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Joint pain is caused by lack of essential nutrient in your body, says doctor
Our body requires a combination of nutrients to function normally and any deficiency results in different health issues.
Previously, we learned that a lack of iron can cause dark circles. Similarly, there’s another micronutrient responsible for keeping your joints healthy.
Doctor highlights underlying cause for joint pain
Persistent joint pain causes a lot of discomfort and affects day-to-day life. The symptoms include swelling, stiffness, numbness, and loss of motion in affected areas.
The common condition can result from age or underlying health problems, including lack of vitamin C. Low levels of the essential nutrient are identified as one of the causes of joint pain.
Naturopathic doctor Janine Bowring talks in detail about the importance of natural vitamin C, while warning against using synthetic ones.
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She says being low on vitamin C causes a “lot of joint pain”, which can be treated by increasing your intake of whole foods that are rich in the said nutrient.
Dr. Janine recommends consuming whole foods that grow locally and are in season while straying away from synthetic vitamin C. You can find out if your supplement includes synthetic vitamin C by checking the label, which mentions Ascorbic Acid in the brackets.
“Vitamin C that’s great for the joint is coming from natural whole food sources like acerola cherries or Camu Camu berries and have bioflavonoids that are naturally occurring in those (citrus) fruits to help with proper absorption,” she explains.
Wholefoods rich in Vitamin C
There are several natural foods you can derive vitamin C from other than the ones mentioned above. Healthline lists the below to increase your levels of the essential nutrient.
- Kakadu plums
- Rose hips
- Chili peppers
- Guavas
- Sweet yellow peppers
- Black currants
- Cantaloupe
- Parsley
- Mustard spinach
- Kale
- Kiwis
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Lemons
- Lychees
- American persimmons
- Papayas
- Strawberries
- Oranges
While vitamin C is important for bodily functions like building immunity, neurotransmitter production, collagen synthesis, cardiovascular health, and wound healing, a deficiency in it causes more health issues than joint pain.
If your body has a low level of the important nutrient, you’re more susceptible to bleeding gums, frequent bruises, slow healing of wounds, anemia, and scurvy.
The NHS recommends 40mg of vitamin C a day for adults ages between 19 and 64, which should be met from your daily diet. As the body doesn’t store it, your daily diet must include whole foods rich in it.
