekhar 2012)

For more information on the uses of ashwagandha in other conditions, please refer to the ashwagandha ingredient review.

Variable based on ingredient and formulation

• Daily supplementation with B vitamins may help prevent depletions brought on by long-term stress, poor sleep, and a diet low in nutrients. (Porter 2016) In addition, supplementation may also help reduce the impact of stress on our mental and emotional well-being. (Stough et al. 2011)

Immune support

Vitamin C

Ongoing immune support: 1 g of vitamin C per day (Hemila 2013)(Johnstone 2014)

Immediate immune support: 3–4 g of vitamin C per day, as soon as symptoms appear and for the duration of the illness (Hemila 2013)

• Vitamin C is essential to human health and has well-documented antioxidant and immune-supportive properties. Vitamin C can be especially beneficial during illness as supplementation may help decrease the duration and severity of the common cold. (Johnstone 2014)

For more information on the uses of vitamin C in other conditions, please refer to the vitamin C ingredient review.

Zinc

Ongoing immune support: 15–45 mg of elemental zinc per day, ongoing (Hunter et al. 2021)(Prasad et al. 2007)

Immediate immune support: 75–100 mg of elemental zinc (as zinc acetate or zinc gluconate lozenges) per day, as soon as symptoms appear and for a minimum of 1–2 weeks (Singh and Das 2015) (Singh 2015) 

• Zinc plays a vital role in the health of connective tissues (e.g., bone, hair, skin, tendons, skin), the nervous system, and cognition (brain health). (Roohani et al. 2013) (Roohani et al. 2013) Zinc also supports our immune system, and studies have found that supplementation with this essential micronutrient may help reduce the duration of the common cold. (Hemilä 2011)(Hemila 2011) 

For more information on the uses of vitamin C in other conditions, please refer to the zinc ingredient review.

Get your patients ready for winter with the evidence-based ingredients in this protocol. 

Mood support

Omega-3 fatty acids

2–4 g EPA + DHA daily, for a minimum of 3 months

• Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for human health and have cholesterol- and inflammation-lowering properties. (Harwood 2019)(Harwood 2019) In addition, daily supplementation may also support our mental and emotional well-being. (Wolters et al. 2021) (Wolters 2021)

For more information on the uses of omega-3 fatty acids in other conditions, please refer to the omega-3 fatty acids ingredient review.

Vitamin D

400–3000 IU per day for ~6 months (Gao 2017)(Jolliffe 2021)(NIH 2021) 

• Vitamin D is categorized as a non-essential vitamin as it can be produced in the skin following sun exposure. However, it can be challenging to maintain optimal vitamin D levels during winter when days are shorter. In addition, these seasonal changes can also impact our mental and emotional well-being. Studies have found that daily supplementation with vitamin D can help maintain blood levels and improve symptoms of depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). (Gloth et al. 1999)(Menon 2018)

For more information on the uses of Vitamin D in other conditions, please refer to the Vitamin D ingredient review.