Does that mean there's better evidence for that claim? Not necessarily. Instead, it simply reflects a loophole in the nation's laws on dietary supplements that requires the government to review claims about disease prevention or treatment but not more vague claims about the body's "structure and function."
That's one reason drugstore shelves and junk e-mail messages are filled with pitches for products—including garlic extract, megadoses of certain vitamins and minerals, and various herbs—that promise to boost your immunity. But our consultants are skeptical.
"Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising appropriately, getting adequate sleep, and having a good social-support network to reduce stress appear to trump any current product for boosting immunity," says Kevin High, M.D., an immunology expert at Wake Forest University.
