The immune system works hard.
Like a car or plane or boat, it needs fuel to keep
working hard. The fuel for the immune system is a long list
of micronutrients, the most mentioned being vitamin
C, and rightly so. Vitamin C plays an significant
role in a healthy functioning immune system.
In addition to spine pain care, Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation asks our Tonawanda
chiropractic patients to notice their body’s fuel
levels of nutrients like vitamin C. Nutrition is important!
LOW VITAMIN C LEVELS
Researchers studied what factors contribute
to low vitamin C status and found that vitamin C levels are influenced
mostly by dietary intake. Diet can be influenced by
cultural features like traditional cooking methods with
traditional core foods like grains which have little vitamin C to give.
Environmental factors play a role like geographic region,
season, climate, and pollution. Demographic factors like age, race,
sex, and socioeconomic factors like deprivation, education, institutionalization,
and social class. Health factors like smoking, body weight, pregnancy/lactation,
genetic variants, as well as diseases like severe infection or
cardiovascular disease or cancerimpact C levels. Quite a few issues seem to add to vitamin C levels and need
to be considered when making
global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied
very well around the world particularly in
low- and middle- income countries. Completed studies have shown that vitamin C deficiency is not
unusual in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings.
(2) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation may not be able to fix the vitamin C levels
of those around the world, but we are available to our Tonawanda
chiropractic friends!
ROLE OF VITAMIN C IN IMMUNE FUNCTION
Vitamin C is a well-recognized essential
factor in immune function and epigenetic inflammatory modifications. Vitamin C
is optimally obtained by regular dietary intake. 41.8%
of participants in the 2003-2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Surveys (NHANES) has inadequate levels of vitamin C.
Insufficient vitamin C plasma levels were found in
males, adults aged 20-59, Black and Mexican Americans, smokers, those who
have higher BMI, and those with middle and high poverty to income
ratio and food insecurity. These people are at higher
risk for inflammatory driven disease with little or no signs
of low vitamin C levels. (3) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation urge our Tonawanda
chiropractic patients recognize if they are at risk for low nutrient
levels and work to raise them to be as healthy as possible!
IMMUNE SYSTEM
Health and well-being is a delicate balance of
many issues, one being a good functioning
immune system. Researchers have established levels of
intake of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, but
many people‘s levels are low. Inadequate levels
of such nutrients damage the immune system and weaken
its response when it is most needed.
In a study of 26,282 adults over age 19 in the 2005-2016 NHANES study, a “prevalence
of inadequacy” was seen for all of these:
- 45% for vitamin A
- 46% for vitamin C
- 95% for vitamin D
- 84% for vitamin E
- 15% for zinc
Supplementation is described as beneficial
while a recommendation for better understanding of the interactions of
multiple nutrient deficiencies on the immune system is also suggested.
This would help detect optimal levels of intake for at-risk
people. (4) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation is prepared to check the vitamin
C levels of our Tonawanda chiropractic patients and help them adjust it as needed.
CONTACT Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
illustrates the role chiropractic may have in immune
system health as well as how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management works.
Make your Tonawanda chiropractic
appointment today. Together, we can delve into just
how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working optimally!