Why Energy and Immunity Are More Connected Than You Think
Energy and immunity are two sides of the same coin. When your immune system springs into action to respond to a challenge, it demands a significant amount of your body's energy reserves. This is why you can feel exhausted when you are feeling unwell. Your body is literally diverting fuel away from everyday activities to power your immune response.
Quick Answer: The Energy-Immunity Connection
- Mounting an immune response is energetically expensive. Fighting an immune challenge can require hundreds of extra calories per day, comparable to the energy your heart or brain uses. Research in immunology has highlighted this energetic cost as a key trade off in how the body allocates resources.
- Your body prioritises immunity over other functions. When feeling unwell, energy shifts from maintaining body temperature and digestion towards fuelling immune cells and producing antibodies. This idea is discussed in depth in work on the energetic costs of immunity.
- Stored fuels are mobilised when you are feeling unwell. When appetite drops, your body breaks down glycogen, fat, and even muscle tissue to create ketone bodies and amino acids that support immune function.
- Chronic stress and poor diet can create an energetic imbalance. These modern lifestyle factors can leave your immune system less supported and less efficient.
- Plant-based nutrients and functional mushrooms can help. Beta-glucans, antioxidants, and adaptogens from sources like Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, and Reishi may help support both energy production and immune resilience as part of a holistic lifestyle.
Understanding this relationship is important because many people struggle with feeling run down, persistent fatigue, or both, often without realising these issues may share a common energetic root.
I am Brandi Garden, co-founder of Eversio Wellness, and my own health challenges and burnout led me to explore the fascinating intersection of energy and immunity through functional mushrooms. In this guide, I will walk you through the science of how your body budgets energy for immune defence and share practical, plant-based strategies to support both systems naturally.
The Energetic Cost of Immunity: Your Body's Internal Budget
Imagine your body as a sophisticated financial manager, constantly balancing a budget of precious energy. Every function, from thinking to breathing, requires energy. When your body faces an immune challenge, your immune system essentially puts in an urgent, high-priority request for a significant chunk of that energy budget. This is where the delicate balance between energy and immunity becomes critical.
Our bodies are designed to make tough choices when resources are scarce. One of the most striking examples of this prioritisation happens when we feel unwell. You might notice you feel lethargic, lose your appetite, and perhaps even experience a change in body temperature. These are not just unpleasant symptoms. They are part of a sophisticated energy-conserving strategy.
Sickness Behaviour: Conserving Energy for the Fight
When facing an immune challenge, our bodies often enter an energy-conserving state, sometimes characterised by hypometabolism, which is a reduced metabolic rate, and even hypothermia, which is a lowered body temperature. Research summarised in the journal Nature Reviews Immunology describes this as a trade off in which the body may prioritise mounting an effective immune response over maintaining a normal body temperature, even though a higher temperature itself is energetically costly.
For example, maintaining a higher body temperature can demand over 250 extra calories daily for an average adult. To put that into perspective, our brain typically requires around 373 calories and our heart about 168 calories daily for their essential functions.
This energy diversion is also reflected in what scientists call sickness behaviour. When we are unwell, we often experience fatigue, withdraw socially, and lose interest in food. This behaviour is not just a consequence of feeling sick. It is an adaptive mechanism to conserve energy. By reducing physical activity and other energy-intensive processes like digestion, the body can redirect precious resources to fuel the immune system's intense demands.
From an ecological perspective, immunity is one of many vital functions that compete for energy, and its priority is adaptively managed based on immediate threats and available resources. Reviews such as the one on the cost of immunity describe how these trade offs can shift depending on context.
Research also highlights that while stress can sometimes suppress immune functions, these changes are not always detrimental. Instead, they can be seen as adaptive shifts where energy is diverted from immunity to other priorities, such as immediate survival or resource acquisition, when those are more critical in the short term. However, this prioritisation is not without its drawbacks. For individuals with specific health considerations, such as some older adults, these energy conservation strategies may require more careful management.
How Your Body Fuels the Fight: Metabolic Shifts During Illness
When the immune system is activated, it does not just demand more energy. It also triggers significant metabolic shifts in how our bodies generate and use fuel. This reprogramming is crucial for supporting the rapid proliferation of immune cells and the production of protective molecules.
Reprogramming Your Internal Engine
During an immune response, especially in response to an immune trigger, your body undergoes specific metabolic changes. One shift is away from using readily available carbohydrates from recent meals towards mobilising stored fuel sources. This involves breaking down glycogen, which is stored glucose, and fat reserves.
When food intake is reduced while feeling unwell, a common occurrence due to loss of appetite, your body taps into its internal fuel tanks. Initially, it might use glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. However, for sustained energy, it turns to fat.
The body also mobilises amino acids from skeletal muscle. This means that during prolonged periods of feeling unwell, some of the weight loss experienced is not just fat, but also lean body mass. These amino acids play a vital role in supporting ketogenesis, the process of producing ketone bodies, which can serve as an alternative fuel source for various tissues, including the brain and immune cells.
Recent work in Cellular and Molecular Immunology and other journals has shown that during immune activation, there is often a shift from using ingested carbohydrates to relying more on ketone bodies and stored fuels. This metabolic reprogramming is a testament to the body's ability to adapt in a crisis and is discussed in more detail in research on sickness metabolism and ketone use.
Liver's Role in Fuel Management
The liver acts as a central command centre for these metabolic shifts. During an immune response, the liver undergoes significant changes to support the immune system. For example, in sickness induced by lipopolysaccharide, or LPS, which is a component of bacterial cell walls commonly used in research to mimic infection, there is often an accumulation of acylcarnitines in the plasma and liver. This suggests a suppression of fatty acid oxidation, which means the liver is less efficient at burning fats for energy.
Instead, it re-prioritises. The liver actively reprograms its metabolism to favour amino acid catabolism, or breaking down amino acids, over fatty acid oxidation. This supports the increased production of ketone bodies, which are critical for fuelling the immune response when glucose is scarce. Studies exploring liver metabolism and infection responses describe how these shifts help maintain energy supply to immune cells.
While energy conservation strategies like hypometabolism and hypothermia help reduce overall energy expenditure, the metabolic shifts ensure that the right kind of energy is available for the immune system. This complex interplay is a survival mechanism, allowing the body to manage the challenge while mounting a robust defence.
The Link Between Energy and Immunity: Lifestyle Factors
Our modern lives, with their unique stresses and dietary habits, significantly influence the delicate balance between energy and immunity. While our bodies are incredibly adaptive, continuous demands and insufficient resources can leave us feeling drained and less resilient. Understanding these lifestyle factors is key to supporting overall well-being.
The Impact of Chronic Stress on Energy and Immunity
Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but chronic stress can place a real burden on our energetic reserves and immune function. When we experience stress, our bodies release hormones like cortisol. In short bursts, cortisol can be beneficial, making glucose available from energy stores to fuel a short term fight or flight response.
However, prolonged elevation of cortisol due to chronic stress has a suppressive effect on many aspects of immune function. From an ecological perspective, chronic stress often signals a threat to resources, such as financial, social, or emotional. In such scenarios, the body may adaptively divert energy away from some immune functions towards coping mechanisms or resource protection.
Over time, immune cells can even become less responsive to cortisol signals. A widely cited review in Brain, Behaviour, and Immunity on stress and the immune system suggests that this can lead to a rebound of inflammation, which is linked to a higher risk of chronic health challenges.
This pattern can manifest as feeling constantly run down, as our energy is continuously redirected. Effective stress management is, therefore, a cornerstone for both energy and immunity.
How Diet Shapes Your Energy and Immunity
What we put on our plate directly impacts our internal energy budget and our immune system's ability to respond. A nutrient-dense diet, particularly one rich in plant-based foods, provides the essential micronutrients needed for optimal immune function.
Consider these vital nutrients:
- Vitamin A: Supports white blood cells and the protective mucus membranes in your urinary tract, intestines, and lungs, helping to shield against potential immune triggers.
- Vitamin B6: Important for producing white blood cells and T cells, which are frontline defenders against foreign particles.
- Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant that helps protect your body from oxidative stress and inflammation. Guidance from organisations such as the National Institutes of Health describes how adequate vitamin C contributes to immune defences.
- Vitamin D: Does more than just help your body defend against immune triggers. It also supports immune cell communication, may help support the body's natural defence processes, reduces inflammation, and supports healthy T cell levels. Research summarised in Nature Reviews Immunology discusses vitamin D and immune regulation.
- Vitamin E: Another antioxidant that helps your body support the immune response by keeping T cells working effectively.
- Zinc: Often called a gatekeeper of your immune system, as it is responsible for helping many immune cells function properly.
- Selenium: Activates aspects of the immune system and helps regulate its response, helping to prevent overactivity.
While traditional herbal preparations are often discussed for immune support, we focus on the power of functional mushrooms. These incredible fungi contain unique compounds like beta-glucans, which are complex fibres that help modulate and support immune responses, contributing to both robust energy and immunity. Getting these nutrients from whole foods is generally preferred, as vitamins and minerals are often absorbed and used more effectively when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
The Role of Ageing and Sleep
As we age, our immune system naturally becomes less efficient, a process sometimes referred to as inflamm-ageing. This age-related reduction in immune response capability can contribute to a reduced feeling of resilience and other health challenges. Micronutrient deficiencies can also become more prevalent with ageing, further impacting immune function. Reviews such as the one in Nature Reviews Rheumatology on ageing, inflammation, and the immune system explore these shifts in detail.
Sleep is another cornerstone of both energy and immunity. When we sleep, our bodies undertake vital repair and restoration processes. Sleep deprivation can increase energetic demands, disrupt hormones like cortisol, and impair immune efficiency. Research suggests that inadequate sleep can affect our immune resilience and may impact the body's normal immune processes.
For many people, building a holistic foundation that includes nourishing food, movement, meaningful rest, and support from functional mushrooms can be a gentle, sustainable way to care for both energy and immunity across different life stages.
Power Up Your Immunity with Functional Mushrooms
At Eversio Wellness, we believe in a holistic approach to health, where nature provides powerful allies to support your body's natural functions. Functional mushrooms are a cornerstone of this philosophy, offering unique compounds that can positively influence both your energy and immunity.
All our mushroom extract supplements are USDA Organic Certified, made from whole fruiting bodies, and are prepared using single or dual extraction methods to support bioavailability and potency. Eversio products also undergo third party testing for quality and purity, including aflatoxin testing by Pura and beta-glucan testing by SGS. You can explore testing details on our Certificate of Analysis page.
Energize Now - Organic Cordyceps 8:1 Extract Capsules
Cordyceps mushroom is often valued for its potential to support energy levels and stamina. In laboratory and animal studies, Cordyceps has been associated with support for ATP production, which is the primary energy currency of your cells. This may translate to reduced feelings of fatigue and improved endurance when used as part of a balanced lifestyle that also includes good nutrition, movement, and rest.
Our Energize Now - Organic Cordyceps 8:1 Extract Capsules harness the power of this remarkable fungus, providing a concentrated extract designed to support your body's energetic needs and overall vitality. We use whole fruiting body Cordyceps and a single extraction method that focuses on capturing key compounds, while avoiding fillers or grains.
Many people choose Cordyceps as a gentle alternative to stimulants, integrating it into their morning routine or pre-movement rituals. As always, it is one piece of a broader wellness picture that includes hydration, sleep hygiene, and stress management.
Defend Now - Organic Turkey Tail 12:1 Extract Capsules
Turkey Tail mushroom is renowned for its immune-modulating properties. It contains beneficial polysaccharides, particularly PSK, which stands for polysaccharide K, and PSP, which stands for polysaccharopeptide. These compounds are being studied for their ability to interact with immune cells and help balance the body's natural defences.
Emerging human and animal research suggests that Turkey Tail may help support a healthy gut microbiome, which is closely linked to overall immune function and energy levels. The presence of prebiotic fibres and diverse polysaccharides helps nourish beneficial gut bacteria that contribute to both digestion and immune regulation.
Our Defend Now - Organic Turkey Tail 12:1 Extract Capsules offer a concentrated dose of these immune-supporting compounds, helping you maintain a resilient immune system. The extract is made from USDA Organic, whole fruiting body mushrooms and is single extracted to preserve delicate polysaccharides such as beta-glucans.
Chill Now - Organic Reishi Mushroom 15:1 Dual Extract Capsules
Reishi mushroom, often referred to in traditional herbal systems as a symbol of vitality and balance, is a powerful adaptogen. Adaptogens are natural substances that help the body adapt to stress, supporting balance in systems like the nervous and endocrine systems.
By supporting healthy stress responses, Reishi can indirectly influence both energy levels and immune function. Many people find that Reishi may help promote more restful sleep and a sense of calm, which are essential foundations for strong immunity and consistent daytime energy.
Our unique dual extraction process for Reishi captures both water soluble compounds, such as beta-glucans, and alcohol soluble triterpenes, which broadens the spectrum of naturally occurring constituents. In 2 capsules, you benefit from 500 mg of 15:1 Reishi, which is equivalent to 7500 mg of dried mushroom material, sometimes written as 7500 mg QCE.
You can explore these benefits in our Chill Now - Organic Reishi Mushroom 15:1 Dual Extract Capsules, which are made from USDA Organic, whole fruiting body Reishi and tested by third party labs to help ensure purity and consistent beta-glucan content.
Reimagine Wellness, The Future is Fungi
The intricate dance between energy and immunity is a fundamental aspect of our health. Our bodies are constantly making energetic trade offs to keep us functioning, especially when faced with challenges like immune triggers or stress. By understanding how our internal systems prioritise and fuel these vital processes, we can make more informed choices to support overall well-being.
Embracing a holistic approach that includes a nutrient-rich, largely plant-based diet, effective stress management, adequate sleep, and regular physical activity provides a strong foundation. Thoughtfully chosen functional mushroom extracts, like those from Eversio Wellness, can offer additional targeted support for both your energy levels and immune resilience when used alongside these healthy lifestyle habits.
Ready to get started? Explore our full range of Eversio Wellness mushroom capsules today.
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