Executive Chiropractic of Iowa Describes the Role of Vitamin C for a Healthy Immune System
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 talked about being vitamin C, and for good reason. Vitamin C plays an instrumental role in an immune system that works well. In addition to spine pain care, Executive Chiropractic of Iowa works with our West Des Moines chiropractic patients to notice their body’s fuel levels of nutrients like vitamin C. Nutrition is important!
LOW VITAMIN C LEVELS
Researchers studied what factors contribute to low vitamin C status and learned that vitamin C levels are impacted 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 cancerimpact C levels. Quite a few issues seem to add to vitamin C levels and need to be considered when making global recommendations for dietary intake. (1) Vitamin C levels are not studied well enough 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) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa may not be able to fix the vitamin C levels of those around the world, but we are available to our West Des Moines 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 regular 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 who have 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) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa encourage our West Des Moines 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 several 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. Deficient levels of such nutrients impair the immune system and lessen 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 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) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is ready to analyze the vitamin C levels of our West Des Moines chiropractic patients and assist them in adjusting it as needed.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
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 West Des Moines chiropractic appointment today. Together, we can explore just how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working best!
