Apple Country Chiropractic Describes the Role of Vitamin C for a Healthy Immune System
The immune system works hard. 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 for good reason. Vitamin C plays an influential role in a healthy functioning immune system. In addition to spine pain care, Apple Country Chiropractic asks our Williamson 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 add to low vitamin C status and found that vitamin C levels are influenced mostly 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 offer. 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 severe infection or cardiovascular disease or cancerinfluence C levels. Quite a few issues seem to add to vitamin C levels and need to be thought about when listing global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied well enough around the world particularly 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) Apple Country Chiropractic may not be able to fix the vitamin C levels of those around the world, but we are here for our Williamson 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 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) Apple Country Chiropractic encourage our Williamson chiropractic patients know 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 many issues, one being a good functioning immune system. Researchers have established intake levels of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, yet many people are low. Deficient levels of such nutrients impair the immune system and weaken 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 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) Apple Country Chiropractic is ready to check the vitamin C levels of our Williamson chiropractic patients and help them adjust it as needed.
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the role chiropractic may play in immune system health as well as how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management works.
Make your Williamson chiropractic appointment today. Together, we can explore just how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working optimally!
