As the temperature drops and we spend more time indoors, our immune systems face their biggest challenge of the year. Cold and flu viruses thrive in cooler, drier air, and between busy schedules, holiday stress, and reduced sunlight, our natural defences can easily take a hit.
The good news? There’s a lot you can do to stay resilient this season, starting with nourishing sleep, steady movement, a nutrient-dense diet, and targeted immune support.
Provita’s Comprehensive Flu/Viral Infection Protocol brings together three synergistic formulas that work on multiple fronts; helping your body prepare, respond, and recover.
Each formula plays a unique role in your body’s defence system:
-
AHCC® Complex
Priming your immune system before you ever get sick.
Strengthens the immune response, helping your system stay ready and adaptive. -
ProteniX™ Complex
Your botanical back-up plan when viruses hit.
Offers plant-based support for respiratory health and microbial balance when you need it most. -
Artemisinin Forte
Keeping inflammation in check so recovery is smoother.
Encourages recovery and calm balance by easing inflammation once your system is activated.
Together, they prepare your body to handle seasonal stressors with greater ease and efficiency.
1. Strengthen your foundation with AHCC® Complex
When it comes to immune defence, consistency matters more than intensity. AHCC® (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) is an extract from shiitake mushroom mycelia known to prime immune cells like natural killer (NK) and dendritic cells, the “first responders” of your immune system.1
Research studies show that the ingredient AHCC® can:
- Increase lymphocyte activity.2,3
- Support viral clearance in persistent infections such as HPV, suggesting a more resilient immune terrain.4
By keeping your immune system alert but not overactive, AHCC® helps you stay ready before seasonal stress hits. Provita’s formula stands out by combining AHCC® with beta glucans and arabinogalactan, plant-derived polysaccharides shown to activate immune cells in the gut and enhance systemic defence.5,6 This synergistic blend strengthens both innate and adaptive immunity for comprehensive seasonal resilience.
2. Target viral invaders with ProteniX™
If AHCC® strengthens your body’s defence system, ProteniX™ helps you respond more effectively when seasonal viruses strike. This innovative formula combines star anise, fenugreek extract, and pine needle oil, three ingredients studied for their complementary effects on immune balance, respiratory support, and microbial resilience.
- Shikimic acid, a natural compound found in both star anise and pine needles, is used in the production of several influenza medications and has been widely studied in antiviral research.7
- Pine needle oil provides naturally occurring terpenes such as α-pinene and limonene, which show broad antimicrobial and antiviral activity in laboratory studies.8 Certain Pinus species including the one used in Provita’s formula (Pinus sylvestris) demonstrate the highest antimicrobial potency among tested essential oils.9
- Fenugreek contributes additional immune and respiratory support, with studies suggesting it has antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant benefits. This plant also helps soothe mucous membranes and may assist in maintaining clear airways.10
Together, these botanicals form a synergistic blend that supports your body’s natural defences while helping maintain microbial balance during times of seasonal stress.
3. Balance inflammation with Artemisinin Forte
A well-tuned immune response isn’t about fighting harder, it’s about working smarter. Artemisinin, the active compound from Artemisia annua (aka sweet wormwood), helps regulate inflammation while supporting antiviral activity.
- Studies have shown artemisinin and its derivatives inhibit influenza viruses in preclinical models.11,12
- Artemisinin supports the body to regulate cytokines. Cytokines are signaling proteins the immune system uses to coordinate responses, and when overproduced they can drive excessive inflammation. In studies, artemisinin derivatives regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-6, TNF-α), helping to restore balance without fully shutting down immunity.13
This means your immune system can target viruses efficiently without tipping into the overreaction that often causes fatigue, aches, and lingering inflammation after an infection.
4. Put it all together
The foundation of a strong immune system is built long before exposure through the daily habits that keep your body resilient. Getting consistent, high-quality quality sleep, nourishing yourself with colourful whole foods, staying hydrated, moving regularly, and managing stress all strengthen your natural defences. Even a few minutes of mindful breathing or grounding can make a noticeable difference.
To complement those healthy habits, Provita’s Comprehensive Flu/Viral Infection Protocol provides three research-backed supplements, AHCC® Complex, ProteniX™, and Artemisinin Forte, designed to support immune readiness, microbial balance, and recovery through multiple mechanisms.
When combined with restorative lifestyle choices, these formulas help your body stay balanced, adaptive, and ready for whatever the season brings.
Always consult your healthcare practitioner before adding new supplements, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications. This blog is intended to support wellness, not diagnose or treat disease.
References
- Terakawa N, Matsui Y, Satoi S, et al. Immunological effect of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) in healthy volunteers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutr Cancer. 2008;60(5):643-651. doi:10.1080/01635580801993280
- Roman BE, Beli E, Duriancik DM, Gardner EM. Short-term supplementation with active hexose correlated compound improves the antibody response to influenza B in young adults. Nutr Res. 2013;33(1):66-72.
- Nogusa S, Gerbino J, Ritz BW. Low-dose supplementation with active hexose correlated compound improves the immune response to acute influenza infection in C57BL/6 mice. Nutr Res. 2009;29(5):362-366.
- Smith JA, Wargovich MJ, Dennis K, et al. AHCC® supplementation to support immune function to clear persistent human papillomavirus infections. Front Oncol. 2022;12:951559.
- Fahlquist-Hagert C, Sareila O, Rosendahl S, Holmdahl R. Variants of beta-glucan polysaccharides downregulate autoimmune inflammation. Commun Biol. 2022;5(1):449. Published 2022May 12. doi:10.1038/s42003-022-03376-y
- Dion C, Chappuis E, Ripoll C. Does larch arabinogalactan enhance immune function? A review of mechanistic and clinical trials. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2016;13:28. Published 2016 Apr 12. doi:10.1186/s12986-016-0086-
- Singh P, Srivastava S, Shukla A, et al. Shikimic acid as intermediary model for the production of oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu®). 3 Biotech. 2020;10(4):172.
- Oh YJ, Kim YS, Kim JW, Kim DW. Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties of Pinus densiflora Essential Oil. Foods. 2023;12(23):4279. Published 2023 Nov 27. doi:10.3390/foods12234279
- Mirković S, Tadić V, Milenković MT, Ušjak D, Racić G, Bojović D, Žugić A. Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils of Different Pinus Species from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pharmaceutics. 2024; 16(10):1331. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16101331
- Nagulapalli Venkata KC, Swaroop A, Bagchi D, Bishayee A. A small plant with big benefits: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn.) for disease prevention and health promotion. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017;61(6):10.1002/mnfr.201600950. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201600950
- Zhou Y, Gilmore K, Ramirez S, et al. In vitro efficacy of artemisinin-based treatments against SARS-CoV-2. Sci Rep. 2021;11:14571.
- Nair MS, Huang Y, Fidock DA, Towler M, Weathers PJ. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants are susceptible in vitro to Artemisia annua hot-water extracts. Front Plant Sci. 2023;14:1111320.
- Qiu F, Liu J, Mo X, Liu H, Chen Y, Dai Z. Immunoregulation by Artemisinin and Its Derivatives: A New Role for Old Antimalarial Drugs. Front Immunol. 2021;12:751772. Published 2021 Sep 9. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.751772
