Nationwide survey found low vitamin C highly prevalent in population and increases risks of chronic pain.
Dionne CE, Laurin D, Desrosiers T, Abdous B, Le Sage N, Frenette J, Mondor M, Pelletier S.
Serum vitamin C and spinal pain: a nationwide study.
Pain. 2016 in press
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27434504
Risk likelihood:
Neck pain OR 1.5X
Back pain 1.3X
Back pain and pain going below knee (presume “sciatica”) 1.3X
Arthritris/Rheumatism 1.4X
Comment – It has been previously suggested low vitamin C is related to shingles and post herpetic neuralgia. This above article brings it closer to home. Smoking is known to lower vitamin C levels and might help explain the increases in chronic pain in this population. Animals produce large quantities of vitamin C under stress and given that we and guinea pigs can’t make are own, we need to start consuming much more fruit and vegetables or taking vitamin C. It needs to be twice daily or slow release. Fast food is obviously vitamin C deficient unless salads.