Vitamin C: What it is, Why we need it, How to dose

Vitamin C is one of the essential vitamins, meaning your body cannot produce it on its own, yet is very important to the body. Vitamin C, also known as Ascorbic Acid is found in some foods and is water soluble. In the body vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, which helps protect the body from free radicals. In modern life we are exposed to many free radicals from the digestion of foods we eat to environmental exposure due to smoke, pollution, and UV rays from the sun. Vitamin C also helps the body produce collagen to help heal quicker. As well as helping significantly with the absorption of iron, it also helps the immune system function properly to keep the body healthy.

The amount of vitamin C needed daily depends on your age with recommendations varying between 50mg/day for kids to 120mg/day for adults, smokers should add an additional 35mg/day. Most vitamin C supplements are dosed between 500-1000mg, this is still very safe as the upper limit for vitamin C is roughly 2,000mg/day. Fruits and vegetables are the best source of vitamin C for the body. Citrus fruits have the highest amount of vitamin C, but other fruits and vegetables like strawberries, broccoli, baked potatoes and tomatoes all have vitamin C. If you struggle to eat fruits on a daily basis a vitamin C supplement may be helpful. Most supplements use the ascorbic acid form of vitamin C. There are other forms available such as sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, and other mineral ascorbates, research has not shown that any form of vitamin C is conclusively better than the others.

In the United States most people are getting enough vitamin C from food and drink to satisfy daily requirements. There are however certain groups that are at higher risk of low vitamin C levels. People who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke generally need more vitamin C, in part due to the damage caused by free radicals that need repair. People who eat limited diets or have certain medical issues like malabsorption may also have problems obtaining enough vitamin C from their diet. In cases where someone gets very little or no vitamin C for weeks at a time, they may develop scurvy. Scurvy can lead to a whole host of health issues and even death if not treated. Luckily, in North America low vitamin C is very rare.

Vitamin C has many beneficial effects on human health. It is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body against free radicals, otherwise known as oxidative stress, which can help prevent chronic diseases. Studies have shown that vitamin C helps the body heal from injuries quicker, this is largely due to its role in helping the body produce collagen. Vitamin C is very beneficial in helping the body convert iron that is not easily absorbed (most plant forms) into a more absorbable form. Most well known is vitamin C’s role in strengthening the immune system. It does this by encouraging the production of white blood cells, which protect the body against infection.

Vitamin C has many important health benefits, from strengthening the immune system to helping healing times. In North America most people don’t need to worry as they will get enough vitamin C through their diet. For those that struggle to get enough from their diet alone, vitamin C supplements are a great way to boost your intake.