Why RFK Jr.’s Stance on Nutritional Support of Immune Health is Right

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been lambasted by the mainstream media for telling Americans they should think about their vitamin intake in the face of potential threats of measles and bird flu. Are his views wacky, or is he shining a spotlight on a long-overdue call to address America’s widespread nutrient deficiencies?

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THE TOPLINE

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken flak for promoting the importance of nutrition in immune health, emphasizing that while vaccines play a role in disease prevention, a well-balanced diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals is crucial for immune resilience.
• Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) highlights most Americans consume well below the amounts required for optimal health and immune resilience, with many falling short of even basic recommended daily allowances for key vitamins like A, C, D, and E that simply prevent deficiency diseases.
• Kennedy’s stance aligns with the principle of informed consent, arguing that individuals should be educated on all possible options to support immune health, whether pharmaceutical, nutritional, or lifestyle in nature, rather than dismissing dietary strategies as anti-vaccine rhetoric.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent comments as HHS Secretary about the importance of nutrition in supporting immune health have been met with significant criticism. Yet his statements reflect well-documented, yet insufficiently communicated, scientific evidence about the role of vitamins and minerals in maintaining a strong immune system. Kennedy emphasized that while vaccines play a vital role in public health, “Good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses. Vitamins A, C, and D, and foods rich in vitamins B12, C, and E should be part of a balanced diet.”

The reality is that many Americans—children and adults alike—fail to meet some of the most basic benchmarks for key nutrients essential for immune function. Is it really so outlandish for a public health leader to call attention to this alarming fact?

The Nutrient Deficiency Crisis

Data from the US government’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show alarming gaps in Americans’ consumption of key micronutrients. Not only are many of us far below what integrative health experts consider optimal; millions of Americans fall short of the government-set guidelines developed to ensure we don’t develop deficiency diseases like scurvy and rickets.

In Table 1 below, we’ve compared average (mean) daily intake data derived from NHANES for 5 vitamins and one mineral that are recognized as being essential to immune health and compared these with two other metrics: the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) and the Optimum Daily Allowance (ODA). The RDA is one of several values that make up the Dietary Reference Intakes and have been developed by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The RDA is defined as “the intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group.” By contrast, the ODA represents levels set up leading British nutritionist Patrick Holford, a long-time associate of ANH, that represents common views of optimal intakes for adults among clinical nutritionists, functional medicine practitioners, and other nutrition specialists.   

What the data show is that the average intake only meets the RDA in the case of vitamin B12. Even for this vitamin, it is not worth being complacent, because there are still vast numbers who are below this level (because we are looking at mean intakes, not minimum intakes). More than this, the RDA is incredibly low, and simply prevents vitamin B12 deficiency conditions such as megaloblastic anemia, peripheral neuropathy and cognitive issues. As you will note the amounts required for optimum health (for all vitamins and minerals), as shown by the ODAs, are substantially higher. Here we see that the mean intakes represent only 4 to 49% of the optimal intakes. This means that for these 6 micronutrients deemed by consensus science to be essential for the immune health of adults, there is a very strong justification for increasing intakes, whether this is through the diet or with supplements.   

Table 1. Mean daily intakes of adults (aged 20 years and over) based on NHANES, compared against the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) (for men and women) and Optimum Daily Allowances (ODAs)*

Nutrient	Mean Daily Intake (Age 20 and over)	RDA (Men)	RDA (Women)	Optimum Daily Allowance (ODA)	Mean Daily Intake as % of ODA
Vitamin A (RAE)	580.5 mcg	900 mcg	700 mcg	2,500 mcg	36
Vitamin D	4.3 mcg	15-20 mcg	15-20 mcg	100 mcg†	14
Vitamin C	87.3 mg	90 mg	75 mg	2,000 mg	4
Vitamin E	9.8 mg	15 mg	15 mg	250 mg	4
Vitamin B12	4.3 mcg	2.4 mcg	2.4 mcg	25 mcg	17
Zinc	9.8 mg	11 mg	8 mg	20 mg	49

In Table 2, we’ve compared mean daily intakes for children (from 2 through to 19 years of age) versus optimum levels for two groups of younger kids (1 to 4-year-olds and 5 to 8-year-olds). Even these show disturbingly low levels of intake compared with optimum levels.

Table 2. Mean daily intakes of children (aged 2-19 years) based on NHANES, compared against the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for kids and Optimum Daily Allowances (ODAs)*, based on relative body weight conversions of ODAs.  

Nutrient	Mean Daily Intake (Ages 2-19)	RDA (for kids aged 1-8)	ODA 1-4yo	ODA 5-8yo
Vitamin A (RAE)	481 mcg	300-400 mcg	500-750 mcg	750-1050 mcg
Vitamin D	4.35 mcg	15 mcg	6-9 mcg	9-13 mcg
Vitamin C	79.8 mg	15-25 mg	400-600 mg†	600-840 mg*
Vitamin E	7.9 mg	6-7 mg	50-75 mg‡	75-105 mg†
Vitamin B12	3.33 mcg	0.9-1.2 mcg	5-8 mcg	8-10.5 mcg
Zinc	8.15 mg	N/A	4-6 mg	6-9 mg

It’s impossible to build resilience, to give our immune system the tools it needs to ward off infectious diseases, if the body is lacking the resources it needs to mount a full, healthy immune response.  

This is not to say that good nutrition or supplementation with key micronutrients are cure-alls. It is an argument for health authorities to take a larger view of disease mitigation and prevention, as RFK Jr. has. Many people will choose to vaccinate. Other will choose differently.

Like RFK Jr., we also believe passionately that each one of us should be able to exercise our right to make informed choices, especially when it comes to managing our health. This means we need to be informed of all the options that are available, including those that can be administered through self-care, that are unnatural and unpatented. This of course means being informed of the various tools in the natural medicine cabinet that can be used to boost our resilience.

SAD State of Affairs

Information about the far-reaching consequences of dietary choices should be a priority for public health officials. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is crippling our health: three out of four Americans don’t eat a single piece of fruit in a given day, and nine out of ten don’t reach the minimum recommendations for vegetables. The SAD is high in ultra-processed foods and low in fiber and polyphenols needed to support gut health. With 70–80 percent of immune cells residing in the gut, diet plays a pivotal role in immune resilience. A nutrient-poor diet leads to an imbalance in the gut microbiota, which weakens immune function and increases susceptibility to infections.

Let’s not forget that the nutrient content of foods has declined over the past century due to modern agricultural practices. Many essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc and magnesium, are less abundant in food today, requiring supplementation for optimal intake.

The over prescription of antibiotics to children is another factor undermining gut and immune health. Antibiotics disrupt gut microbiota by wiping out beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones. This imbalance can weaken the immune system, making individuals more prone to illness. Recovery of gut bacteria after antibiotic use can take months, and in some cases, the diversity of the microbiome never fully returns to its previous state. One study found that, for some people, a course of antibiotics causes a persistent reduction in microbiome diversity similar to patients hospitalized in intensive care units.

Key Nutrients for Immune Health

Micronutrients are critical to support immune health. For more details on these nutrients, you can reference the resources from our colleagues at ANH International.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is crucial for immune function, cell growth, and skin health. However, many Americans do not consume enough preformed vitamin A from liver, eggs, and fish, relying instead on beta-carotene conversion from plant sources, which is inefficient. Supplementation may be necessary to meet optimal levels.

RFK Jr.’s reference to vitamin A helping with measles has been particularly criticized by the media. Here’s what the HHS Secretary said:

While there is no approved antiviral for those who may be infected, CDC has recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.

These are actually science–backed statements and shouldn’t be controversial. Then we’re told that these data don’t apply to the US because the studies involved areas of the world with malnourished populations. Again, consider the tables above. While most of us in the US are not malnourished, the evidence is clear that we are not getting enough of the right nutrients in our diet which, along with many other factors (like exposure to environmental chemicals, lack of exercise, stress, etc.), prevents optimal immune function.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C acts as both an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant in fighting infections. Daily maintenance doses range from 250–500 mg, with immune-challenged individuals benefiting from 2-3 grams in divided doses.

Vitamin D

Research shows that 100 mcg (4,000 IU) or more of vitamin D3 is often required to achieve optimal blood levels. Low vitamin D is linked to increased susceptibility to infections, and the common “flu season” may be linked to seasonal declines in vitamin D due to reduced sun exposure.

Zinc

Zinc is vital for immune cell function, particularly T cells. Modern diets, soil depletion, and high-grain consumption (which binds zinc, reducing absorption) contribute to deficiencies. The recommended daily intake for immune support is 25-50 mg of bioavailable zinc. Don’t take zinc supplements with grain-based foods to avoid binding with phytic acid. Consider taking it in liquid or lozenge form between meals.

Nutrition and Informed Consent

One of the key aspects of Kennedy’s stance is the principle of informed consent. If individuals opt not to receive vaccines, they should be fully educated on the complete spectrum of immune-supporting strategies, including diet and supplementation. The notion that immune health relies solely on pharmaceuticals ignores the body’s innate ability to resist disease when properly nourished.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is right to highlight the role of nutrition in immune health. It is not an “anti-vaccine” stance to promote a strong, well-nourished immune system—it is a pro-health stance. Instead of attacking Kennedy for advocating better nutrition, public health officials should focus on addressing widespread nutrient deficiencies that leave many Americans vulnerable to illness. Ensuring that everyone—especially children—receives adequate vitamins and minerals is a simple, effective, and evidence-based approach to building true immune resilience.

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