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 rightly so. Vitamin C plays an instrumental
role in an immune system that works well.
In addition to spine pain care, Cross Chiropractic Center asks our Sandy Springs
chiropractic patients to notice their body’s fuel
levels of nutrients 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
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 give.
Environmental factors play 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 cancerimpact C levels. So
many issues seem to contribute to vitamin C levels and should be considered when listing
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 not
unusual in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings.
(2) Cross Chiropractic Center may not be able to address the vitamin C levels
of those around the world, but we are here for our Sandy Springs
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 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 noted 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 few if any signs
of low vitamin C levels. (3) Cross Chiropractic Center urge our Sandy Springs
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 delicate balance of
several issues, one being a good 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. Deficient 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 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 recommendation 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) Cross Chiropractic Center is ready to analyze the vitamin
C levels of our Sandy Springs chiropractic patients and help them adjust it as needed.
CONTACT Cross Chiropractic Center
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.
Schedule your Sandy Springs chiropractic
appointment now. Together, we can explore just
how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working optimally!