Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and serves as a very important antioxidant. Our bodies need to ingest Vitamin C or foods with Vitamin C on a daily basis in order to maintain necessary supplies because Vitamin C is excreted daily.
Benefits of Vitamin C:
- Repair and maintain teeth & bones
- Slow and prevent cell damage
- Maintain healthy body tissues
- Boosts immune system
- Helps absorb iron from plant foods
- Decreases severity & duration of colds
- Fights free radical damage
- Builds & maintains blood vessels
- Builds collagen needed to bind bones, joints, tendons, & ligaments together
Symptoms Linked to Vitamin C Deficiency:
- Weakened immune system
- Easy bruising
- Swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Slow wound healing
- Gingivitis
- Dry & splitting hair
- Rough, dry, scaly skin
- Nosebleeds
Health Problems Associated From Vitamin C Deficiency:
- Asthma – Dilates bronchial airways. Inhibits histamine-induced constriction of airways. Needed for production of epinephrine which mitigates asthma attacks.
- Autism – Improved symptom severity and sensory motor scores in autistic patients, possible due to interaction with dopamine synthesis. Vitamin C also has a strong sparing effect on Glutathione.
- Depression – Oxidative stress in the brain alters neurotransmitter function. Antioxidants protect our brain which is very sensitive to oxidation. Several antioxidants – Vitamins A, C and E, Lipoic Acid, CoQ10, Glutathione and Cysteine – play a key role in prevention and treatment of depression.
- Diabetes – Lowers glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) & fasting & post-meal glucose levels & in type 2 diabetics.
- Dyslipidemia – Protects LDL from oxidation, thus making it less “sticky” and prone to atherosclerosis (clogging of arteries). Prevents white blood cells (monocytes) and oxidized LDL from sticking to blood vessel wall. Lowers Lp(a) in some people.
- Estrogen – Increases the most potent estrogen (estradiol) in women on hormone therapy. Lowers aromatase (enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen) in ovaries.
- Fatigue – Assists iron uptake and transport. Precursor to Carnitine and several hormones that affect energy levels. Supplementation reduced fatigue in various trials.
- Gastrointestinal Health – An inflamed gut uses up the antioxidant Vitamin C faster than a healthy gut. Promotes tissue healing in GI tract. Reduces gastrointestinal inflammation.
- Female Fertility – Increases serum progesterone levels. Induces ovulation in some women. Enhances effect of the fertility drug clomiphene.
- Fibromyalgia – Low antioxidant status (Glutathione, Cysteine, CoQ10, Selenium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Vitamin C) increases pain in fibromyalgia, which is often considered an oxidative stress disorder.
- Headaches – Newly discovered role in neural tissue may explain its clinical benefit in a double blind trial on headache frequency.
- Hypothyroidism – Vitamin C and E partially restores thyroid function when liver detoxification ability is compromised.
- Hypertension – Improves the ability of blood vessels to react appropriately to relaxation signals. Increases nitric oxide, a powerful vasodilator.
- Inflammation – Low Vitamin C linked to inflammation. Inversely related to C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for systemic inflammation. Increases Glutathione.
- Methylation – Deficiency alters methylation patterns in cancer cells. Also a cofactor for methylating enzymes.
- Pain – Clinical trials show antioxidant therapy is an effective treatment for chronic pain. Vitamin C can lower morphine consumption after surgery. Vitamin E reduces neuropathic pain. Coenzyme Q10 relieves statin-induced myopathy.
- Sleep Apnea – Improves endothelial function (blood vessel health) in sleep apnea patients to levels seen in people without sleep apnea.
- Sports Nutrition – Decreases post-workout soreness. Required for collagen synthesis and thus protects muscles from injury due to trauma or training. Reduces cortisol induced muscle catabolism.
- Telomeres – Protects DNA from oxidation. In vitro studies show it slows down age-related telomere shortening in human skin cells.
- Testosterone – Studies suggest Vitamin C protects prostate from testosterone induced tumors.
Health Problems Associated From Long-Term Vitamin C Deficiency:
- High blood pressure
- Gallbladder disease
- Stroke
- Certain cancers
- Atherosclerosis
How to Acquire Vitamin C:
- Oranges
- Red Peppers
- Kale
- Brussels Sprouts
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit
- Guava
- Kiwi
- Green Peppers
