OrthoIllinois Chiropractic Describes the Role of Vitamin C for a Healthy Immune System
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 mentioned being vitamin C, and rightly so. Vitamin C plays an influential role in a healthy functioning immune system. In addition to spine pain care, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic asks our McHenry chiropractic patients to notice their body’s fuel levels of vitamins 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 impacted mostly by dietary intake. Diet can be affected by cultural factors 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 severe infection or cardiovascular disease or cancerinfluence C levels. So many issues seem to contribute to vitamin C levels and need to be considered when listing global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied very well 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) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic may not be able to address 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-known essential factor in immune function and epigenetic inflammatory modifications. Vitamin C is optimally obtained by regular dietary intake. 41.8% of participants in the 2003-2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) has insufficient levels of vitamin C. Deficient vitamin C plasma levels were found 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) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic urge our McHenry chiropractic patients recognize 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 careful balance of many issues; one is a well-functioning immune system. Researchers have set levels of intake of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, yet many people‘s levels are low. Inadequate levels of such nutrients damage 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 seen 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 recommendation for better understanding of the interactions of multiple nutrient shortages on the immune system is also suggested. This would help identify optimal levels of intake for at-risk people. (4) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is prepared to check 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 along with how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management works.
Make your McHenry chiropractic appointment today. Together, we can delve into just how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working best!
