The immune system works hard.
Like any organ or machine, it needs fuel to keep
working hard. The fuel for the immune system is a long list
of micronutrients, the most discussed being vitamin
C, and for good reason. Vitamin C plays an influential
role in a healthy functioning immune system.
In addition to spine pain care, Chiropractic Care asks our West Palm Beach
chiropractic patients to pay attention to their body’s fuel
levels of vitamins like vitamin C. Nutrition is important!
LOW VITAMIN C LEVELS
Researchers examined what factors add
to low vitamin C status and learned 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 offer.
Environmental factors have a role like geographic region,
season, climate, and pollution. Demographic issues 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. So
many issues seem to contribute to vitamin C levels and should be considered when creating
global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied
well enough around the world particularly in
low- and middle- income countries. Completed studies have shown that vitamin C deficiency is commonplace in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings.
(2) Chiropractic Care may not be able to address the vitamin C levels
of those around the world, but we are here for our West Palm Beach
chiropractic friends!
ROLE OF VITAMIN C IN IMMUNE FUNCTION
Vitamin C is a well-recognized key
factor in immune function and epigenetic inflammatory modifications. Vitamin C
is best 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.
Deficient vitamin C plasma levels were noted 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 folks are at higher
risk for inflammatory driven disease with little or no signs
of low vitamin C levels. (3) Chiropractic Care encourage our West Palm Beach
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 careful balance of
several issues, one being a well-functioning
immune system. Researchers have established intake levels of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, but
many people are low. Inadequate levels
of such nutrients impair the immune system and lessen
its response when it is needed most.
In a study of 26,282 adults over age 19 in the 2005-2016 NHANES study, a “prevalence
of inadequacy” was found 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 call for better understanding of the interactions of
multiple nutrient deficiencies on the immune system is also made.
This would help detect optimal levels of intake for at-risk
people. (4) Chiropractic Care is ready to analyze the vitamin
C levels of our West Palm Beach chiropractic patients and assist them in
adjusting it as needed.
CONTACT Chiropractic Care
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the role chiropractic may have in immune
system health along with how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management works.
Make your West Palm Beach chiropractic
appointment soon. Together, we can explore just
how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working best!