The immune system is a hard working system.
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 talked about being vitamin
C, and for good reason. Vitamin C plays an instrumental
role in an immune system that works well.
In addition to spine pain care, Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation works with our Carrolltown
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 contribute
to low vitamin C status and learned that vitamin C levels are influenced
mainly by dietary intake. Diet can be influenced by
cultural features 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 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. So
many issues seem to contribute to vitamin C levels and need
to be considered when making
global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied
well enough around the world especially 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) Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation may not be able to address the vitamin C levels
of those around the world, but we are available to our Carrolltown
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 optimally obtained by consistent dietary intake. 41.8%
of participants in the 2003-2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Surveys (NHANES) has insufficient levels of vitamin C.
Insufficient vitamin C plasma levels were found in
males, adults aged 20-59, Black and Mexican Americans, smokers, those with higher BMI, and those with middle and high poverty to income
ratio and food insecurity. These folks are at greater
risk for inflammatory driven disease with little or no signs
of low vitamin C levels. (3) Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation urge our Carrolltown
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
many issues; one is 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 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 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 explained as beneficial
while a recommendation for better understanding of the interactions of
multiple nutrient shortages on the immune system is also suggested.
This would help detect optimal levels of intake for at-risk
people. (4) Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation is prepared to analyze the vitamin
C levels of our Carrolltown chiropractic patients and assist them in
adjusting it as needed.
CONTACT Gormish Chiropractic & 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 along with how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management works.
Make your Carrolltown chiropractic
appointment now. Together, we can delve into just
how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working optimally!