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 an extensive list
of micronutrients, the most talked about being vitamin
C, and rightly so. Vitamin C plays an influential
role in an immune system that works well.
In addition to spine pain care, Hollstrom & Associates Inc asks our Largo
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 contribute
to low vitamin C status and found that vitamin C levels are impacted
mostly by dietary intake. Diet can be influenced by
cultural factors like traditional cooking methods with
traditional staple 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 serious infection or
cardiovascular disease or cancerinfluence C levels. So
many issues seem to add to vitamin C levels and need
to be considered when creating
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 common in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings.
(2) Hollstrom & Associates Inc may not be able to fix the vitamin C levels
of those around the world, but we are here for our Largo
chiropractic friends!
ROLE OF VITAMIN C IN IMMUNE FUNCTION
Vitamin C is a well-recognized key
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.
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 people are at greater
risk for inflammatory driven disease with few if any signs
of low vitamin C levels. (3) Hollstrom & Associates Inc encourage our Largo
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 established intake levels of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, but
many people‘s levels are low. Inadequate levels
of such nutrients impair the immune system and weaken
its response when it’s most needed.
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) Hollstrom & Associates Inc is prepared to analyze the vitamin
C levels of our Largo chiropractic patients and help them adjust it as needed.
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
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 along with how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management works.
Schedule your Largo chiropractic
appointment today. Together, we can delve into just
how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working optimally!