IMMUNE SUPPORT · RESEARCH REVIEW
Supplements for Immune Support in Flu Season: What One Vitamin E Trial Found
Every October the same question comes up at the pharmacy counter: is there anything else I should be doing? One research team tested a form of vitamin E next to the standard flu shot. The answer they got is interesting, and narrower than the headlines suggest.
The short version
Adults in a small randomized trial who took a palm-derived vitamin E extract had higher antibody levels after their flu shot than adults who took a placebo. The trial measured antibodies in the blood. It did not count flu cases, it ran at one site, and industry funded part of it.
Quick answer
No study shows that vitamin E makes the flu shot work better in real life. Get the vaccine. If you are considering a supplement, read the label for what it contains and check with a clinician if you take blood thinners.
Section 01 What did the vitamin E flu trial actually test?
Researchers at Monash University Malaysia ran an eight-week, single-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 127 healthy adults aged 18 to 60. Participants took TRF capsules at 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg a day, or a placebo. On day 28 everyone received the standard influenza vaccine, and blood samples were tested again at day 56.
All groups built strong antibody responses to the vaccine. The TRF groups ended the study with significantly higher IgG antibody levels than placebo, and the differences between the TRF doses were not statistically significant. The vaccine was the 2022 to 2023 season formulation, so the result says nothing direct about this season's shot.
Study 01
Nutrition Research (2026): Immunomodulatory effects of palm-derived tocotrienol-rich fraction in healthy volunteers following influenza vaccination (Chen et al.)
Finding: In 127 healthy adults aged 18 to 60, the TRF groups had significantly higher IgG antibody titers than placebo at day 56, after an 8-week daily course and a flu shot at day 28. No significant difference between TRF doses.
What it means: A higher antibody number in a lab test. It is not a count of flu cases.
View the paper (doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2026.07.004) · Trade coverage, NutraIngredients
Section 02 Why are antibody levels not the same as protection?
Antibodies are a useful lab marker. They show how the immune system responded to a vaccine. They are not the same thing as being protected from flu. This trial did not follow participants through the winter to see who got sick, how often, or how badly, so it cannot tell you whether higher antibody numbers would mean fewer illness days.
Read it as a signal worth testing in larger, longer trials. It is not a finding you can act on with confidence yet.
Section 03 Who funded the study, and how small was it?
The study was funded by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Monash University Malaysia and ExcelVite Sdn Bhd, a commercial supplier. Industry funding does not make a study wrong, but it is a reason to read the results carefully and to wait for independent replication.
The trial was also small and ran at one site. Some coverage points to the 400 mg group as the strongest. The paper reports no significant difference between the TRF doses, so there is no clear best dose, and this study should not be read as one.
Section 04 What does the CDC recommend?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a flu vaccine every season for everyone aged six months and older, with rare exceptions. It matters most for people at higher risk of serious complications. The CDC also notes that in seasons when vaccine viruses match the circulating viruses, flu vaccination has reduced the risk of needing a doctor for flu by 40 to 60 percent.
No supplement, including this one, replaces that shot. If you are deciding between a vaccine and a bottle, the vaccine does the heavy lifting.
Section 05 Where does a daily supplement fit?
Most of what supports your immune system through winter is unglamorous. Regular sleep, managing stress and a varied diet come first. Our guide to strengthening your immune system naturally covers those habits, and our overview of immune support supplements explains how to judge a formula before you buy it.
Goal
Protection from flu
Get the vaccine every season, as early as your clinic offers it. The CDC recommendation covers everyone aged six months and older.
Goal
Everyday immune habits
Sleep, stress management and a varied diet carry the most support, and no supplement replaces them.
Goal
A daily formula
Immune Axis Pro is a 10-ingredient supplement taken as two capsules a day, built around yeast beta-glucan and vitamin D3. It does not contain vitamin E, and it is not a flu vaccine.
A short label checklist
- Is every ingredient listed with its amount?
- Is the serving size stated, and how many capsules make one day?
- Does the label claim to prevent flu? If so, that is a red flag.
- Do you already take a multivitamin or another product with the same ingredients?
Section 06 Who should check with a clinician first?
High doses of vitamin E can interact with blood thinners. If you take a blood thinner, are pregnant or nursing, or have a medical condition, ask your prescriber or pharmacist before you add any vitamin E product. Treat any single study as one piece of evidence. A trial of 127 people is a starting point, not a verdict, and that is the most useful way to read this one.
Frequently asked questions
Does vitamin E make the flu shot work better?
A small trial found higher antibody levels after the flu shot in people taking a palm-derived vitamin E extract compared with placebo. Antibody levels are a lab measure, not proof of fewer flu cases, so the trial does not show the shot works better in real life.
What is tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF)?
TRF is a vitamin E extract taken from palm oil. It is mostly tocotrienols, a group of vitamin E compounds that differ from the tocopherols found in most standard vitamin E supplements.
Should I take a supplement instead of a flu shot?
No. The CDC recommends a flu vaccine every season for everyone aged six months and older, with rare exceptions. A supplement does not replace it.
Who should get a flu vaccine?
The CDC recommends it for everyone aged six months and older, with rare exceptions, and says it is especially important for people at higher risk of serious flu complications.
How big was the vitamin E flu trial?
It enrolled 127 healthy adults aged 18 to 60 at a single site in Malaysia. It ran for eight weeks and was double-blind and placebo-controlled.
Who funded the study?
The Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Monash University Malaysia and ExcelVite Sdn Bhd, a commercial supplier, according to NutraIngredients' report on the study.
Which dose worked best?
The paper reports no statistically significant difference between the 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg doses. Some coverage points to 400 mg, but the study does not establish a best dose.
Is vitamin E safe to take every day?
This trial ran for eight weeks at these doses and does not establish long-term safety. High-dose vitamin E can interact with blood thinners, so check with your prescriber before adding it.
How long before a supplement affects immune response?
In this trial, people took the capsules daily for eight weeks, with the flu shot given at week four. No study here shows how quickly a daily supplement would change anything for a typical person.
Does Immune Axis Pro contain vitamin E?
No. The product page lists ten ingredients, including yeast beta-glucan and vitamin D3. Vitamin E is not among them, and the product does not claim to prevent flu.
References
- Chen S, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of palm-derived tocotrienol-rich fraction in healthy volunteers following influenza vaccination: A randomized clinical trial. Nutrition Research. 2026. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2026.07.004
- NutraIngredients. Supplementation with plant oil extract may improve influenza vaccine efficacy. October 6, 2026. nutraingredients.com
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu Vaccine Basics. Updated September 1, 2026. cdc.gov/flu/vaccines
Related reading
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing your supplement routine, particularly if you take prescription medication such as blood thinners, are pregnant or nursing, or have a medical condition.