Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
By Dr. George Obikoya:
Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant vitamin
that is capable of neutralizing potentially damaging free radicals.
Vitamin C helps the white blood cells combat infection and is essential
for wound healing. It is also required for the formation of collagen,
for healthy skin, and for the formation of other structural materials
in bones, teeth and capillaries. Vitamin C helps the absorption
of iron from plant (non-animal) sources. Its deficiency manifests
in poor wound healing, dry skin, broken thread veins, scalp dryness,
irritability, and weakness.
People over 55, convalescents, those who consume large amounts of
alcohol, those with active, busy lives, people with colds, smokers
(as each cigarette destroys some vitamin C), persons exposed to
excessive pollution, athletes and routine aspirin users all need
to take supplementary vitamin C, preferably in a liquid multivitamin,
or consume vitamin C containing foods.
Vitamin C produces Collagen, which is essentially the "adhesive"
that holds your body together. It is the tissue that holds your
muscles to your skeleton, your skin to your muscles, and keeps everything
together. What does this mean to you? If Collagen will help heal
sprained joints, broken bones, cuts, and other injuries, that translates
to a better and faster muscle recovery after you workout.
Vitamin C is responsible for over 300 functions in your body, ranging
from being the top anti-oxidant, producing collagen, keeping your
immune system healthy, curing some male infertility problems, lowering
blood pressure and relieving stress.
When you are not feeling well, when you are lethargic and all you
want to do is just lie in bed all day, and don’t even feel like
your daily trip to the gym, vitamin C can help you get back on your
feet because it boosts the immune system. Through this function,
along with its antioxidant function, it may help in the prevention
and treatment of infections and other diseases.
Slightly large doses (1-2 g/day) of vitamin C have been found to
reduce asthma symptoms significantly. Recent studies have shown
that vitamin C concentrations in the blood from rheumatoid arthritis
patients are extremely low and that vitamin C may even protect against
further damage to inflamed joints.
Vitamin C also helps prevent atherosclerosis by
strenghtening the artery walls through its participation in the
synthesis of collagen, and by preventing the undesirable adhesion
of white blood cells to damaged arteries. An adequate intake of
vitamin C through a liquid multivitamin is highly protective against
stroke and heart attack.
Ascorbic acid may activate neutrophils, the most prevalent white
blood cells that defend you against infections. It also seems to
increase production of lymphocytes, the white cells important in
antibody production and in coordinating the cellular immune functions.
Hence, vitamin C may help you fight bacterial, viral, and fungal
diseases.
Taken in higher dosages, ascorbic acid (another name for Vitamin
C) may actually increase interferon production and thus activate
the immune response to viruses; it may also decrease the production
of histamine, thereby reducing immediate allergy potential. High
levels of Vitamin C can, therefore, help you maintain good health
and help cure common illnesses such as the common cold or flu type
symptoms. Recent research evidence suggests that the combination
of high doses of vitamins C and E helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease
but only at doses above the average dietary intake.
Vitamin C stimulates adrenal function and the release of norepinephrine
and epinephrine (adrenaline), our stress hormones; however, prolonged
stress depletes vitamin C in the adrenals and decreases the blood
levels. It is, therefore, necessary for you to take additional vitamin
C during periods of stress. Ascorbic acid also helps your thyroid
gland to produce adequate quantities of its hormone. Vitamin C also
aids in cholesterol metabolism, increasing its elimination and thereby
assisting in lowering blood cholesterol.
Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce blood pressure. This is
very useful if you suffer from high blood pressure and those taking
anabolic steroids as they tend to have an elevated blood pressure
due to side effects of their steroids.
The RDA of 60mgs is rather too low. Two-time Nobel prize winner,
Dr. Linus Pauling was the first to realize vitamin C's crucial importance
in the maintenance of a healthy immune system. In 1970 he proposed
that regular intake of vitamin C in amounts far higher than the
officially sanctioned RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) could help
prevent and shorten the duration of the common cold.
While the medical establishment promptly antagonized this idea,
many ordinary people believed Dr. Pauling and began taking large
amounts of vitamin C. Most immediately noticed a great decrease
in the frequency and severity of their colds. Many Doctors and nutritionists
suggest you take 500 mgs of vitamin C daily. You can take as much
as 1000-2000 mgs of vitamin C when you have a cold or some other
infections or you are feeling lethargic due to your immune system
being weak.
Remember that Vitamin C is water soluble, so any extra will be washed
out of your system daily. This, in fact, is another reason you take
vitamin C daily, to replenish that lost in your urine. Also remember
that some medicines can be affected by vitamin C so be sure to keep
your doctor informed of any supplements you may be taking. Women
on the contraceptive pill should not take excessively large doses
of vitamin C at the same time of day as this may reduce the pill's
effectiveness.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health
and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of
the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high
quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at
the Multivitamin
Product Comparisons.
VITAPLEN™ contains 150 mg of Vitamin C or 250% Recommended Daily Value and 165 scientifically formulated nutrients--all in a highly absorbable liquid formula.
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