World Most Popular Vitamin

Vitamin C is no stranger to the spotlight for powerful nutrients. When people get a cold, wound in the mouth, cough, flu, etc. Vitamin C is one of the most common vitamins you might need. Vitamin C gives your immune system a boost, or you might supplement with it to help combat oxidative stress.

Many vitamin C functions are well studied and can be found in any nutrition textbook and articles on various websites. As a quick recap, here are some of Vitamin C most recognized roles in the body: 

• Immune system support.
• Collagen synthesis.
• L-carnitine synthesis.
• Neuro-transmitter synthesis.
• Antioxidant that also regenerates other antioxidants, specifically vitamin E.
• Increases non-heme (plant-based) iron absorption.
• Help in wound healing.

Scurvy, common among sailors in the 15th and 16th centuries, is a disease that arises when there is a deficiency of Vitamin C. The early symptoms include fatigue, lethargy, and malaise. As it progresses, it might cause anemia, bone pain, easy bruising, swelling, poor wound healing, mood changes, depression, and other symptoms. It can become very serious and even lead to death if not treated on time.

Although a deficiency might be rare today, having insufficient levels also leads to poor health. Our knowledge regarding various actions and roles that Vitamin C has in the body and why it is essential to have sufficient quantities continually expand as scientists discover more about it.

So, let’s take a look at what’s new with Vitamin C with a quick research roundup of some of the more recent studies around the world.

Neuro-degeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease
Recent studies on Vitamin C’s potential to help prevent and perhaps even ease Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders caused by neuro-degeneration found: 

• It reduces the risk of developing cognitive decline. Using data from a cohort study, researchers reviewed the impact of taking vitamin E and C supplements on cognitive decline. Supplementing with vitamin C and E resulted in roughly three-quarters the risk of developing cognitive impairment, not dementia. That was just under two-thirds the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and all-cause dementia.
  
  

  For those who appreciate the science, the adjusted hazard ratio was 0.77 for cognitive impairment, not dementia; 0.60 for Alzheimer’s disease; and 0.62 for all-cause dementia, all of which were significant and remained so in fully adjusted models other than cognitive impairment, not dementia. 

• In another study, lower plasma levels of vitamin C correlated with a higher risk of increased carotid Intima-Media Thickness (IMT). The increase in IMT shows an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. These points to a potentially protective effect of vitamin C against Alzheimer’s disease and similar vascular and cognitive aging.
  

Based on the two studies discussed above, it appears as though having sufficient vitamin C plays a vital role in protecting the brain. This makes it especially important for you to consume plenty of vitamin C rich foods as you age.  

Cardiovascular Disease 

Several studies in the past decade researched the association between Vitamin C and heart health. Vitamin C is a very essential vitamin used  in treating cardiovascular accidents (stroke).

Below are highlights of a couple of recent studies:

• A meta-analysis found Vitamin C played a big role in cardiac surgery and that it is potentially effective in reducing the incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation (a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.)
  
  
• Cardiac surgery has the most common surgical complication, and it can lead to twice the incidence of heart failure and stroke. Preventing post-operative atrial fibrillation could contribute to better surgical outcomes and reduced mortality.

  Patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome have lower plasma levels of vitamin C, as well as the other vital antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A and E), 

Low levels were not associated with their dietary intake, but weight played a role. Those who had a higher BMI (Body Mass Index) also had lower levels of Vitamin C, pointing to antioxidant deficiency or impairment. Therefore, regardless of the diet, those overweight or obese still had lower levels of Vitamin C in their blood, most likely due to increased antioxidant needs.

Therefore, it is even more necessary for those with a higher BMI to focus on consuming sufficient antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, through their diet and possibly supplementation.

A healthy diet, especially one rich in vegetables and fruit, is a vital constituent of heart health. One reason might be that the Vitamin C in plant foods helps ensure you have enough antioxidant capacity when stressed, whether from surgery or excess body fat.

Fighting Infections 

We already know that supporting the immune system is a vital function of Vitamin C. New research provides even more evidence, as shown below: 

• One randomized, controlled pilot study found that taking probiotics with 50 mg of Vitamin C reduced the incidence rate of upper respiratory tract infections in preschool children compared to the placebo group. There was also a reduction in the days absent from school and the number of days for which medication was needed than in the placebo group.
  
  
• In a randomized control trial, Vitamin C supplementation (500 mg) was found to help men with below adequate or deficient Vitamin C status at the beginning of the study overcome a cold faster. After taking Vitamin C, the duration of infection with the common cold was reduced by 59 percent compared to the control group.

The Vitamin C group also experienced a modest increase in the physical activity score and increased fasting serum Vitamin C levels.

 

Other Promising Findings

Many other studies are pointing to the possible benefits of this antioxidant vitamin. Some interesting and promising findings include: 

• A recent study analyzed data from 3,283 adults in the Korea 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Low intakes of vitamin C and other nutrients have a significant association with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Low vitamin C intake was one of four elements that had a significant independent risk factor. The other four were being male, older, and smoker. The study found that higher Vitamin C intake is protective, independent of smoking.
  
  
• Patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism and gastritis (it contributes to malabsorption of thyroid medication). Vitamin C helped improve absorption of levothyroxine, which improved their serum TSH, free T4, and T3 levels. These thyroid hormones play an important role in regulating metabolism, growth, development, and neural differentiation.
  
  
• A cohort study found that high levels (over 30 grams) of intravenous Vitamin C over a treatment period that lasted 90 minutes, reduced blood pressure by 6 to 7 mmHg and 8 to 9 mmHg in pre-hypertensive patients.
  
  
• A cross-sectional study looking at middle-aged and older adults found an inverse association between Vitamin C intake (adjusted for energy intake) and risk for developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
  
  
• A report reviewing two cohort studies found an inverse association between vitamin C intake and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in adults in China.

These studies point to the importance of ensuring you have an adequate supply at all times for your general health and well-being. As a bonus, you protect yourself from an early death.

How to Get Sufficient Vitamin C 

It is easy to boost your vitamin C intake: add some fruits and vegetables to your diet, especially if you fall short of the recommended 9 to 14 servings. In a study combining four randomized-controlled trials conducted under similar guidelines by the same research team, there was a 24 percent increase in Vitamin C intake per one additional portion of fruit and vegetable added to the diet, which was statistically significant.

For a targeted increase, try some of the following foods, which are rich in vitamin C and listed below: 

• Cherries (Agbalumo)
• Orange juice
• Guavas
• Red, green, and yellow peppers
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Tomato juice
• Lemon
• Kiwis
• Oranges
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Bitter leaves
• Strawberries 
• Tangerine
• Tamarind

The items in the list above have one thing in common: they are colorful foods.

Ensure to eat a colorful diet made up of every color of the rainbow. This provides your body with a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamin C. 

Don’t expose fresh vegetables and fruits to high heat because temperature destroys Vitamin C. It is best to consume raw.

If you struggle to consume enough Vitamin C rich foods, you might wish to turn to supplements.

There are a few things you need to know.

• Most supplements use ascorbic acid, which has a similar bioavailability to what you find in food.
  
  
• The body starts to absorb a little Vitamin C once you go above doses of 1,250 mg.
  
  
• Also, it is better to take Vitamin C in the daytime before night because they increase urine output. Taking Vitamin C at night can disrupt your sleep due to frequent urination. That is why for maximum absorption, it is recommended to split high doses into two or three, to be used throughout the day before night. 
  
  
• The most common side effect is diarrhea, and you might also experience abdominal pain. Typically, these symptoms are dose-related. This means that the higher the dose, the more likely they are to occur.
  
  
• Vitamin C increases the absorption of non-heme iron, which is the iron found in plants such as lentils, soy, quinoa, and leafy greens. Therefore, if you are at risk of an iron overload, do not take vitamin C when you consume these foods. Conversely, if you have a deficiency of iron, increase your non-heme iron absorption through consuming Vitamin C rich foods and/or supplements.
  
  
• Make sure bioflavonoids are included in your Vitamin C supplement for a complete complement of Vitamin C activity.
  
  
• When you choose a supplement, you want to make sure that it is of high quality. One of the best ways to do that is to look for those certified by a third party.
  
  
• Always review the active and inactive ingredients so that you know what is in the supplement. Be wary of proprietary blends that do not detail the ingredients. Other ingredients to avoid include wheat, gluten, lactose, hydrogenated oils, sweeteners, artificial colors, and anything else you generally would not wish to ingest.

There will always be more research on additional benefits of consuming Vitamin C, and there’s no time like the present to focus on your intake so that you benefit from all that Vitamin C does to the body, both the actions currently known and those that will only be revealed in the future.

Contact Us for more information on Vitamin C uses during Cancer treatment.