6 Best Vitamins for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery: Vitamins Food Sources

Vitamins for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery‎ 

Worldwide, 250 000 to 500 000 people suffer from a spinal cord injury (SCI) each year. Approximately 17,730 spinal cord injuries occur every year in the United States.

Supplementing your diet with the best vitamins for spinal cord injury recovery will help make up for the missing nutrients.

This article is about 6 vitamins for spinal cord injury patients to boost energy levels, reduce secondary damage, and improve overall health.

Should You Take Too Many Vitamins After a Spinal Cord Injury?

Nutrition and diet play a vital role in the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. Vitamins are necessary for good health, but taking them in excess can be harmful.



There are two types of vitamins:

1. Water-soluble vitamins: Vitamins B, C
2. Fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E, K

Here are 6 vitamins that can serve as a healthy supplement for spinal cord injury patients.

6 BEST VITAMINS FOR SPINAL CORD INJURY RECOVERY

Although a healthy, nutritious diet is one of the best ways to get your daily dose of vitamins, supplements can help fill the gaps.



Here, we look at 6 vitamins that can help you recover from a spinal cord injury.

1. Vitamin B9

Vitamin B9 is beneficial to spinal cord injury patients. B9 is available in 2 forms: folic acid and folate. Folic acid is a natural form of B9 and folate is a synthetic form.

Folic acid can effectively reduce neural tube defects in newborns; however, it is also suggested to promote growth and repair in the central nervous system of adults.

A study found that spinal cord injury triggered the production of folate receptors, which helped improve vitamin B9 absorption and promote the regrowth of nerve fibers.

Vitamin B9 Food Sources:



• Beef liver, seafood
• Beans, peanuts, whole grains
• Fresh fruits, fruit juices
• Dark green vegetables (spinach, asparagus, broccoli, turnip)

Vitamin B12 is necessary for the development and function of nerve cells. B12 helps the body produce myelin, which protects neural cells. In addition, this vitamin plays a vital role in the production of red blood cells.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation, tingling, and numbness. All of these complications could interfere with or prevent spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

Vitamin B12 Food Sources:



• Fish, meat, and poultry
• Eggs, milk, and dairy products
• B12-fortified foods and yeast

3. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for recovery from spinal cord injury because it helps your body repair tissues and produces neurotransmitters.

Because of limited mobility, SCI patients are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. Research suggests that adequate amounts of vitamin C can help increase the healing rate of pressure ulcers.

Vitamin C is a renowned antioxidant that can help fight oxidative stress and reduce cell death after spinal cord injury.

Vitamin C Food Sources:



• Orange, lemon, and citrus
• Tomatoes, strawberry, yellow pepper
• Broccoli, kale, and leafy vegetables

4. Vitamin D

Many spinal cord injury patients have lower levels of bone-strengthening vitamin D, which can put additional stress on spinal cord healing due to a lack of adequate spinal support.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is necessary to maintain strong bones.

It also helps activate immune cells to produce antibodies, which helps strengthen the immune system and protect your body.

Vitamin D Food Sources:



• Beef liver, egg yolk, and cheese
• Tuna, salmon, mackerel, and fatty fish
• Fortified foods like breakfast cereals, orange juice

5. Vitamin E

After spinal cord injury, the influx of free radicals causes oxidative stress, which can damage cell membranes and cause further neurological damage.

A vitamin E supplement can prevent oxidative stress and other complications resulting from spinal cord injuries. ‎

Vitamin E is also involved in intercellular signaling, immune function, and other metabolic processes.

Vitamin E Food Sources:



• Safflower, sunflower, soybean oil
• Sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut
• Spinach, beet greens, pumpkin

6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Docosahexaenoic acid-DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is particularly beneficial to the central nervous system, which is often the most affected by spinal cord injuries. 

One study suggests that DHA can regulate nerve growth factors that contribute to optimal neuron function. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Food Sources:



• Walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds
• Foods fortified with DHA
• Salmon, mackerel, halibut, tuna, fatty fish
• Soybean oil, canola oil