West Des Moines Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have documented beneficial activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, metabolic issues, cancer, inflammation, auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes, thyroiditis, and others. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation keeps growing! Researchers today are evaluating vitamin D’s impacts on biomarkers like CRP, NPY, TNF-alpha, etc., after spinal manipulation and medical care. (2) In older adults who don’t always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers described that even a marginally enhanced intake of vitamin D was linked to a lesser incidence of pain over 5 years plus to frequency of pain, severity, and number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and West Des Moines back pain, a common problem that influences millions of people globally? Recently, research has revealed that there may be a connection between small levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still early, it is important for our West Des Moines chiropractic patients and Executive Chiropractic of Iowa to grasp what this potential connection could mean for those suffering from chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that assists your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps bones stay strong and healthy by keeping them from becoming brittle or weak. Vitamin D can be found in foods such as dairy products, fish, eggs, mushrooms, and some vegetables. Sunlight also offers natural sources of vitamin D—the ultraviolet rays convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and stored in fat tissues. Even in winter in West Des Moines, sunlight is beneficial!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with lower levels of vitamin D may be more prone to have chronic back pain than those with optimal levels of vitamin D. One report examined the association between biomarkers (such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over time via comparison of biomarkers at baseline to changes in patient-reported outcomes at three months. The results showed that those who had decreased levels of vitamin D were more likely to have higher levels of disability correlated with their low back pain at 3 months than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at baseline. (2) Do you know your West Des Moines vitamin D level?
CHECK YOUR VITAMIN D LEVEL
Researchers have found that those with lower levels of Vitamin D tend to report more frequent episodes of back pain than their counterparts with enhanced levels of the nutrient. This could indicate a link between low vitamin D level and heightened risk for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. (2) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa suggests you listen to this podcast with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he reviews the benefit of proper nutrition in managing a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Overall, there is evidence pointing to a link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased possibility for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let us chat about your vitamin D level. Make your West Des Moines chiropractic appointment with Executive Chiropractic of Iowa, your partner in spinal health.
