What do guinea pigs and people have in common? Theyβre a couple of the few mammals that canβt produce one of the most essential nutrients we needβvitamin C.
This vitamin is used for a wide variety of bodily processes and functionsβfrom helping our skin to our hearts. Furthermore, a vitamin C deficiency is often tied to increased chances of becoming sick. So, with all the benefits it imparts itβs kind of a surprise that our bodies canβt produce it on their own.
Weβll be looking at some of the most important benefits of maintaining proper vitamin C levels, and what you can do to ensure youβre staying on top of your intake.
Also known as ascorbic acid, ascorbate, or the band that plays that one song at every graduation, this vitaminβs first major usage was in the prevention and treatment of scurvy. Before we knew what vitamin C was, citrus fruits were seen as the common denominator. However, itβs importance as a nutrient has far outgrown its humble beginning as scurvy treatment.
Part of the reason that vitamin C has been thrown into the highest echelons of nutrient-stardom is that our bodies can neither produce nor store it. So, that means we have to be ingesting it either through food or supplements AND we have to be ingesting it on a regular basis since any excess thatβs not used gets passed through our system.
Like the guinea pig, weβve got to get our fill from the environment around us. And when itβs something as important as vitamin C, it quickly becomes crucial to be getting enough. But what exactly are the health claims?
In a famous claim by Dr. Pauling in the 70s, large doses of vitamin C were purported to have the ability to protect people from the common cold. A wrench has been thrown into that claim since then, based on several placebo-controlled trials, but the wonders of the vitamin havenβt waned in the slightest.
These are some of the most amazing of these benefits.
Yesβwe did just say that vitamin C doesnβt do anything to protect us from the common cold. However, there is good evidence that shows that it can reduce the time we need to recover from this upper respiratory infection.
A recent review of several studies done on the topic found that vitamin C can reduce the duration of colds by 8% in adults and 14% in children. When it comes to the practical effect, this means a cold that lasts about a day shorterβsince the illness usually lasts around 10 days.
Itβs important to note that the dosage of vitamin C for participants was 200 mg, which is significantly higher than the recommended daily dose of 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women.
Weβll talk about how much vitamin C is enough down below, but for now, know that overdosing on it really isnβt an issue. The vitamin is neither produced nor stored in your body, so thereβs nowhere for it to build up and cause issues. Thatβs why itβs usually recommended to take significantly more than the recommended daily allowance (up to 2,000 mg).
One of the greatest properties of vitamin C is its role as an antioxidant. This means several things, but itβs particularly important when it comes to avoiding chronic illnesses and strengthening the immune system.
In your body, there are harmful molecules called βfree radicals.β These free radicals are created through your bodyβs normal metabolism, and by exposing yourself to environmental stressors. This means anything from ultraviolet radiation to air pollution.
These free radicals are harmful because they can damage cells and other genetic material. A buildup of these free radicals is called oxidative stressβsomething thatβs been linked to manyΒ chronic diseases. This usually happens through excessive and harmful inflammation of these cells and tissues, which is why antioxidants are important when trying to decrease the chances of chronic illnesses.
Some studies have shown that vitamin C can increase your bloodβs antioxidant levels by up to 30%, which in turn helps to combat inflammationβmaking vitamin C a necessary component of avoiding some chronic diseases.Β
While weβve touched on certainΒ immunity-boosting aspects of vitamin C above, this useful vitamin goes much deeper than that when it comes to protecting us from pathogens.
Vitamin C has been shown to enhance the production and function of several different white blood cells that help fight off infections. These include lymphocytes and phagocytes. But vitamin C also aids in the production of interferons which are cells created when pathogens are detected in the body.
The bodyβs cellular response to pathogens is also boosted by vitamin C through its effect on the activation of macrophagesβnatural killer cells as theyβre known. Furthermore, T-cells are also aided by the vitamin.
Vitamin C also boosts the production of cytokines in your white blood cells. Cytokines are the communication proteins that are released from certain types of white blood cells and are then sent to other cells in order to promote an immune responseβraise the alarm bells, in a sense.
And it goes even further than that.
Vitamin C activates enzymes in your body that go on to help build collagenβa protein found in your skin and connective tissues. These proteins help your body react to severe infectious diseases and also act as the first line of defense against attackers since they aid in wound healing. Your organs are also protected since vitamin C has a positive effect on mucous and fatty membranes that protect important bits, like the lungs.
Some studies have shown that vitamin C is able to help lower blood pressure in groups that have high blood pressure, and in other groups that donβt even have high blood pressure.
And although this was an animal study, vitamin C was also found to relax blood vessels that were carrying blood from the heart, which would help to further reduce blood pressure.
However, human trials have found that supplementing with vitamin C can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressures (the upper and lower values) in healthy adults. Nevertheless, vitamin Cβs effects on blood pressure arenβt that well known yet, and it shouldnβt be solely relied on for treatment.
However, this also leads to vitamin Cβs effects on lowering the risk of heart disease. Both the diminished blood pressure and other studies have shown that taking at least 500 mg of vitamin C per day can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
Gout, a type of arthritis, affects people who have too much uric acid in their bloodstream (a type of waste product).
At high levels of uric acid, it crystallizes in the joints and makes it difficult to move and painfulβmost often found in the big toes.
Several studies have shown that vitamin C can help to reduce the level of uric acid in the bloodstream, which can effectively factor into avoiding gout. Several studies have been done on this and the evidence appears to be strong, but more research is still needed.
Iron is an important mineral that helps to make red blood cells, transport oxygen throughout the body, and is also important for immune health and proper functioning.
Itβs been found that vitamin C supplements can help your body absorb iron from your diet. Not all sources of iron are built equal. Plants, for example, have difficult to absorb sources of iron. However, vitamin C makes these difficult sources easier to absorb which means more iron for your body.
This can potentially be a way for people with anemia to introduce more iron into their diets.
Vitamin C can help the aging process in two ways.
For one, it helps to prevent wrinkles in old age. A study found that higher vitamin C ingestion was associated with lower chances of dry skin, fewer wrinkles, and a better skin-aging process. Even some studies on topical treatments of vitamin C have found potential in the vitamin.
But more importantly, vitamin C spells good news for brain health as well.
Due to its antioxidative properties, vitamin C can reduce inflammation near the central nervous system. This inflammation specifically can potentially increase oneβs susceptibility to dementia. And to add to this, itβs been shown that higher vitamin C ingestion has been linked to protective effects on memory and thinking during the aging process.
As a water-soluble vitamin, our bodies are unable to produce or store this useful nutrient and so it becomes doubly important for us to get it as a dietary supplement. But whatβs βregular basisβ and how much intake of vitamin C is enough?
In order to maintain appropriate levels of vitamin C, adult men are recommended to take at least 90 mg per day, while for women the number stands at 75 mg. And for those who smoke, the amount should be upped by 35 mg.
Keep in mind that this is just the recommended daily allowance (RDA), and there are some studies that have shown that more is betterβto a limited extent. For example, some studies on vitamin Cβs potential benefits had participants ingesting 500 mg a day.
However, there is an upper limit.
Taking a crazy amount of vitamin C in one sitting wonβt have serious consequences since it canβt be stored in the body. However, taking more than 2,000 mg in a day can have side effects including abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and rashes. Furthermore, men who have a history of kidney stones and test high for the chemical βoxalateβ should avoid taking vitamin C supplements. The vitamin can boost the formation of these stones, which is best to avoid if you can.
Just to get a rough grasp of how much the RDA for vitamin C is: itβs about 1 kiwi fruit or half of a cup of red bell peppers.
But like we know with scurvy, one of the best ways to get your vitamin C is through your citrus fruits. So, 1 cup of OJ equals your RDA for vitamin C. Other sources mainly include leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables such as:
Eating more veggies is sound advice almost all of the time, but itβs particularly important if youβre looking to gas up on your daily dose of vitamin C.
Making purees or shakes with fruits is always a good idea, or making smoothies and adding some protein powder if youβre looking to eke out some extra gains.
Other options are cutting some fruits up and freezing them as a snack in the summer, adding berries to your salads, cereals, or pancakes, and including a lot of raw vegetables in your salads and meals. Plus, simply going for a glass of vegetable juice throughout the day is a solid strategy as well.
If youβre keen for even more of this vitamin, consider taking a supplementβbut make sure that the vitamin C supplementation is high quality.
It might seem counterintuitive, but you actually donβt want pure vitamin C since itβs very acidic for your stomach and also breaks down quickly.Β Specially formulated vitamin C supplements take this into account and offer a much greater bang-for-your-buck.
While vitamin C is absolutely crucial for a well functioning body and immune system, there are plenty more other nutrients that need to be taken care of for your body to be in tip-top shape. Weβll touch on some of these here.
Vitamin D (especially for those living in the Northern hemisphere during the winter) is extremely important. Thereβs a lot of people who are deficient in the βsunshine vitamin,β since shorter days and lack of supplementing really do vitamin D dirty. Foods that are a good source include salmon, tuna, and mackerel. And while itβs usually a good idea to get your vitamins from natural foods, vitamin D might be the exception if youβre forced into hibernation every year.
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, similar to vitamin C in that regard. This vitamin is needed in almost 200 chemical reactions in your body, with a lot of those being critical to immune system function. Be sure to gorge on almonds, sunflower seeds, and peanuts (most nuts, really) if you want to stay on top of your vitamin E intakeβhowever, supplementing isnβt usually necessary for vitamin E.
Vitamin A is another immune-boosting, infection-fighting vitamin. It comes in two different forms; the first is from animal products and the second from plantsβusually colorful plants. In terms of the animal variety, tuna is a fantastic source. And when it comes to plant vitamin A, make sure youβre getting enough dark leafy greens, pumpkin, carrots, or sweet potatoes.
When it comes to minerals iron is important, and weβve already touched on it when it comes to its close relationship with vitamin C. However, selenium is another mineral thatβs important to get enough of. Its ability to help your body prevent infections means that itβs a key ingredient in keeping illness at bay. Itβs mostly found in meats and animal products, with a key exception being brazil nuts. Just one of these nuts offers more than 100% of your RDA, but overindulging can be an issue so be wary of eating more than a couple.
Another important mineral is zinc. Found most often in seafood, lean meats, legumes, and yogurt, zinc is necessary for the production of new immune system cells. Itβs also a popular supplement in pill form.
While weβve just spent over two thousand words telling you about the wonders of vitamin C, itβs important to remember that itβs just one of a multitude of nutrients that your body needs.
Getting a good variety of clean, healthy food is the key to maintaining your health and being able to fight off sicknesses faster. Vitamin C might be able to carry you over the finish line if all other things are equal, but youβre going to have to get most of the way to the finish line.
And getting to the finish line means consistently eating clean, sleeping enough, andΒ exercising regularly. This will not only boost your immune function, but itβll also offer holistic health that a single supplement will never be able to give you.
Maintaining a healthy routine with all of these key ingredients will also ensure that youβre mental wellbeing is taken care of. Clean food, exercise, and sleep all work to raise your mood and without this mental aspect, your physical health will also begin to wane as well.
Seeing your way to long term wellness is going to take both vitamin Cβand everything else.
