Years of research have recorded advantageous
activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, inflammation,
cancer, metabolic issues,
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 found
that even a marginally increased intake of
vitamin D was associated with a lower incidence of
pain over 5 years in addition to frequency of pain, severity, and
number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Vancouver back pain, a common
problem that influences millions of people globally? Recently, research has shown
that there may be a connection between small levels of
vitamin D and back pain. While the proof is still early,
it’s vital for our Vancouver chiropractic
patients and Vancouver Disc Centers to understand what this potential
connection could mean in managing chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps
your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps bones stay strong and healthy by keeping them
from getting 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—its
ultraviolet rays convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin
D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and are deposited
in fat tissues. Even in winter in Vancouver, sunlight helps!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with lower
levels of vitamin D may be more likely to experience
chronic back pain than those with better levels of vitamin D. One
report linked biomarkers
(such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over
time via comparison of biomarkers at baseline to differences
in patient-reported results at three months.
The results demonstrated that those who had decreased
levels of vitamin D were more likely to experience higher levels of
disability related to their low back pain at 3 months
than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the start.
(2) Do you know your Vancouver 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 better levels of the nutrient. This
could indicate a link between low vitamin D
level and heightened risk for chronic or recurrent bouts
of back pain. (2) Vancouver Disc Centers suggests you listen to this podcast with Dr.
James Cox on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses the
benefit of adequate nutrition in the management of
a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Overall, there is evidence suggesting a
link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased risk for
chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let’s talk
about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Vancouver
chiropractic appointment with Vancouver Disc Centers, your collaborator
in spinal health.