Pretox, Stronger Immunity, and the Perils of Hell’s Angels as Security Guards
Dispel "Stronger Immunity" Sloganeering and Instead Seek Balance and Optimization
It sounded like a good idea (to someone) to use members of the Hell’s Angels 🏍️💀 biker gang to work security at a Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway in December 1969. The idea had some merit. They do have some of the skills necessary for security work: command presence, threat identification, facility with violence. The problem came with the injudicious application of that last attribute, which resulted in Meredith Hunter being stabbed to death [1], which was caught on film [2].
What does that have to do with immunity? That’s analogous to what one is really suggesting with McFitness sloganeering about “stronger immunity.” Do you really want:
• 🔥 Your pyrogens to induce a life-threatening fever to fight a paper cut?
• ☣️ Your neutrophils to vomit hypochlorous acid and proteolytic enzymes on healthy tissues?
• 💣 Your mast cells to drop a histamine bomb and cause anaphylactic shock at a whiff of peanut dust?
No, of course not. That would be like using the Hell’s Angels to work a security detail—and giving them a liberal dose of meth to ensure that no miscreants go unstabbed 🔪😈.
✅ Instead, seek to optimize or modulate your immunity.
This post focuses on the Environment component of the SCREEN Framework and Pretox specifically. The term “Pretox” acknowledges that our best efforts will not completely eliminate toxins and pathogens from our environment, so we must optimize our natural defenses or immunity to buffet those inevitable toxic and pathogenic insults.
Top 10 Immunity Optimizers
1. Glutathione (GSH) + Precursors
• Immune Function: Master antioxidant supporting redox balance, T-cell activation, and cytokine regulation.
• Mechanism: Neutralizes ROS, recycles vitamins C/E, preserves protein structure.
• Dietary Sources: 🥛 Whey protein, 🍳 eggs (methionine), 🍲 bone broth (glycine)
• Supplements: 💊 NAC
• Caution: Direct GSH has poor bioavailability, better to focus on precursors from dietary and supplemental sources mentioned above [14].
📖 [3], [4], [14]
2. Vitamin C
• Immune Function: Promotes leukocyte function, antioxidant defense, and skin barrier integrity.
• Mechanism: Enhances neutrophil migration and phagocytosis; regenerates other antioxidants.
• Dietary Sources: 🍊 Citrus, 🍓 berries, 🫑 peppers
• Supplements: 💊 Buffered, liposomal, or timed-release vitamin C (supplementation unnecessary in healthy individuals consuming a proper diet)
• Caution: >2,000 mg/day can cause GI issues or kidney stones.
📖 [5], [15]
3. Magnesium
• Immune Function: Supports immune signaling, inflammation control, and cellular energy.
• Mechanism: Cofactor in over 300 enzymes; regulates T and B cells.
• Dietary Sources: 🥬 Leafy greens, 🥜 pumpkin seeds, legumes
• Supplements: 💊 Magnesium glycinate or malate
• Caution: Oxide form may cause diarrhea; excess can affect heart rhythm.
📖 [5], [16]
4. Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)
• Immune Function: Increases antimicrobial peptides, supports immune balance.
• Mechanism: Modulates gene expression via vitamin D receptor on immune cells.
• Sources: 🌞 Sunlight, 🐟 fatty fish, 🥚 egg yolks
• Supplements: 💊 D3 with K2 (MK-7); micellized or oil-based softgels preferred
• Caution: >5,000 IU/day long term without blood testing risks toxicity.
📖 [6], [15]
5. Zinc
• Immune Function: Essential for T-cell maturation, mucosal immunity, and antiviral defense.
• Mechanism: Cofactor in >300 enzymes; influences gene transcription and inflammation.
• Sources: 🦪 Oysters, 🥩 beef, 🌰 pumpkin seeds
• Supplements: 💊 Zinc acetate, picolinate, or lozenges
• Caution: >40 mg/day can impair copper and lipid metabolism.
📖 [6], [7], [17]
6. Selenium
• Immune Function: Supports antiviral immunity, thyroid hormone conversion, and antioxidant defense.
• Mechanism: Required for glutathione peroxidase and selenoproteins.
• Sources: 🌰 Brazil nuts, 🐟 sardines, tuna—but limit intake of the latter due to mercury!
• Supplements: 💊 Selenomethionine (supplementation unnecessary in healthy individuals consuming a proper diet)
• Caution: >400 mcg/day can lead to toxicity—hair loss, nail fragility.
📖 [5], [16]
7. Medicinal Mushrooms
• Immune Function: Enhance NK cells and macrophage function.
• Mechanism: Beta-glucans stimulate innate immune receptors (e.g., Dectin-1).
• Sources: 🍄 Shiitake, Maitake, Reishi
• Supplements: 💊 Dual-extract powders or capsules
• Caution: May overstimulate immunity in autoimmune conditions.
📖 [6], [18]
8. Metabolic Health & Body Composition
• Immune Function: Excess fat drives chronic inflammation and exhausts immune resources. Muscle mass, on the other hand, is immunoprotective and metabolically stabilizing.
• Mechanism: Adipose tissue secretes proinflammatory cytokines (like IL-6 and TNF-α), creating a background hum of immune activation. This not only impairs immune precision but also depletes energetic and micronutrient resources needed for acute immune response.
• Lifestyle: 🏋️♂️ Resistance training, 🥗 high-protein, whole-foods-first diet, 🧘 stress reduction
• Caution: Rapid weight loss or extreme restriction may stress immunity.
📖 [7], [8], [19]
9. Sleep & Circadian Rhythm
• Immune Function: Sleep deprivation weakens immune memory and increases infection risk.
• Mechanism: Deep sleep enhances T-cell efficiency and cytokine release.
• Interventions: 🛏️ Sleep hygiene, 🌞 morning light, 📵 reduce evening artificial light exposure
• Caution: <7 hrs/night can increase infection risk by 2.94x [10].
📖 [9], [10], [20]
10. Limbic + Vagal Reset
• Immune Function: Parasympathetic tone dampens inflammation.
• Mechanism: Stimulates vagus nerve, reduces cortisol, balances cytokine response.
• Interventions: 🌬️ Breathwork, 🎧 Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP), 🧘 Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS), 🙏 prayer or spiritual practice
• Caution: May require structured long-term practice.
📖 [11], [12]
🎖️ Honorable Mentions
I added a couple honorable mentions. They’re important but they didn’t make the top ten. Gut microbiome health didn’t make it because recommendations are too personalized and variable. Also, several of the interventions such as diet, metabolic health, and glutathione have been addressed previously. Herbs didn’t make it because they too suffer from variability in extraction method and potency and run the risk of exacerbating autoimmune conditions.
Gut Microbiome Health
• Immune Function: Trains immune tolerance and modulates inflammation.
• Mechanism: Short-Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) production, IgA stimulation, enteric pathogen resistance.
• Sources: 🥦 Prebiotics, 🍶 fermented foods
• Interventions: 💊 Butyrate, select probiotics
• Caution: Not all probiotics are helpful; focus on feeding, not reseeding, gut microbiota.
📖 [5], [6], [13], [19]
Herbal Immunomodulators
• Immune Function: Antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogenic properties.
• Mechanism: Modulate NF-kB, Nrf2, cytokine signaling.
• Sources: 🌿 Astragalus, echinacea, curcumin, elderberry
• Forms: Teas, tinctures, capsules
• Caution: May trigger flares in autoimmune-prone individuals.
📖 [6], [7], [11], [17]
📚 References
[1] R. Selvin, “Man slain at rock concert,” San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 7, 1969.
[2] A. Maysles, D. Maysles, and C. Zwerin, Gimme Shelter [Film], Maysles Films, 1970.
[3] J. Gutman, Glutathione & Your Immune Response, Axiom, 2002.
[4] J. Gutman, Raising Glutathione: The Comprehensive Guide, Axiom, 2004.
[5] S. Gropper and J. Smith, Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 7th ed., Cengage, 2018.
[6] B. Greenfield, Boundless, Victory Belt, 2021.
[7] B. Greenfield, Boundless, Victory Belt, 2020.
[8] C. Nathan, Fundamentals of Inflammation, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010.
[9] P. Hauri and S. Linde, No More Sleepless Nights, Wiley, 1996.
[10] S. Cohen et al., “Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold,” Arch. Intern. Med., vol. 169, no. 1, pp. 62–67, Jan. 2009.
[11] N. Nathan, Toxic: Heal Your Body, Victory Belt, 2018.
[12] S. W. Porges, The Polyvagal Theory, W. W. Norton, 2011.
[13] P. Dettmer, Immune, Random House, 2021.
[14] K. Aoyama, “Glutathione in the brain,” Int. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 22, no. 9, p. 5010, 2021.
[15] R. B. Kreider et al., Essentials of Exercise & Sport Nutrition, Human Kinetics, 2019.
[16] D. S. Kalman, T. Ziegenfuss, and J. Antonio, “ISSN position stand: Nutritional supplements and immune function,” J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr., vol. 17, pp. 1–25, 2020.
[17] M. Greenwood et al., “Nutritional support for the athlete’s immune system,” Curr. Sports Med. Rep., vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 192–198, 2009.
[18] S. Wasser, “Medicinal mushrooms as a source of antitumor and immunomodulating polysaccharides,” Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 258–274, 2002.
[19] J. Antonio et al., Nutritional Supplements in Sports and Exercise, Humana Press, 2008.
[20] M. R. Irwin, “Sleep and inflammation: Partners in sickness and in health,” Nat. Rev. Immunol., vol. 19, pp. 702–715, 2019.