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Vitamin C expert opinions: An essential micronutrient renowned for its potential health advantages is vitamin C. Consuming a lot of vitamin C-rich fruits like oranges has been recommended as a natural cure to prevent the common cold and several chronic illnesses since the 1970s. Recent studies have shown a wide variety of other ways that vitamin C may improve your health in addition to its immune-boosting advantages.
Continue reading to learn more about the top advantages of vitamin C, how much you need, and the dangers of not receiving enough in your diet every day.
Vitamin C: What Is It?
L-ascorbic acid, vitamin C, is water-soluble in many fruits and vegetables, including red peppers, oranges, and grapefruits. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that must be taken through meals or supplements since the body cannot manufacture it independently.
Why Does the Body Need Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is essential to many areas of health and functions as an antioxidant to combat dangerous substances called free radicals in the body.
In addition, vitamin C may:
- Boost immune performance
- Boost intake of iron
- assist in preserving the health of the blood vessels, skin, bones, and cartilage
- aid in the healing of wounds
Five possible advantages of vitamin C for health
Including adequate vitamin C in your diet each day may help address several health issues. Learn more about the pros and cons of vitamin C in the following paragraphs.
Heart Wellness
Because it binds free radicals, vitamin C is good for heart health. According to New York-based integrative medicine expert Neil Paulvin, D.O., this lowers the risk of heart disease and regulates blood pressure. It is also a crucial vitamin for the health of blood vessels.
Vitamin C supplementation may considerably lower blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, in persons with high blood pressure levels, according to a 2020 review and meta-analysis of eight studies. Another study discovered that those with poor vitamin C status and those with high cholesterol or triglyceride levels might benefit from vitamin C supplementation’s ability to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Strikes of gout
Vitamin C may assist in lowering blood levels of serum uric acid, which may guard against gout flare-ups, a form of arthritis characterized by excruciating pain and inflammation in the joints.
It’s interesting to think that vitamin C might aid with gout prevention. One randomized controlled study found that giving more than 1,400 middle-aged male doctors 500 mg of vitamin C daily lowered the probability of new gout diagnoses by 12%.
Immune System
According to Boston-based nutritionist and creator of the supplement firm GutPersonal, Bridgitte Mallinson, M.S., vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that shields our cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.
Mallinson states, “Excess free radical molecules build into oxidative stress, which is connected with various chronic disorders. Vitamin C may improve immune cell performance, reinforce the skin’s natural barrier, and defend against oxidative stress.
Another popular natural treatment for the common cold is vitamin C. While the evidence for this claim is ambiguous, it could help shorten the severity of symptoms.
Skin Care
Dr Paulvin says vitamin C may promote skin suppleness and enhance skin look. In reality, vitamin C, in both dietary and topical form, may aid in defending the skin against ultraviolet (UV) damage because of its capacity to function as an antioxidant.
Dr Paulvin adds that vitamin C may help increase collagen formation, an important skin component. Collagen synthesis tends to decrease with age, which causes wrinkles and other aging symptoms.
Absorption of iron
Nonheme iron, primarily included in plant-based diets, may be better absorbed when vitamin C is present. This improved absorption might serve as a defense mechanism against iron deficiency anemia. This disorder impairs the body’s capacity to create healthy red blood cells and manifests as weariness, lightheadedness, pale skin, and chilly hands or feet.
When specific levels of vitamin C were ingested with iron, iron absorption increased by more than eightfold, according to a limited study including 63 male subjects. However, More study is necessary since another randomized clinical trial, including 440 adults, discovered that vitamin C treatment in conjunction with iron therapy had only a tiny advantage over iron supplementation alone for those with iron deficiency anemia.
How Much Vitamin C Do I Need?
Depending on your age and sex, you may need more or less vitamin C than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Those who are expecting or nursing may need to consume more vitamin C.
The RDA for vitamin C, according to the National Institutes of Health, is as follows:
Furthermore, smokers often need an extra 35 mg of vitamin C daily compared to non-smokers.
Can Vitamin C Be Had Too Much?
High vitamin C intake is not likely to be detrimental. This is because, after a certain level, any extra vitamin C is eliminated via the urine. Nevertheless, adverse side effects might happen, particularly for doses of more than 3,000 milligrams daily.
The following are possible negative consequences of high vitamin C intake:
Diarrhea
Those with renal illness or a history of kidney stones are more likely to develop kidney stones.
Hemochromatosis, a hereditary disorder that increases iron absorption, causes iron excess in certain persons.
The maximum daily consumption of vitamin C for persons aged 19 and older that is unlikely to have any adverse effects on health is 2,000 milligrams. This is known as the Tolerable Upper Consumption Level (UL).
Risks Associated with Low Vitamin C Intake
Scurvy is a dangerous ailment that has to be treated and may be brought on by a diet that is deficient in vitamin C. Scurvy signs and symptoms include:
Bleeding or inflamed gums
- Fatigue
- Skin redness or blueness Improper wound healing
- Corkscrew hairs, which have an atypically curled form
- Loss of teen depression
- Anaemia
Scurvy is rare in the United States, although it may be brought on by a diet low in vitamin C. People who smoke, those on tight diets, those with food allergies, and those with certain medical disorders like iron overload or inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) may also be at a higher risk of deficiency.
Vitamin C sources
The best dietary sources of vitamin C include fruits and vegetables. Foods that are excellent sources of vitamin C include, for instance:
- Citrus fruits, such as kiwis, oranges, and lemons
- Strawberries
- the bell pepper
- Tomatoes
- potato whites
- vegetables known as “crucifers,” include broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower
Most individuals can get all the necessary vitamin C by eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. More than 200 milligrams of vitamin C may be obtained daily, according to estimates, by ingesting at least five different portions of fruits and vegetables per day.
Getting adequate vitamin C each day is essential since it’s necessary for everything from food absorption to wound healing. Daily consuming various vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables may also boost your heart, immune system, skin health, and other bodily functions.
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