Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn 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 mentioned being vitamin C, and rightly so. Vitamin C plays an significant role in an immune system that works well. In addition to spine pain care, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn works with our Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients to pay attention to 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 influenced mainly by dietary intake. Diet can be influenced by cultural aspects like traditional cooking methods with traditional staple foods like grains which have little vitamin C to give. Environmental factors have a role like geographic region, season, climate, and pollution. Demographic factors 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. So many issues seem to add to vitamin C levels and should be thought about 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 commonplace in low-, middle- and even in subgroups of people in high-income settings. (2) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn may not be able to address the vitamin C levels of those around the world, but we are available to our Ashburn and Herndon 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 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 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 higher risk for inflammatory driven disease with little or no signs of low vitamin C levels. (3) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn urge our Ashburn and Herndon 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 careful balance of several issues; one is a good functioning immune system. Researchers have set intake levels of micronutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc, yet many people are low. Inadequate levels of such nutrients impair 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 explained as beneficial while a recommendation for better understanding of the interactions of multiple nutrient shortages on the immune system is also made. This would help detect optimal levels of intake for at-risk people. (4) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is ready to check the vitamin C levels of our Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients and help them adjust it as needed.

CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the role chiropractic may play in immune system health along with how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management works.

Make your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment now. Together, we can explore just how well you are fueling your body to keep the immune system working optimally!