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Spinal Care Clinic Describes the Role of Vitamin C for a Healthy Immune System

The immune system is a hard working system. Like any organ or machine, it needs fuel to keep working hard. The fuel for the immune system is a long list of micronutrients, the most discussed being vitamin C, and rightly so. Vitamin C plays an significant role in an immune system that works well. In addition to spine pain care, Spinal Care Clinic works with our Burlington and Hamilton 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 found that vitamin C levels are influenced mainly by dietary intake. Diet can be influenced by cultural features like traditional cooking methods with traditional core foods like grains which have little vitamin C to give. 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 creating global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied well enough around the world especially in low- and middle- income countries. Relying on completed studies, researchers report that vitamin C deficiency is commonplace in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings. (2) Spinal Care Clinic may not be able to address the vitamin C levels of those around the world, but we are available to our Burlington and Hamilton 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 best 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. 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 higher risk for inflammatory driven disease with little or no signs of low vitamin C levels. (3) Spinal Care Clinic encourage our Burlington and Hamilton 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 good functioning immune system. Researchers have established 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 needed. 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 call for better understanding of the interactions of multiple nutrient deficiencies on the immune system is also made. This would help identify optimal levels of intake for at-risk people. (4) Spinal Care Clinic is prepared to check the vitamin C levels of our Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic patients and assist them in adjusting it as needed.

CONTACT Spinal Care Clinic

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 Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic appointment now. Together, we can delve into just how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working best!

 
Spinal Care Clinic presents new stats on the importance of vitamin C for the body’s immune system and how levels may be too low for many. 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."