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 an extensive list of micronutrients, the most discussed being vitamin C, and for good reason. Vitamin C plays an instrumental role in a healthy functioning immune system. In addition to spine pain care, New Hampshire Spine and Sport works with our Southern New Hampshire 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 add to low vitamin C status and found that vitamin C levels are influenced mostly by dietary intake. Diet can be affected by cultural aspects like traditional cooking methods with traditional staple 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 serious infection or cardiovascular disease or cancerinfluence C levels. Quite a few issues seem to add to vitamin C levels and should be thought about when making global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied very well around the world especially in low- and middle- income countries. Relying on completed studies, researchers report that vitamin C deficiency is common in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings. (2) New Hampshire Spine and Sport may not be able to address the vitamin C levels of those around the world, but we are here for our Southern New Hampshire chiropractic friends!
ROLE OF VITAMIN C IN IMMUNE FUNCTION
Vitamin C is a well-known essential factor in immune function and epigenetic inflammatory modifications. Vitamin C is optimally obtained by consistent dietary intake. 41.8% of participants in the 2003-2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) has deficient levels of vitamin C. Insufficient 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 few if any signs of low vitamin C levels. (3) New Hampshire Spine and Sport encourage our Southern New Hampshire chiropractic patients know if they are at risk for low nutrient levels and address those to be as healthy as possible!
IMMUNE SYSTEM
Health and well-being is a delicate balance of several issues, one being a well-functioning immune system. Researchers have set 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 lessen its response when it is most required. 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 shortages on the immune system is also made. This would help identify optimal levels of intake for at-risk people. (4) New Hampshire Spine and Sport is prepared to check the vitamin C levels of our Southern New Hampshire chiropractic patients and assist them in adjusting it as needed.
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
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 Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment today. Together, we can explore just how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working best!