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 mentioned 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, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic works with our McHenry
chiropractic patients to pay attention to their body’s fuel
levels of vitamins like vitamin C. Nutrition is important!
LOW VITAMIN C LEVELS
Researchers studied what factors contribute
to low vitamin C status and learned that vitamin C levels are influenced
mostly by dietary intake. Diet can be affected by
cultural factors like traditional cooking methods with
traditional core foods like grains which have little vitamin C to offer.
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. So
many issues seem to contribute 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 particularly in
low- and middle- income countries. Relying on completed studies, researchers
report that vitamin C deficiency is usual in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings.
(2) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic may not be able to fix the vitamin C levels
of those around the world, but we are available to our McHenry
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 consistent 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 people are at greater
risk for inflammatory driven disease with little or no signs
of low vitamin C levels. (3) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic encourage our McHenry
chiropractic patients know 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 is a well-functioning
immune system. Researchers have set intake levels of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, but
many people are low. Deficient levels
of such nutrients impair the immune system and weaken
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 explained as beneficial
while a recommendation 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) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is ready to analyze the vitamin
C levels of our McHenry chiropractic patients and help them adjust it as needed.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
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 McHenry chiropractic
appointment now. Together, we can delve into just
how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working best!