When a weakened immune system occurs in an adult, the symptoms, as well as the reasons why the weakening occurs, directly depend on many factors in the life of the body. This is influenced by the place of residence, environment, food, place of work and much more. Of course, reduced immunity is a serious problem. Therefore, it is necessary to be more attentive to your lifestyle and monitor the state of the body. In the cold season, you need to dress warmer, and in the hot season - do not overheat.
The immune system
The immune system is a kind of barrier that plays the role of protecting the body. Resistance occurs due to the presence of leukocytes and antibodies in the blood. But in general, the immune system is a complex mechanism, consisting of many components that are inextricably linked. Their activation makes the body strong and resistant to various factors of the surrounding world.
The main abilities of immunity:
- protects against viruses;
- protects against infection of various origins;
- helps to recover after illnesses, operations;
- improves the well-being of the body as a whole.
Immunity affects the functioning of all organs of the human body. Therefore, it is essential to take care of your health. Indeed, in the bustle, you can not notice a decrease in immunity, which is so important for everyone.
Weak immunity in an adult is not so difficult to recognize. For example, the appearance of frequent colds, as well as herpes diseases. Herpes is detected not only on the lips, but also on different parts of the body, bringing complete discomfort and discomfort.
To date, the causes of weak immunity in adults are in many ways:
- the transmission of heredity, when a person is constantly sick from a young age;
- malnutrition;
- chronic diseases;
- bad habits (smoking);
- stress;
- dysbacteriosis;
- unfavorable ecology;
- Frequent use of antibiotics and a host of other reasons can affect the decline in immunity.
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Signs of a weakened immune system
Signs of weakened immunity in adults are often manifested due to the presence of serious diseases. For example, blood pathologies, oncological diseases, chronic inflammation and many others. In these cases, it is not uncommon for a person to look very bad, feel constant ailments, headaches.
The main symptoms of reduced immunity:
- irritation;
- decrease in working capacity;
- drowsiness;
- fatigue;
- Bad mood;
- apathy;
- depression.
The reasons for the decrease in immunity can sometimes be seen visually. For example, a person has circles under the eyes. But at the same time, many people think that they just do not get enough sleep. The appearance of dry hair, brittle nails, the formation of bags under the eyes speak precisely of a decrease in immunity.
A decrease in immune activity is quite dangerous for the body. Manifesting signs can adversely affect health. After all, the body becomes vulnerable to various viruses. Many processes in the body are disturbed. A person is often exposed to colds.
The risk of chronic diseases, which are much more difficult to treat, increases. At this time, a person's working capacity decreases, headaches often appear. The body becomes weakened, constantly want to sleep. At this time, you need to take care of yourself, conducting immediate treatment and restoration of health.
If at least some signs of impaired immunity are found, you should immediately seek help from a specialist who is able to correctly assess the current situation and prescribe the correct treatment. You should not self-medicate. After all, it is not uncommon to identify the causes of the disease not immediately, even doctors.
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Strengthening immunity
People, thinking about their health, begin to strengthen their immunity by giving up smoking, and as you know, it is quite difficult to do this. They begin to consider the right diet, eating healthy foods: vegetables, herbs, berries, nuts, fruits, dairy products, fish and others.
An important role in strengthening the immune system is played by products of marine origin, as they contain unsaturated fatty acids necessary for the body. It should be noted that it is better to cook food for a couple, since it is then that the maximum amount of nutrients and valuable substances in the products is preserved. Vitamin C should be included in the diet, which is simply necessary when the immune system is weakened.
In order to improve your health, you must not forget about physical education. Physical activity will give vitality to the body. Moreover, their choice is so diverse that you can choose. For example, gymnastics, water aerobics, yoga, playing tennis, badminton, any morning jogging in the fresh air will only benefit.
To date, medicine has achieved great results, developing means and preparations for raising immunity. But only a doctor can prescribe them, who together will select the right treatment. Often, patients are prescribed a complex of minerals and vitamins. Also, positive dynamics will be given by drugs that have bifidobacteria, which are able to normalize the intestinal microflora and have a beneficial effect on digestion.
Of course, the very first and main factor in weakening the immune system is nutrition. The diet should provide the body with all the necessary elements. Vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy products should be consumed by a person almost daily. Fatty and fried foods are not welcome in a weakened state.
Undoubtedly, it is necessary to exclude preservatives, additives and all kinds of dyes from the diet. In addition, a person should consume at least three liters of clean water per day. This will help to normalize the body's water balance. Some experts advise always having a small bottle of water with you and drinking in small sips.
Often, weakened immunity symptoms appear due to an incorrect daily routine. You should always remember about a healthy lifestyle - follow the regimen, eat on time, normalize time for rest and, of course, avoid sleep deprivation as much as possible.
Changes in hormonal levels should be avoided, for this you need to exclude stressful situations. It is necessary to engage in physical education in the fresh air, preferably in the morning. You should know that hardening is the most important basis for strong immunity. Often, those people who carry out these procedures have strong immunity to envy.
hardening:
- dousing with cold water;
- air baths;
- sunbathing;
- cold and hot shower;
- rubbing with snow;
- swimming in the hole;
- swimming and so on.
All these procedures will help to master strong immunity. But it should be remembered that hardening is possible only when a person is absolutely healthy. If there is any disease, you should be completely cured and only then begin classes.
In the fight against a weakened immune system, you can use non-traditional treatment. For example, methods such as acupuncture, along with reflexology, involve almost all organs of the body, not excluding the immune system. It is necessary to add massage procedures that improve blood circulation and have a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system.
Quite often, people resort to traditional medicine to strengthen the immune system.
Properly using some medicinal plants, you can improve your health well.
For example, berries - cranberries, rose hips - are available in almost any home. Cranberries are often used to prepare a healthy fruit drink, and rose hips can be brewed into tea.
So, it is clear that the power of strong immunity is at almost everyone's fingertips. If you take a responsible approach to your lifestyle, then you can avoid these troubles. After all, in many respects everything depends on us.
Since 2002, at the initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), March 1 has been celebrated as World Immunity Day, the purpose of which is to recall the problems associated with various immune diseases, as well as maintaining and strengthening immunity.
Immunity is the body's ability to resist, the immune system neutralizes foreign cells, various infections and viruses, and then destroys them.
Signs of immune failure
Frequent colds, prolonged fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, pain in the joints and muscles, sleep disturbances, frequent headaches, the appearance of rashes on the skin - all these are manifestations of disorders in the immune system and reasons to start strengthening the body's defenses and consult a doctor .The human immune system depends half on heredity, as it begins to form in the womb, and 50% on lifestyle. The three pillars on which human immunity rests are healthy sleep, exercise and a balanced diet. Usually a person thinks about the role and possibilities of maintaining immunity only during a severe cold, while it itself is a consequence of immune deficiency.
Therefore, it is important for everyone to protect health and strengthen immunity, especially in the off-season on the eve of spring - this is the time when the body needs special support. It is also important to pay attention to immunity to those who have had acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections or influenza and who experience great physical exertion.
You can restore and maintain immunity with the help of special immuno-fortifying agents, but there are many additional ways to strengthen the body.
Horseradish, shrimp and bay leaf
It is nutrition that is the key to protection against viruses and diseases and the most important factor contributing to the improvement of the body's defenses. Nutrition should be as rational as possible in quantitative and qualitative terms. Your menu should contain animal and vegetable proteins. Animal proteins are found in meat, fish, eggs and milk, and vegetable proteins are found in peas, beans, buckwheat and oatmeal. Beef liver and seafood - shrimp, mussels, squids - have a beneficial effect on the activity of the immune system.
In no case should you take immunostimulants on your own. To have the right to prescribe these drugs, the doctor must: first make sure that standard therapy has not brought the desired effect; study the patient's immunogram; have a long experience in the use of immunostimulants, based, among other things, on an assessment of the long-term effects of the prescribed medication.
Spices well support immunity - ginger, barberry, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, basil, cardamom, turmeric, bay leaf and horseradish.
We get vitamins
Vitamins and microelements are needed to strengthen the immune system. Their deficiency can be replenished with the help of multivitamin complexes, but in general it is better to get vitamins and trace elements in a natural way.
Vitamin A can be obtained from carrots, grapes, greens - it is in all red and orange fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, rose hips, cranberries, lingonberries, cabbage, especially sauerkraut. Vitamin E - in sunflower, olive or corn oils. There are a lot of B vitamins in legumes, cereals, eggs, any greens and nuts.
Of the trace elements, zinc and selenium have a positive effect on immunity. Zinc is found in fish, meat, liver, nuts, beans and peas. Selenium should be "extracted" from fish, seafood, garlic.
Minerals - iron, copper, magnesium and zinc - are found in the liver, kidneys, heart, nuts, legumes and chocolate.
Dry red
Smoking and alcohol not only undermine, but kill the immune system. But if everything is simple and unambiguous with tobacco - you need to quit smoking and avoid tobacco smoke, then with alcohol - a different situation. Dry red wine is good for immunity, but the maximum allowable daily dose is 50-100 grams.
cold training
It is necessary to prepare for any outbreak of the disease in advance, primarily strengthening non-specific protection. Everyone knows about such a method as hardening, but most are sure that hardening is accustoming to the cold, for example, walking in the snow in shorts. But in fact, the essence of hardening is in training the mucous membranes to quickly respond to a sharp change in temperature.
Training can be quite simple - alternately pouring cold and hot water on the forearms - from the hand to the elbow. The temperature of cold water is +20 °C, hot - +35 °C - this is the most tolerable difference of 15 °C.
Douching should be done daily - 5-7 minutes a day, in the morning or in the evening. This procedure is especially good for children.
Peace and only peace!
If you often suffer from colds and SARS, try strengthening your body with Kalanchoe juice.
Strengthening the body will help hardening. The easiest way is to take a small foam rubber mat, moisten it with a cold infusion of plants that increase immunity, and stand barefoot on it.
Nutritional yeast, which is especially recommended for children, has a good immunostimulating effect. They should be taken for a month (at least 50 grams per week), diluting a small part in boiled water without sugar.
Of the plant substances that have a pronounced immunostimulating effect, it is worth paying attention to the infusions of Eleutherococcus, ginseng and Chinese magnolia vine.
Immunity is the body's natural or lifelong resistance to a certain kind of viruses and bacteria. Weak immune defenses are unable to resist the penetration of pathogenic microbes. Therefore, to improve health, it is important to follow the recommendations to improve weakened immunity.
Causes of weak immunity in adults
The importance of a strong immune system is due to the impact on the functioning of internal organs and the implementation of the protective functions of the body. Human immunity is affected by both environmental conditions and the presence of chronic diseases, so the causes of weakened immune defenses are divided into two categories.
Causes related to lifestyle:
- Unbalanced and unhealthy diet;
- Abuse of bad habits;
- Weakened immunity is formed in the absence of healthy sleep and tension of the nervous system;
- Overuse of antibiotics or improper medication;
- Unfavorable environmental conditions in the place of residence;
- Reduced protection of the internal environment of a person is associated with a lack of physical activity;
- Deficiency of vitamins and useful minerals;
- Inheritance of weak immune resistance.
Causes associated with the presence of the disease:
- AIDS;
- Oncological diseases;
- chronic anemia;
- Diseases of the endocrine system;
- Anorexia.
Signs of weakened body defenses
Weak immune defense of a person negatively affects the general state of health. If the immune system has fallen, the protective functions of the body weaken, which causes the penetration of pathogens. During this period, the risk of developing infectious diseases increases, which disrupts the functioning of internal organs. Immune system problems can be identified by a number of signs.
Symptoms of reduced immunity:
- Signs of weak human resistance are: irritability, drowsiness, increased fatigue;
- Bad mood, accompanied by the development of depression;
- A person gets sick more than seven times during the year, which are difficult to treat;
- Open wounds do not heal well;
- There are frequent headaches;
- Weak immunity also affects the appearance of a person. Dryness of hair and skin is observed, circles appear under the eyes, nails become brittle.
If one of the presented symptoms is detected, it is recommended to pay attention to the need to strengthen the immune system. For this, it is important to consult a doctor.
What to do if the immune system is weak?
If there are problems with the immune system, expressed in one of the symptoms presented, it is recommended that you first seek the advice of a doctor. To raise the body's weak defenses, it is important to know the cause of poor health. Based on the results of the consultation, the specialist will appoint a suitable solution in a particular case.
If immunity is weak, a specialist can prescribe:
- Conduct an immunogram (blood test);
- Prescribe a multivitamin complex for the prevention of diseases;
- Write out drugs suitable for raising protective functions.
How to find out?
As noted earlier, if you find signs of a weak immune system, it is important to seek help from a doctor. To check immunity, a specialist may prescribe an immunogram. The test involves the delivery of blood tests to detect violations in the immune system in the laboratory.
After receiving the results of the study, an additional check of the body may be prescribed to clarify the cause of the weak stability of the internal environment. Based on the data obtained, an effective treatment is being developed.
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How to raise?
Treatment of weak immunity implies an integrated approach to solving the problem. In the process of strengthening the immune system, the following can be involved: ways to increase the body's defenses:
- Following general advice. To improve weak immunity, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. The treatment of weakened resistance of the body is promoted by physical activity, healthy sleep, walks in the fresh air, reduction of nervous overstrain, elimination of bad habits from life;
- Folk remedies . In the process of treating weak protection of the human internal environment, medicinal plants and herbs, vegetables and fruits enriched with vitamins and mineral elements have found wide application. Strengthen a weakened immune system will help: cabbage, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, apples, bananas, beets, berries, nuts, citrus fruits, meat (red and white), seafood, dairy products, greens. In folk medicine, recipes based on: ginger, dried fruits, honey, rose hips, St. John's wort, raspberries, lingonberries, echinacea, ginseng, chamomile, eleutherococcus;
- Vitamin complexes and drugs. Among the good multivitamin complexes for adults are: Multi - tabs, Vitrum, Duovit, Alphabet, Centrum, Complivit, Gerimaks. Among the good drugs for raising weak immunity, there are: Cycloferon, Timalin, Polyoxidonium, Betulanorm, Artromax, Likopid, Arbidol, Vetoron, Proleukin, Vasoton, Mielopid.
Find useful information on this topic
Of course, the problem of reducing the immune defense of the body today is quite serious. It affects both children and adult patients. Therefore, many readers are interested in questions about what the main symptoms of a weakened immune system look like. What are the reasons for this violation? Can you spot it yourself? What treatments does modern medicine offer? Are there folk remedies? This information will be useful to everyone.
Brief information about the human immune system
It's no secret that the immune system is a natural barrier that protects the human body from various infections that enter from the external environment. This system consists of many components, including the lymph nodes and blood vessels, as well as the spleen, bone marrow, and these organs closely interact with each other, providing protection from toxins, pathogens. Moreover, thanks to the immune system, the body recovers after illnesses, operations, injuries, etc.
It should be noted that immunity affects the work of other systems and organs. For example, it is closely related to the endocrine glands and can affect the hormonal background. That is why it is extremely important to notice the symptoms of weakened immunity in time and take appropriate measures.
Weakened immunity: causes and types
In fact, the decrease in the immune defense of the body may be associated with the influence of various factors of the external and internal environment. Moreover, the weakening of immunity can be both general and local. For example, stagnation of blood leads to a decrease in immune activity and increases the risk of developing infectious and inflammatory diseases of organs in this area.
Reduced immunity may be related to lifestyle. In particular, malnutrition, hypovitaminosis, anemia, bad habits (including smoking, addiction to alcohol) lead to such a disorder. Risk groups include residents of regions with a high radiation background. In addition, disruption of the immune system can be caused by neurosis, lack of sleep, emotional overstrain, lack or, conversely, excess physical activity.
On the other hand, immunodeficiency can develop against the background of certain diseases. For example, risk factors include severe liver damage, blood pathologies, infections, trauma, cancer, disorders of the excretory system, chemotherapy, chronic inflammation, long-term use of antibiotics.
Weakened immunity in an adult: symptoms
The presence of such a condition can cause many problems. Therefore, many readers are interested in questions about what the signs of a weakened immune system look like in adults. In fact, it is not so difficult to notice such violations - the problem is that many people simply do not pay attention to them.
First of all, it is worth noting an increased tendency to colds, which appear even from the slightest hypothermia. In addition, patients with a similar diagnosis complain of increased fatigue, decreased performance, constant drowsiness, bad mood, irritability, apathy, and depression.
A decrease in immune defense, of course, affects the condition of the skin, nails and hair - they become weak, dry and brittle. It is not uncommon for patients to notice dark circles or bags under the eyes. It is also believed that people with impaired immunity are more prone to allergic diseases.
Why is the child's immunity weakened?
Quite often, when examining pediatricians, they come to the conclusion that the child's immune system is weakened. Why is this disorder so much more commonly diagnosed in children? The fact is that in the first years of life, the baby's immune system is only developing. That is why children of preschool and primary school age are more prone to various kinds of infectious diseases, which is associated with a lack of name protection.
Symptoms of weakened immunity in children look the same as in adult patients. The child is susceptible to various viral and bacterial diseases. Moreover, the baby eventually becomes less energetic, more sleepy, he has learning problems, etc.
It is extremely important to remember that in the first years of life the immune system develops. And here it is very important to monitor the proper nutrition of the child, since along with food, his body must receive a full range of vitamins and minerals. It's no secret that in the first few months of a baby's life, breastfeeding is of great importance, since along with mother's milk, the baby receives not only nutrients, but also protective substances.
What is the danger of a decrease in immune activity?
Now that you have figured out how to understand that immunity is weakened, it is worth thinking about how dangerous this phenomenon is. If the immune system does not work, the body becomes more susceptible to various infections. Frequent hardly can come to someone's taste.
Moreover, improper functioning of the immune system affects the state of the whole organism, leading to certain disorders. The risk of developing chronic diseases increases, and infections are much more difficult to carry. In patients with a similar diagnosis, performance decreases. Constant weakness and drowsiness negatively affect the emotional state. That is why in no case should you ignore such a disorder - treatment and proper prevention are necessary here.
Drug treatment of immunodeficiency
If you notice signs of a weakened immune system, then you should seek help from a doctor. In this case, it is important not only to determine the presence of a violation, but also to find out its cause.
Of course, modern medicine offers a lot of means to increase and strengthen immune defenses, but only your doctor can prescribe you medicines. As a preventive measure, a specialist can prescribe a complex of minerals and vitamins. The intake of lacto- and bifidobacteria will also positively affect the state of the immune system - this helps to restore local immunity, restore microflora, and normalize digestion processes.
In more severe cases, the doctor may prescribe drugs containing interferon (Velferon, Roferon, Ingaron), etc. Or drugs that stimulate substances in the body.
Diet
Of course, nutrition with a weakened immune system comes to the fore. So what should an effective and healthy diet look like? The diet should contain the whole complex of useful and including vitamins and minerals.
In fact, the diet in this case corresponds to generally accepted norms of healthy eating. The diet must contain fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in fiber, vitamins and other useful substances. It is very important to include fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt) in the diet, as this helps to maintain the normal composition of the microflora.
Naturally, food is better to cook on a steam, on a grill or in an oven. But the number of fried and fatty foods should be limited. It is also necessary to abandon products containing dyes, preservatives, flavors and other harmful food additives.
Immunity is boosted by foods high in vitamin C, including citrus fruits and some other fruits. You need to monitor the water balance - you need to drink at least two liters of liquid per day (preferably clean water).
General principles for strengthening immunity
If you notice the symptoms of a weakened immune system in yourself, then it's time to reconsider your usual daily routine and remember the principles of a healthy lifestyle. It is extremely important to maintain a normal sleep pattern, as constant sleep deprivation negatively affects the immune system.
An important part of the prevention and strengthening of immunity is nutrition, as well as physical activity. Every day, at least twenty minutes to devote to various exercises, go to the gym, etc. Try to spend time in the fresh air. Active recreational activities, including swimming, hiking, skiing, or at least walking in the forest, will also help restore the activity of the immune system.
Stress should be avoided, as nervous and emotional overstrain negatively affects the immune system, and also causes changes in the hormonal background.
hardening
Of course, hardening today is considered one of the most affordable and effective ways to strengthen immune defenses. There are many different ways - it can be dousing with cold water, contrast showers, air and sunbaths, walking barefoot, wiping with snow, regularly placing a bath or sauna, swimming in an ice hole, etc.
It is only worth noting that hardening procedures should be started only if the patient is completely healthy. In the presence of diseases, you must first undergo a course of treatment.
Non-traditional methods of treatment
There are other ways to cope with such a problem as a weakened immune system. Treatment can be non-traditional. For example, reflexology and acupuncture are considered quite effective, which help to activate the work of all organ systems, including the immune system.
Specialists also recommend regular preventive courses of therapeutic massage, which has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system, and also helps to improve blood circulation and accelerate the removal of excess fluid along with toxins from the body.
Strengthening immunity with medicinal plants
Do not forget about traditional medicine, which also offers a lot of means to strengthen the immune system. After all, many medicinal plants have healing properties, contain useful substances, including flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
For example, cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries, rose hips are considered useful for the immune system - you can make teas, compotes, fruit drinks, etc. from them. In addition, decoctions from sea buckthorn, yarrow, rosemary, nettle, elecampane will have a positive effect on health. You can make an alcohol tincture of purple echinacea, ginseng, etc.
Various foreign substances. All of them can cause destruction of tissues and cells, changing the functionality of immunocytes, which can lead to irreversible negative processes in the body. How can you tell if you have a weakened immune system? Symptoms can occur from different body systems.
Decreased immunity occurs for various reasons. Separately, we can note the following factors that affect the weakening of the protective functions of the body:
- Lifestyle
- Improper nutrition can lead to a deficiency, minerals, as well as disruption of the digestive tract, which naturally negatively affects the presence of beneficial microorganisms.
- Stress and nervous strain, depressive states, aggression, dissatisfaction with life. All this can greatly overwhelm the immune system and lead to very unpleasant consequences.
- Bad habits: smoking, as well as drug addiction
- Chronic lack of sleep, lack of proper rest, heavy physical exertion, hard work. In a constant working mode, the body simply does not have time to recover and therefore becomes weakened and unprotected.
- Living or working in an area with high levels of radiation
- Concomitant disease
- -infection
- Malignant neoplasms
- Liver pathologies
- Severe blood diseases
- Diarrhea due to problems with the absorption of processed food by the intestines
- Proteinuria
- Long-term infectious diseases
- Some injuries
- Congenital form of immunodeficiency
Also, taking certain medications, including antibiotics, chemotherapy, helminthic invasion, can disrupt the full functioning of the immune system.
Signs of decreased immunity
The most important symptom of weakened immunity can be attributed to frequent colds that occur more than 4 times a year, as well as signs of a malfunction in the immune system are:
- complications after SARS
- redness and pustular rashes on the skin
- swollen lymph nodes
- frequent occurrence of phlegmon, carbuncles, abscesses, candidiasis, fungus, onychomycosis
- long wound healing process
- general weakness of the body
- pale skin color
- tuberculosis of various forms
If the immune system began to give “failures” not so long ago, it is possible to correct the situation without the use of drugs, and if the immune system is seriously weakened, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without drugs.
Medications
If the immune system is seriously weakened, it must be stimulated with medications.
Herbal preparations:
- Echinacea. This herbal remedy helps boost cellular immunity and has antiviral and antimicrobial effects.
- Eleutherococcus. An extract that helps fight stress and contains many beneficial properties. The product contains caffeine, which has a positive effect on the general condition of the body.
- Lemongrass Chinese. Differs in a large amount of vitamin C, increases efficiency and resistance to stress
- Ginseng. This is a remedy that helps to increase the overall tone of the body, potency in men
Bacterial preparations:
- Ribomunil, lycopid, imudon
- Uro-vax - bacterial lysate
Interferon preparations:
- Human interferon: Grippferon, Laferon, Velferon, Viferon
- Stimulants for the production of endogenous interferon: Kagocel, Anaferon, Amiksin, Arbidrol
Nucleic acid preparations:
- Derinat
- sodium nucleinate
- Ridostin
Thymus preparations:
- Timalin
- Thymogen
- thymosin
- Timaktid
Biogenic stimulants produced on the basis of plant or animal tissues:
- Biosed
- Aloe extract
- Humisol
- Actovegin
- vitamins
The modern novelty Polyoxidonium and some dietary supplements are also actively used.
