Self-Defense: A Myth-Busting Guide to Immune Health

by Daniel M. Davis

This is an audiobook version of this book.

A world-renowned scientist offers a much-needed analysis of what it takes to have good immune health—helping listeners navigate what can really help, what is a complete myth, and why.

Does orange juice help ward off colds? And how does our age affect our ability to recover from one? When it comes to immunity, are we really what we eat? Or how much we eat? We are surrounded by big questions and big claims about enhancing our immune systems, so how do we tell the fiction from the facts? And, ultimately, what can we do to reduce our chances of getting sick?

World-leading immunologist Daniel M. Davis offers answers in this authoritative, highly accessible, myth-busting guide to the effects of stress, age, exercise, weight, nutrition, sleep, vaccines, and mental health on our immune health. Taking us to the cutting edge of immunology research and explaining both what we know and how we know it, Self-Defense helps listeners spot phony claims and make informed choices. Davis shows us that everyone’s immune system is entirely unique, and that’s why we should be wary of one-size-fits-all “cures.” We learn how exercise, for example, has all sorts of different, even opposing, short- and long-term effects on our immune health. And while our gut microbes are vitally important, it’s unlikely that yogurt drinks can really boost your immune system to stop you getting ill.

An eye-opening window into some of the astonishing possibilities for the future, when it comes to distinguishing bogus and beneficial health claims about everything from vitamin D to inflammation and cancer therapies, Davis’s book may be your best self-defense.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Health

296 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

Daniel M. Davis is Head of Life Sciences and Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London. His previous books include The Beautiful Cure, which was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2018, and The Secret Body, which was described variously as 'an inspiration' by Tim Spector, 'beautifully rendered' by Brian Cox and 'masterful' by Alice Roberts. He has published over 150 academic research papers and is a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2025, he was awarded an MBE for services to science communication.

Reviews

[Zackary Ryan Cockrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: As someone recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, I have been in search of any immune related information. Self-Defense was the perfect book for my research. The author is humble, explores diversity in research (as a trans person felt really important) and felt very personable. I really appreciated that this wasn't a book written from ego. It was a book written to try to help dispel a lot of myths around immune health especially in the wake of capitalism and social media. I got a lot out of this book and highly recommend it.

[Begüm Yener]

değerli bir profesörün kitabı (tabii ki kendisine placement için yazacağızzz) ve genel olarak baya bilgi edindim sadece konu gereği çok net cevaplar yoktu ama bağışıklık sistemi de böyle bir şey ig. yeni konulara bakmak için ilham oldu

[Dea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Your immune system is, in some ways, the most unique thing about you."

Intriguing bird's eye view of what is currently known in the field of immune science. While at times dense, Daniel Davis does his best to explain concepts and terminology in an approachable way. I wouldn't call this a "light read," but worthwhile.

I learned a lot of helpful information, like that vitamin A and D have more evidence for immune support than vitamin C. There was also a very helpful review of how vaccinations work, what adjuvants are, and why malaria vaccination has reduced deaths but not transmission.

Davis also disentangles commonly held beliefs and theories that are frequently held as facts. Some commonly believed theories turn out to be true, such as that one is more likely to pass away shortly after their spouse does and that mental health and immune health are closely linked, while others turn out to be false or unsupported, such as yogurt and probiotic drinks ensuring a healthy biome.

Overall, Davis emphasizes that immune systems are incredibly intricate and subject-specific; therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to supplements and routines. In fact, some aspects, such as lifespan, are highly genetically linked from the very start. He promotes making healthy choices consistently, such as exercising in moderation, avoiding obesity, getting rest, reducing long-term stress, and thinking carefully before falling for the hype of overpriced health products. I would recommend this for anyone curious about preventing or ameliorating autoimmune disorders and/or interested in a deep-dive analysis of many old wives' tales about healthy living.

Thank you, NetGalley and University of Chicago Press, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discussions of boosting the immune system come up frequently and lots of claims are made. But what is the reality of this boosting? This is what Dr.Davis addresses in this book. I found the writing to be conversational and well-paced. The book isn’t a deep dive into immunology but goes into enough depth that readers will gain insight into “boosting” claims. Dr. Davis is very clear that there are rarely simple answers and sometimes more medical research is required, despite the desire for simple yes/no answers. Overall this is a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you to Netgalley and University of Chicago Press for the advance reader copy.

[Madison Geery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book looking for quick fix or any changes I can make to improve my immune system. I was mistaken because there is no immune quick fix, but lots of really well-researched questions and interesting theories on how your immune system differs based on how you live your life. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to expand their knowledge on how the body works and how far science has come!

[Patty Steffens · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for answers about immune health, this is not the book for you. But I am not sure any book can really provide any answers as the field of study is in its infancy. The lack of clear, scientific evidence about the immune system is the central point of this book.