It’s Vitamin C’s Time to Shine! We will be moving on in our series to the benefits of Vitamin C, and how it contributes to so many different processes in our bodies! You may be surprised about how many different types of foods are actually jam packed with this vitamin- trust me you don’t need to pucker up to a lemon to reap these benefits.
What does it do?
Vitamin C is so multifunctional! It helps repair and regenerate tissue, it supports immune function, it lowers our overall LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, it helps prevent heart disease, it significantly increases iron absorption, and it neutralizes free radicals and nitrates within the body preventing cancer!
What happens if I don’t get enough?
Deficiency symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, joint and muscle pain, bleeding gums, and leg rashes. Sever and prolonged vitamin C deficiency can lead to scurvy, a condition often associated with sailors though it was reported as early as 1550 BCE. In 1768 captain James Cook reportedly brought on board vitamin C packed: malt, wort, beer, and sour crout to test out several Clinician’s hypotheses that the foods could help prevent Scurvy. To Cook’s luck the clinicians were correct and he did not lose one member of his crew to the disease!
How much do I need?
*Anticoagulant drugs, ncotine, estrogens, tetracyclines, barbiturates, and aspirin may decrease levels of vitamin C within the body.
Where can I Find it?
What if I take too much?
As vitamin c is a water soluble vitamin, so excess vitamin C is usually excreted in the urine. Most healthy people only store about 200-250 mg of vitamin C a day, and may need more if taking specification or suffering from an illness. However, doses of vitamin C over 2,000 mg/day have been associated with kidney stones, diarrhea, nausea, and gastritis.
Learn more about vitamin C here!
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