Vitamin
C is an antioxidant vitamin capable of neutralizing potentially
damaging free radicals. Vitamin C helps the white blood
cells combat infection and is essential for wound healing.
It is also required for the formation of collagen, for healthy
skin, and for the formation of other structural materials
in bones, teeth and capillaries. Vitamin C helps the absorption
of iron from plant (non-animal) sources. Insufficient amounts
of vitamin c result in poor wound healing, dry skin, broken
thread veins, scalp dryness, irritability, and general weakness.
Vitamin
C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Information
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Vitamin
C is a water soluble antioxidant vitamin that is capable
of neutralizing potentially damaging free radicals. Vitamin
C helps the white blood cells combat infection and is
essential for wound healing. It is also required for the
formation of collagen, for healthy skin, and for the formation
of other structural materials in bones, teeth and capillaries.
Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron from plant (non-animal)
sources. Its deficiency manifests in poor wound healing,
dry skin, broken thread veins, scalp dryness, irritability,
and weakness.
People
over 55, convalescents, those who consume large amounts
of alcohol, those with active, busy lives, people with
colds, smokers (as each cigarette destroys some vitamin
C), persons exposed to excessive pollution, athletes and
routine aspirin users all need to take supplementary vitamin
C, preferably in a liquid multivitamin, or consume vitamin
C containing foods.
Vitamin
C produces Collagen, which is essentially the "adhesive"
that holds your body together. It is the tissue that holds
your muscles to your skeleton, your skin to your muscles,
and keeps everything together. What does this mean to
you? If Collagen will help heal sprained joints, broken
bones, cuts, and other injuries, that translates to a
better and faster muscle recovery after you workout.
Vitamin
C is responsible for over 300 functions in your body,
ranging from being the top anti-oxidant, producing collagen,
keeping your immune system healthy, curing some male infertility
problems, lowering blood pressure and relieving stress.
When
you are not feeling well, when you are lethargic and all
you want to do is just lie in bed all day, and don’t even
feel like your daily trip to the gym, vitamin C can help
you get back on your feet because it boosts the immune
system. Through this function, along with its antioxidant
function, it may help in the prevention and treatment
of infections and other diseases.
Slightly
large doses (1-2 g/day) of vitamin C have been found to
reduce asthma symptoms significantly. Recent studies have
shown that vitamin C concentrations in the blood from
rheumatoid arthritis patients are extremely low and that
vitamin C may even protect against further damage to inflamed
joints.
Vitamin
C also helps prevent atherosclerosis by strenghtening
the artery walls through its participation in the synthesis
of collagen, and by preventing the undesirable adhesion
of white blood cells to damaged arteries. An adequate
intake of vitamin C through a liquid multivitamin is highly
protective against stroke and heart attack.
Ascorbic
acid may activate neutrophils, the most prevalent white
blood cells that defend you against infections. It also
seems to increase production of lymphocytes, the white
cells important in antibody production and in coordinating
the cellular immune functions. Hence, vitamin C may help
you fight bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases.
Taken
in higher dosages, ascorbic acid (another name for Vitamin
C) may actually increase interferon production and thus
activate the immune response to viruses; it may also decrease
the production of histamine, thereby reducing immediate
allergy potential. High levels of Vitamin C can, therefore,
help you maintain good health and help cure common illnesses
such as the common cold or flu type symptoms. Recent research
evidence suggests that the combination of high doses of
vitamins C and E helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease but
only at doses above the average dietary intake.
Vitamin
C stimulates adrenal function and the release of norepinephrine
and epinephrine (adrenaline), our stress hormones; however,
prolonged stress depletes vitamin C in the adrenals and
decreases the blood levels. It is, therefore, necessary
for you to take additional vitamin C during periods of
stress. Ascorbic acid also helps your thyroid gland to
produce adequate quantities of its hormone. Vitamin C
also aids in cholesterol metabolism, increasing its elimination
and thereby assisting in lowering blood cholesterol.
Vitamin
C has also been shown to reduce blood pressure. This is
very useful if you suffer from high blood pressure and
those taking anabolic steroids as they tend to have an
elevated blood pressure due to side effects of their steroids.
The
RDA of 60mgs is rather too low. Two-time Nobel prize winner,
Dr. Linus Pauling was the first to realize vitamin C's
crucial importance in the maintenance of a healthy immune
system. In 1970 he proposed that regular intake of vitamin
C in amounts far higher than the officially sanctioned
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) could help prevent and
shorten the duration of the common cold.
While
the medical establishment promptly antagonized this idea,
many ordinary people believed Dr. Pauling and began taking
large amounts of vitamin C. Most immediately noticed a
great decrease in the frequency and severity of their
colds. Many Doctors and nutritionists suggest you take
500 mgs of vitamin C daily. You can take as much as 1000-2000
mgs of vitamin C when you have a cold or some other infections
or you are feeling lethargic due to your immune system
being weak.
Remember
that Vitamin C is water soluble, so any extra will be
washed out of your system daily. This, in fact, is another
reason you take vitamin C daily, to replenish that lost
in your urine. Also remember that some medicines can be
affected by vitamin C so be sure to keep your doctor informed
of any supplements you may be taking. Women on the contraceptive
pill should not take excessively large doses of vitamin
C at the same time of day as this may reduce the pill's
effectiveness.
A
good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition.
Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular
brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for
a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you
take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/index.html
