Vitamin C: Benefits and Health Supplements

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning it can be dissolved in water and delivered to body tissues. Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, so it must be included in the daily diet and supplements. The best vitamin C is required by the human body to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscles, and collagen in the bones. Vitamin C also controls infections and aids in the healing process. It is also an antioxidant that can neutralize harmful free radiation. Molecules are formed when a body breaks down food or when the molecules are exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation from the sun, X-rays, or other sources.

The best vitamin C also helps make several hormones and chemical messengers in the brain and nerves. It helps in increasing and storing iron. Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant foods.

Vitamin C deficiency is more likely to occur in people with certain gastrointestinal disorders or certain types of cancer, smoke, and lack of vitamin C in their regular diet. A limited diet that provides less than 10 mg of vitamin C daily for a month or more can have serious chances of vitamin C deficiency. A severe vitamin C deficiency leads to a disease known as scurvy. This shows symptoms such as skin spots caused by bleeding and bruising from broken blood vessels, swelling or bleeding of the gums and eventual tooth loss, hair loss, delayed healing of skin wounds, fatigue, malaise, iron deficiency anemia due to reduced absorption of non-heme iron.

The human body does not produce natural vitamin C supplements, so it is necessary to have it on a regular diet. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of this vitamin, such as citrus fruits like oranges, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and white potatoes.

Vitamin C supplements aren’t as effective as a regular diet’s natural intake of vitamin C. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides more natural vitamin C supplements than oral supplements and may lower the risk of cancer, the common cold, and eye diseases. Oral vitamin C supplements are considered safe, provided doses are not taken appropriately.

Excessive vitamin C intake causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn, stomach cramps or bloating, fatigue and drowsiness, insomnia, headache, and skin flushing.

The daily allowance of vitamin C is 90 milligrams for adult men and 75 milligrams for adult women.