7 proven Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamins are the substance that are needed in small quantities to support life. Most vitamins need to come from food, as the human body either does not produce enough amount, or it does not produce any at all. Each organism has different vitamin requirements. Among this Vitamin C is one of them. Vitamin C is a nutrient also known as ascorbic acid and it is an essential vitamin. Vitamin C plays an important role in the growth and repair of tissue in all parts of your body. It is one of the safest and most effective nutrients, experts say.
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Table of contents
- Importance of vitamin C
- Sources of Vitamin c
- Proven benefits vitamin C
- Supplements and dosage of vitamin C
- Side effects of vitamin C
- Summary
Importance of vitamin c
Our body needs vitamins for growth and development normally. It is water-soluble and found naturally in some foods, especially fruit and vegetables. Anyways, Supplements are also available. Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. Antioxidants will block some of the damage caused by free radicals. Our body is not able to make vitamin C naturally and it does not store vitamin C. Thus, it is important to include plenty of vitamin C-containing foods in your daily diet. Vitamin C supplements may benefit in cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, protecting against immune system deficiencies, and even skin wrinkling. Vitamin C has gained great attention. Vitamin C comes from fruits and vegetables.
Sources of vitamin C
Who doesn't like fruits? People who love to eat fruits then one must eat citrus fruits such as orange, kiwi, lemon, guava, grapefruit. Some vegetables are rich in natural source vitamin C such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and capsicums. Other sources of Vitamin C naturally include dark leafy greens, cantaloupe, papaya, strawberries, mango, watermelon, cabbage, red peppers, raspberries, blueberries, winter squash, and pineapples. Remember one thing before cooking because it may affect vitamin C concentration. Vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive, the longer you cook food with vitamin C, the more C it loses. If you are afraid of not being able to take enough vitamin c naturally you can use vitamin C Tablets that will help you the same way a natural vitamin C intake would.
Proven benefits vitamin c
- Strong Antioxidant That May Reduce the Risk of Chronic Diseases
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant as it strengthens your body’s natural defenses. Antioxidants are molecules that boost the immune system. They do so by protecting cells from harmful molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress is a condition where free radicals accumulate, which has been linked to many chronic diseases. Research shows that consuming more vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels by up to 30%. This helps the body's natural defenses fight inflammation.
- May Help Fight High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure puts you at risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death globally. Research has shown that vitamin C may help lower blood pressure in those both with and without high blood pressure. A research found that taking a vitamin C supplement helped relax the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart, which helped reduce blood pressure levels. However, people with high blood pressure should not rely on vitamin C alone for treatment.
- Fights Heart Disease
Heart disease is one of the main causes of death worldwide. Many factors increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Vitamin C may help in reduces the risk factors, which may reduce heart disease risk. Researchers were unsure if people who consumed vitamin C-rich foods also followed a healthier lifestyle than people who took a supplement. Thus, it remains unclear if the differences were due to vitamin C or other aspects of the diet.
- Could Reduce Blood Uric Acid Levels and Help Prevent Gout Attacks
Gout is a type of arthritis. It is incredibly painful and involves inflammation of the joints, especially those of the big toes. People with gout experience swelling and sudden, severe attacks of pain. Gout symptoms appear when there is too much uric acid in the blood as uric acid is a waste product produced by the body. At high levels, it may crystallize and deposit in the joints. Research has shown that vitamin C may help reduce uric acid in the blood and, as a result, protect against gout attacks.
- Prevents Iron Deficiencies by Improving Iron Absorption
Iron is an important nutrient that has a variety of functions in the body such as making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. The supplements of Vitamin C can help improve the absorption of iron from the diet. Vitamin C helps in converting iron that is poorly absorbed, such as plant-based sources of iron, into a form that is easier to absorb. This is mainly useful for people on a veggie diet, whereas meat is a major source of iron. Taking 100 mg of vitamin C may improve iron absorption by 67%. Studies found that the supplement alone helped control their anemia.
- Boosts Immunity by improving White Blood Cells Function
The reason behind people take vitamin C supplements is to boost their immunity. Vitamin C is involved in many parts of the immune system, which involves the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infections. As people who suffer from pneumonia tend to have lower vitamin C levels, and vitamin C supplements have been shown to shorten the recovery time.
7. Protects your memory and thinking
Low levels of vitamin C have been linked to an increased risk of memory and thinking disorders like dementia. Studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves (altogether known as the central nervous system) can increase the risk of dementia. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Moreover, high vitamin C intake from food or supplements has been shown to have a protective effect on thinking and memory as you age.
Supplements and dosage of vitamin C
- Supplements of vitamin C
Vitamin C supplements usually contain vitamin c in the form of ascorbic acid. The supplemental form of ascorbic acid has equivalent bioavailability to that of naturally occurring ascorbic acid in foods, such as orange juice and broccoli. The different forms of vitamin C supplements include sodium ascorbate; calcium ascorbate; other mineral ascorbates; ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids. There are different formulation and dosage forms of Vitamin C like tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, etc. (Natures velvet Vitamin C 1000mg tablets is one of the examples).
- Dosage
The daily standard dose of vitamin C is 65 to 90 milligrams (mg) a day for adults, and the upper limit is 2,000 mg a day. The suggested daily intake of vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. The common advice is to get your vitamin C intake from foods, many people turn to supplements to meet their needs.
Side Effects & Safety
Vitamin C is possibly safe for most people when taken by mouth in recommended doses. Some people taking vitamin C might cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach cramps, headache, and other side effects. These side effects may increase as you consume more vitamin C. Possibly higher doses of vitamin C exceeding 2000mg per day may cause a lot of side effects and treated as unsafe. These may include kidney stones and severe diarrhea. Amounts greater than 1000 mg daily greatly increase the risk of kidney stone recurrence in people who have had a kidney stone.
Precautions: Too much vitamin C is unlikely to cause a problem. However, a high intake of over 1,000 mg a day may mean that not all vitamin C is absorbed in the intestine. This can lead to diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort. A high intake of vitamin C through supplements, but not a diet, may cause kidney stones, and it may increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.
Summary
Vitamin C is obtained from the diet or supplements as it is a water-soluble vitamin that must be. Vitamin C has been associated with many health benefits, such as boosting antioxidant levels, reducing blood pressure, reducing heart disease risk, protecting against gout attacks, improving iron absorption, boosting immunity and reducing dementia risk. Generally, vitamin C supplements are a great and simple way to boost your vitamin C intake if you struggle to get enough from your diet.
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Reference
- webmd.com
- Healthline.com
- verywellhealth.com
- National institutes of health
Disclaimer
The contents of the Site, such as the text, images, graphics, etc. are for informational purposes only. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment or diagnosis. We recommend that you consult a qualified medical practitioner with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or for implementing any of the information from the site.
- Rakesh Gupta
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