Years of research have recorded advantageous
activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, metabolic issues, cancer, inflammation,
auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes,
thyroiditis, and others. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation continues
getting better! Researchers today are evaluating
vitamin D’s effects on biomarkers like CRP, NPY, TNF-alpha, etc.,
after spinal manipulation and medical care. (2) In older adults who don’t always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers described
that even a slightly increased intake of
vitamin D was associated with a lower incidence of
pain over 5 years in addition to frequency of pain, severity, and
number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and West Palm Beach back pain, a common
problem that influences millions of people worldwide? Lately, research has revealed
that there may be a connection between low levels of
vitamin D and back pain. While the proof is still early,
it’s important for our West Palm Beach chiropractic
patients and Chiropractic Care to realize what this potential
connection could mean for those suffering from chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that helps
your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps keep bones healthy
and strong by keeping them
from getting brittle or weak. Vitamin D can be absorbed from foods such as dairy products, fish, eggs, mushrooms, and some
vegetables. Sunlight also provides natural sources of vitamin D—the
ultraviolet rays transform cholesterol in the skin into vitamin
D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and stored
in fat tissues. Even in winter in West Palm Beach, sunlight does its job!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with decreased
levels of vitamin D may be more prone to experience
chronic back pain than those with optimal levels of vitamin D. One
study examined the association between biomarkers
(such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over
time by comparing biomarkers at baseline to changes
in patient-reported outcomes at three months.
The results demonstrated that those who had lower
levels of vitamin D were more likely to have higher levels of
disability correlated with their low back pain at follow-up
than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the start.
(2) What’s your West Palm Beach vitamin D level?
CHECK YOUR VITAMIN D LEVEL
Researchers have found that those with lower levels of
Vitamin D tend to report more frequent episodes of back pain than their
counterparts with adequate levels of the nutrient. This
could indicate a relationship between low vitamin D
level and heightened risk for chronic or recurrent episodes
of back pain. (2) Chiropractic Care suggests you listen to this podcast with Dr.
James Cox on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses the
benefit of proper nutrition in managing
a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
CONTACT Chiropractic Care
Overall, there is evidence suggesting a
link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased risk for
chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let’s chat
about your vitamin D level. Make your West Palm Beach
chiropractic appointment with Chiropractic Care, your partner
in spinal health.