There are nearly 11,000 cases of spinal cord injury reported in the United States each year. This special condition requires considerable care and management due to the complexities associated with it. The nutrition of these patients is one such issue. Certain nutrients are known to be depleted more quickly with spinal cord injury while others are more stable. The daily requirements for vitamins and minerals are usually adjusted according to the individual patient's needs.
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury or SCI usually results from a sudden and traumatic blow to the spine. It often follows with damage to nerve fibers within the spinal cord making them unable to function properly. This dysfunction manifests is two primary ways. First, the nerve fibers cannot relay motor information from the brain to the muscles, causing paralysis. Second, the nerve fibers cannot relay sensory information from the periphery to the brain, causing sensory loss. There are a host of problems associated with SCI including autonomic impairment, metabolic dysfunction and psychological disturbance. No two SCI patients are the same so each of these problems must be dealt with individually.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 represents a group of chemicals comprised of pyridoxal, pyridoxine and pyridoxamine. Vitamin B6 is found naturally and is particularly abundant in fortified breakfast cereals, fish, meat, poultry and plant foods. Vitamin B6 is responsible for red blood cell metabolism as well as making proteins, keeping the immune system healthy and maintaining the skin's health. In normal adults, deficiency of vitamin B6 can lead to a number of neurological problems including neuropathy. Vitamin B6 also is associated with depression, Parkinson's disease, pain and seizures, says the NIH.
Dietary Deficiency
The University of Washington says that SCI patients can have dietary inadequacy of some nutrients such as vitamins. This is especially important since secondary complications of SCI have special requirements for certain nutrients. SCI patients generally do not take enough daily vitamins B6, B12, C or D to meet their special physiological demands. For instance, vitamin B6 helps the skin stay healthy, improves bladder control and helps muscle weakness. These are common issues associated with SCI and highlight the importance of this nutrient in the daily diet.
Dietary Supplement
While there are abundant references to the deficiency of vitamin B12 in SCI patients, no such deficiency is reported for vitamin B6. However, numerous authorities stress the importance of adequate nutrition for SCI patients. The website Accu-Cell Nutrition warns that taking vitamin B6 supplements increases magnesium retention and can result in hypermagnesemia. According to the NIHH, the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin B6 is 1.3 mg for adults ages 19 to 50. For adults over 50, the RDA is 1.5 mg for women and 1.7 mg for men.
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