Prof. Kyurkchiev: Why We Shouldn't Stimulate the Immune System Without Indications

13.01.2026 | Medicine

Prof. Dobroslav Kyurkchiev, head of the Clinical Immunology Laboratory at UMBAL "Ivan Rilski", explains why stimulating the immune system without specific indications is dangerous. He warns about the negative consequences of excessive use of immunostimulants and vitamins, emphasizing the need for preliminary tests.

Снимка от Wesley Carter, U.S. Air Force, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

The immune system should be stimulated when there are indications for it. And the indications for this are not internal sensations, but immunological tests, which specify that it is not well. People, even more so during an infection, should in no way stimulate their immune system, because we can get unpleasant effects, said in "The Day Begins" Prof. Dobroslav Kyurkchiev - head of the laboratory of clinical immunology, UMBAL "Ivan Rilski".

In my words, "the immune system is not just a beautiful fairy that protects us - it can become an ugly witch that can turn against us".

"Immunity is not something that works quantitatively. It must be a balanced system and if you don't find an imbalance - poking a balanced system is never a good idea, both in life and in the immune system".

Prof. Kyurkchiev explained that excessive use of vitamins can also have negative consequences, i.e. first of all, tests should be done and on the basis of this, it should be clarified whether and how many vitamins should be given.

According to him, the concept that "immunostimulants can put a shield against the flu" is utopian.

A variant is the vaccine, which in turn is also not a guarantee, but at least "the course of the disease is milder".

"Stuffing with immunostimulants increases the risk of an unfavorable course of the disease, precisely because of the overreaction of the immune system, which is entirely possible".