Key Findings
Vitamin C, a water-soluble nutrient, supports your efforts to stave off cancer and the common cold along with strengthening the cardiovascular system.
Its role in collagen production makes vitamin C a critical molecule for support of skin health, resulting in smooth, replenished skin and the support of alleviation of eczema, acne inflammation, and a sun-damaged complexion.
Main food sources of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, berries, melons, peppers and leafy green vegetables.
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The eyes have it
“C-ing” is believing … at least when it comes to vitamin C. This water-soluble nutrient’s impact on a myriad of crucial bodily functions is readily apparent, as evinced by the disparate roles it plays supporting everything from good vision and smooth skin to a strong heart and healthy immune system. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant and nutritional dynamo.
Most people in industrialized countries get their “C” on from consuming a bountiful diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is especially necessary since the body cannot make its own vitamin C. As such, vitamin C deficiencies – or conditions like scurvy – tend to be fairly rare. In the event that further amounts are needed to get to the Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA) suggested by the National Institutes of Health of 90 mg and 75 mg, respectively, for men and women age 19 and up, supplementation is a viable consideration.
The “Four C’s”
Along with all the other vital tasks it performs both inside and outside the body, vitamin C’s main areas of expertise coincidentally also start with the letter “C.”
Lauded for its support of your fight with the common cold, vitamin C is actually only effective support when those suffering ingested it on a regular basis before falling ill. Taking it at the onset of sneezing and coughing will most likely have minimal – if any – effect, whereas regular vitamin C users might get support to help you to experience less symptoms and shorter cold durations.
Some experts have linked vitamin C consumption through a well-balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables with support your efforts to get a lesser likelihood of certain cancers, including breast, colon, lung and skin cancers. And holistic practitioners concur that vitamin C, when taken intravenously, can dramatically support cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. An extremely effective delivery method administered by trained professionals, IV therapy allows the body to receive this much-needed nutrient in higher dosages than can be tolerated via the mouth. Not only that, the vitamin C can be enriched with minerals and other vitamins and nutrients for added benefits.
The phrase “skin deep” might well be talking about collagen. One of vitamin C’s strengths is supporting the body make collagen, a protein that helps form and regenerate skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels and connective tissue. Vitamin C has other skin-friendly attributes as well – it can help support a healthy complexion, support your efforts to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and sun-damaged skin, foster smooth skin, reduce acne inflammation, promote wound and burn healing, and protect the skin against ultraviolet (UV) light exposure.
Yet another area of vitamin C’s support is the cardiovascular system. In addition to supporting balancing blood pressure, vitamin C may support our efforts to reduce the effect of LDL cholesterol to keep arteries flexible and minimize the rate of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in blood vessels) that can lead to heart attack, stroke or peripheral artery disease.
But there’s more …
This multi-tasking vitamin is also a powerful anti-oxidant, charged with supporting the immune system and supporting stave off free radicals that can contribute to the aging process, damage DNA, or promote infection, illness or disease. Vitamin C can also support your efforts to mitigate allergy-related conditions like asthma and eczema, avoid pre-eclampsia for women at high risk, and protect the eyes against developing macular degeneration.
What are the best sources of vitamin C?
Found in a wide variety of natural and fortified food sources, vitamin C can best be obtained from (in alphabetical order):
Berries
Broccoli
Citrus fruits (grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, limes and oranges)
Dark leafy greens, including kale, spinach and turnip greens
Fortified breads, cereals and grains
Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
Peppers, particularly red peppers
Tomatoes
Most people who consume a nutritionally balanced diet packed with a variety of citrus fruits and leafy vegetables will most likely get the vitamin C they need to support optimal well-being. If supplementation is needed to shore up dietary insufficiencies or for those with particular medical concerns, vitamin C is available in tablet, capsule or chewable form in dosages ranging from 25 to 1,000 mg. This regimen, as with all supplementation, should be thoroughly discussed with your physician or a skilled holistic practitioner prior to implementation.
What’s the bottom line?
“C-ing” is believing when it comes to vitamin C. A water-soluble nutrient that the body is unable to make itself, this vital vitamin is best obtained from a harvest of fresh fruits, dark leafy vegetables, melons and berries. If additional vitamin C is required, supplementation as advised by a physician or holistic specialist is a viable option.
Tasked with numerous critical responsibilities, vitamin C helps support the immune system; support your efforts to prevent certain forms of cancer; support nutrient absorption when administered intravenously; support a strong cardiovascular system; and support the body in producing collagen for bones, skin and tissues.
Sources
https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-c-ascorbic-acid
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-C
https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/vitamins/vitamin-c-benefits/