Years of research have detailed beneficial
activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, inflammation,
cancer, metabolic issues,
auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes,
thyroiditis, and more. (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 tend
to not always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers described
that even a slightly enhanced intake of
vitamin D was linked to a lower incidence of
pain over 5 years plus to frequency of pain, severity, and
number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Baton Rouge back pain, a familiar
problem that influences millions of people globally? Recently, research has revealed
that there may be a link between small levels of
vitamin D and back pain. While the proof is still preliminary,
it is vital for our Baton Rouge chiropractic
patients and Spine & Sports Rehab Center to realize what this possible
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 keep bones healthy
and strong 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 provides 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 Baton Rouge , 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 linked biomarkers
(such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over
time by comparing biomarkers at baseline to differences
in patient-reported outcomes at three months’ follow-up.
The results showed that those who had decreased
levels of vitamin D were more likely to have higher levels of
disability related to their low back pain at follow-up
than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the start.
(2) What’s your Baton Rouge 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 bouts
of back pain. (2) Spine & Sports Rehab Center 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 Spine & Sports Rehab Center
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’s chat
about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Baton Rouge
chiropractic appointment with Spine & Sports Rehab Center, your collaborator
in spinal health.