Immune System Support in Greenville, SC
Immune System Support at IHP Greenville — TCM, in-house herbal pharmacy, functional medicine. Dr. Hendry, DAOM. Call (864) 365-6156.
"Dr. Hendry spent a long time going over my particular medical situation and explaining his recommendations for getting my immune system back on track. I received acupuncture and supplements to start my treatment. I'm very excited about getting healthy again."
— Cam Norden · July 2025 · Google Review
Vitamin D deficiency doubles your infectious disease risk. Zinc deficiency impairs T-cell maturation and NK cell cytotoxicity. Both are present in large portions of the US population and both are entirely correctable. I start immune support with functional testing — not with a generic supplement stack — because the driver of the immune dysfunction determines the intervention. Aranow's research established that vitamin D receptors are present on virtually all immune cells and directly regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Yu Ping Feng San has clinical trial evidence for reducing upper respiratory infection frequency. That's the level of specificity I bring to immune medicine.
How Immune System Support Works
Immune support protocols combine acupuncture (which modulates NK cell activity, T-cell function, and inflammatory cytokine balance), Chinese herbal medicine (Yu Ping Feng San for immune deficiency; Huang Qi/astragalus, Ling Zhi/reishi, and other immunomodulatory herbs), and functional medicine testing (vitamin D, zinc, selenium, NK cell function, IgG panel, and gut health markers).
Conditions Treated with Immune System Support
Immune System Support vs. Annual Flu Shot and 'Wash Your Hands'
Standard conventional immune guidance for healthy adults consists largely of annual influenza vaccination, basic hygiene recommendations, and occasionally vitamin C or zinc during cold season. This approach addresses immune challenge after-the-fact rather than building the underlying immune resilience that determines how well you respond to pathogens in the first place. At IHP, Dr. Hendry evaluates the structural foundations of immune function: vitamin D status (the most clinically impactful and commonly deficient immune regulator — deficiency is associated with 2–3x increased infection risk), zinc and selenium sufficiency (essential for T-cell maturation and NK cell activity), gut microbiome diversity and barrier integrity (70% of immune tissue is in the gut), and HPA axis function (chronic cortisol elevation is the most potent immune suppressor known). Acupuncture protocols using LI11, ST36, SP6, and immune-regulating point combinations have documented effects on NK cell activity and T-cell function in peer-reviewed trials. Chinese herbal formulas (Yu Ping Feng San/Jade Windscreen is the most studied immune-tonifying formula in traditional Chinese medicine) have clinical evidence for reducing upper respiratory infection frequency. This is immune medicine, not immune superstition.
Research & Evidence
The role of specific micronutrients in immune function is extensively documented. Bach (2002, Lancet) documented the parallel rise in autoimmune and allergic conditions in industrialized countries, proposing that reduced microbial exposure and dietary micronutrient depletion drive immune dysregulation. Research on vitamin D and immune function (Aranow, 2011, Journal of Investigative Medicine) shows that vitamin D receptors are present on virtually all immune cells and that vitamin D deficiency impairs both innate and adaptive immune responses. Zinc deficiency — prevalent in up to 30% of the US population by functional assessment — impairs T-cell maturation, NK cell cytotoxicity, and antibody production. Multiple clinical trials on Yu Ping Feng San have demonstrated statistically significant reductions in upper respiratory infection rates compared to placebo, with the immunomodulatory effects attributed to polysaccharides from astragalus and atractylodes that directly stimulate macrophage and NK cell activity.
Your First Appointment
Describe your immune history: frequency of infections, healing speed, response to illness, and whether you are prone to certain types of infections (upper respiratory, opportunistic, etc.). Recent illness history and current medications that affect immunity are relevant.
Why Dr. Hendry for Immune System Support
Dr. Hendry's Chinese herbal pharmacology training includes the most extensively studied immune-modulatory herbs in the world. His functional medicine testing goes far beyond standard immune panels to identify the specific drivers of immune dysfunction.