Facts on Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects against cell damage from free radicals. It works both inside and outside of cells.

Vitamin C helps protect against heart disease by...

protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage

reducing the stiffness of arteries and the tendency of platelets to clump together

Facts on Vitamin C:

Benefits

Natural Food Sources

Dr. Linus Pauling Research

C also may help protect the body against accumulation or retention of the toxic mineral, lead. In one preliminary study, people with higher blood levels of C had much lower risk of having excessive blood levels of lead.

One of the functions of this substance is helping the body produce a key protein in our connective tissues, cartilage, and tendons called collagen.

In a controlled trial, male smokers with moderate to high levels of lead received supplements of 1,000 mg per day of vitamin C, 200 mg per day, or a placebo. Only those people taking 1,000 mg per day experienced a drop in the blood lead levels, but the reduction in this group was dramatic.

C works closely with vitamin E, another antioxidant vitamin. Vitamin E works in lipid (fatty) parts of the body, while vitamin C works in water.

C Benefits - A Quick List

Powerful antioxidant
Helps slow the aging process
Helps prevent heart disease
Helps prevent cancer
Essential for healthy teeth, gums and bones
Helps heal wounds, scar tissue and fractures
Helps fight infection by building antibodies
Helps prevent fatigue
Reduces symptoms and shortens duration of the common cold
Strengthens blood vessels
Increases the absorption of iron
Strengthens all connective tissue

Natural Food Sources

Vitamin C is abundantly found in the following foods: Citrus fruits, berries, green vegetables, broccoli, sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, cantaloupe, mangos, strawberries, pineapple

It is easily destroyed by cooking and food processing. Smoking and taking alcohol may reduce your bodies vitamin C levels. Some nutritionists suggest smokers take a daily supplement of 500 mg.

Some research has found that oral contraceptives, aspirin and analgesics may reduce blood levels of C.

Symptoms of Deficiency

Symptoms of C deficiency may include: Soft and bleeding gums, tooth decay, slow-healing of wounds and fractures, bruising, nosebleeds, loss of appetite, muscular weakness, skin hemorrhages, capillary weakness, anemia.

Although scurvy (severe deficiency) is uncommon in Western societies, many doctors believe that most people consume less than optimal amounts. Fatigue, easy bruising, and bleeding gums are early signs of C deficiency that occur long before frank scurvy develops. Smokers have low levels of and require a higher daily intake to maintain normal levels. Women who have lower blood levels of have an increased risk of gallstones.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for in nonsmoking adults is 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men. For smokers, the RDAs are 110 mg per day for women and 125 mg per day for men. Most clinical studies have investigated the effects of a broad range of higher intakes (100-1,000 mg per day or more), often not looking for the "optimal" intake within that range.

In terms of heart disease prevention, as little as 100-200 mg of C appears to be adequate. Although some doctors recommend 500-1,000 mg per day or more, additional research is needed to determine whether these larger amounts are necessary. Some experts propose that adequate intake be considered 200 mg per day because of evidence that the cells of the human body do not take up any more vitamin C when larger daily amounts are used.

Dr. Linus Pauling Research

Two-time Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling did some interesting research in the 1960's, providing some unconventional information and uses for vitamin C. Dr. Pauling produced many scholarly scientific papers on a variety of subjects in various research fields.

His landmark book "The Nature of the Chemical Bond" is frequently cited as the most influential scientific book of the 20th century. Because of his stature as a scientist, We feel that Dr. Pauling's research on is very important for those wanting more information on the subject.

For more information, here are some resources covering Dr. Pauling's research: The Micronutrient Information Center can provide more specific information about vitamin C.

Dr. Pauling discusses his research and rationale for higher C dosages. Also discusses a natural approach to cancer with other antioxidants: Last Interview with Dr. Linus Pauling

Tips for Choosing Nutritional Supplements

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients work best when they're combined in a way that mimics nature as closely as possible. Vitamin E works closely with vitamin C and the mineral selenium. Some nutritional supplements have these and other nutrients combined to make use of the natural synergy between them. Plus, for fat-soluble nutrients like E, there will be no danger of overdose toxicity with a "multi-nutrient" supplement.

Try to use a supplement containing all the vitamin E tocopherols (it will say "mixed tocopherols" on the label). Also, make sure they're natural rather than synthetic.

Companies willing to give a full disclosure and description of their ingredients have usually put more effort and research into their product. For example, instead of just saying "Calcium" the label should be more detailed like this: "Calcium (from 2430 mg Citrate, Malate, Ester-C)". This description indicates that higher quality ingredients and more up-to-date research was used for the supplement.

Produced at pharmaceutical GMP (good manufacturing practices) facilities
In the United States, nutritional supplements are regulated as a food product rather than the more restrictive regulations that drugs fall under. Currently, compliance to GMP standards is voluntary so it's important to do your own research to verify that macro-biological testing is done at every stage of production to make sure that the lab did not contaminate the product.

(This issue shouldn't be taken lightly - studies by Consumerlab have shown that some supplements don't have the true amount of ingredients as stated on the label, or may harbor toxic contaminants.)

Pharmaceutical grade supplements (sometimes called nutriceuticals) are made for "professional" use in the health care field by natural health care providers and consumers who want the best.

To find out about supplements that we feel meet the above criteria (that we use and recommend ourselves) and are a worthwhile investment, go here.

Wishing You Good Health!
The Editors i-health-info.com

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