Health Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is massively important for the body’s day-to-day functionality and optimal health. The benefits of vitamin C are immensely significant to the body. HOW? Let’s find out!
Brief About Vitamin C
Vitamin C also known as “Ascorbic Acid(AA)” is a strong and commonly used antioxidant. Human beings cannot naturally synthesise this vitamin on their own that is why they are always dependent on external sources.
These external sources include vitamin C rich foods which consists mainly of citrus fruits like lemon, orange, etc. Vitamin C is also present in vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and green-leafy vegetables and it is also found in organ meat like liver and kidney of the animals. If you want to know in detail about high sources of vitamin C, refer to this Top 26 High Vitamin C Foods.
The disease caused by the deficiency of vitamin C is called “SCURVY”. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, as a result its excess consumption also does not cause any harm to the body because it flushes out through urine. This vitamin is one of the most inexpensive and easily-available vitamins.
It helps in protein formation, tissue repair, vasodilation and also helps in preventing multiple types of diseases, makes your body fit and healthy from inside and outside, both, due to its amazing properties which it possesses. Really? Let’s dive into it more in detail!
10 Benefits of Vitamin C
1. Benefits of Vitamin C for Skin
Vitamin C is extensively used in dermatology and beautification because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anti-pigmentary properties. It helps in making the skin wrinkle-free, firm, protects it from UV rays and decreases melanin synthesis which is responsible for hyperpigmentation.
Moreover, an amazing fact about vitamin C is that it also has neocollagenesis property as well, which means it acts as a co-factor for collagen synthesis.
Collagen is responsible for the luster, firmness and health of the skin and it is processed through Hydroxyproline amino acids, and this amino acid depends upon vitamin C, as a result vitamin C stimulates collagen quality and as well as the quantity, which in turn decides your skin health.
2. Benefits of Vitamin C for Immunity
Do you remember the COVID-19 days? Among various health advice, one effective one was to consume adequate vitamin C, WHY? Because vitamin C boosts your immune system immensely. Vitamin C directly and massively affects the immune cells and it is also responsible for killing microbes once they reach the site of infection.
The function of WBCs(White Blood Cells) in the body is to fight the disease-causing bacteria and viruses. These blood cells also require vitamin C for proper functionality, WHY?
Because these blood cells accumulate concentration of vitamin C up to 100 times greater than that of plasma. As a result, vitamin C indirectly strengthens your immune system.
3. Benefits of Vitamin C for Gut Health
Gut microbes are massively crucial to human health and an astounding study published on August 2021 in the journal, Antioxidants reported that high dosage of vitamin C supplementation can manipulate the gut microbiota composition, leading to shifts of bacterial population in the gut and inducing anti-inflammatory effects. Though the link of vitamin C and gut health needs more detailed research.
4. Benefits of Vitamin C for Bone Health
Vitamin C also plays an important role in maintaining the integrity, density and strength of the bone. A publication in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research stated that vitamin C is crucial to bone health and also it further stated that reduced serum vitamin C levels or intake may be associated with the development of osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures.
5. Benefits of Vitamin C for Dental Health
Vitamin C is equally significant when it comes to maintaining your dental health. It assists in collagen synthesis, which is an important protein for providing tooth structure, support and maintenance. Moreover, vitamin c also induces calcium deposition, mineralisation and reduces the risk of developing secondary caries in children.
6. Prevents Cancer
The AA(Ascorbic Acid) is a quite promising drug to be used against cancer. Vitamin C possesses anti-carcinogenic properties due to which it prevents cancer in healthy individuals and expedites and assists the recovery in cancer patients.
A study published in the journal, Antioxidants in November 2021, showed vitamin C intake from natural sources can prevent the development of pulmonary and breast cancer.
Another publication which came in April 2022 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences analyzed 20 publications and reported that HAAT(High-dose Intravenous Vitamin Therapy) might be a useful cancer-treating tool. However, further research is needed to establish this as a potent cancer-treating tool.
7. Regulates Blood Pressure
Vitamin C also helps in regulating the blood pressure and it is strongly recommended for hypertension patients. A research published in February 2022 in the journal, Medicine, conducted a meta-analysis of 8 studies with 614 participants who experienced a significant reduction in SBP(Systolic Blood Pressure) and DBP(Diastolic Blood Pressure) with essential hypertension. The same was proven in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
8. Helps Diabetic Patient
The AA(Ascorbic Acid) is closely related to prevent diabetes and treat diabetic patients. A research published in the journal, Medicine on November 2022, indicated that AA(Ascorbic Acid) supplementation can reduce blood glucose, increase insulin synthesis and secretion, improve insulin resistance, reduce the occurence and development of complications of T2DM(Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus).
9. Disease Fighter
Vitamin C being so excessively rich in antioxidative property, reduces the oxidative stress inside the body and curbs the free radicals, which is a major potent factor for multiple diseases. It helps in dealing with common cold, viral diseases, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders and so on.
10. Assists Iron Absorption
Vitamin C or AA(Ascorbic Acid) facilitates iron absorption in the body. The key role of AA for the absorption of dietary iron is to prevent the formation of insoluble iron compounds and reduction of ferric to ferrous iron which is essential for the uptake of iron into the mucosal cells. Vitamin C may also help people suffering with iron deficiency(Anemia) because it increases the bioavailability of iron in the body.
How much vitamin C per day is needed?
The vitamin C requirement varies from individual to individual and also depends on multiple factors like age, gender, health status, etc. But on an average, 75 mg per day is required for women and 90 mg for men. In the case of pregnant women, the vitamin C intake goes up to 120 mg per day.
NOTE:-“LESS IS MORE” when it comes to vitamin C. Because small dosages of vitamin C have been proven in studies to be absorbed better and that’s why always avoid taking vitamin C in huge amounts unless recommended by any doctor or suffering from any specific disease. Consuming more than 500 mg per day of vitamin C is not required at all because higher dosage will not be absorbed by the body and as a result it will go waste.
Takeaway
Including vitamin C in the form of whole foods or supplements will take your health and fitness at the next level. You will feel healthy inside-out and you can literally experience the benefits of vitamin C in real time once you start consuming it.
