The Health Benefits of Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient which is found in plant-based foods like herbs, fruits and vegetables. This is a water-soluble nutrient which the body cannot store very well, so we must get this on a daily basis from our diet. Many people have a subclinical deficiency in Vitamin C which leads to health problems, weakness in the body and a poor immune system.
In this article, we will highlight all of the health benefits of Vitamin C, explain how it works in the body, and how you can get more of this into your diet.
1. Immunity: Vitamin C is one of the key nutrients that helps to strengthen the immune system. It enhances white blood cell activity to protect the body from viruses, bacteria, fungi, mould and other pathogens. Studies show that consuming more foods rich in Vitamin C can help your body to make interferon, a hormone which kills infected cells in the body.
2. Heart Health is the prominent health benefits of vitamin c: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which reduces inflammation in the arteries and blood vessels, allowing for normal blood flow. It also helps endothelial cells in the arteries to function properly. This can help to maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system by helping to widen blood vessels. Vitamin C effectively lowers the risk of hypertension, high blood pressure and heart disease.
3. Healing: Studies show that wounds, cuts and grazes heal faster in those who consume more foods rich in Vitamin C. This nutrient helps the body to repair tissues and reduce inflammation so that the skin can quickly make new cells. Also, if you have been infected with a virus or bacterial agent, Vitamin C helps the body to heal faster.
4. Skin Health: Vitamin C is an important nutrient needed by the body to build proteins like collagen. This can help to keep the skin healthy, looking youthful and refreshed. Having better collagen production also reduces the premature ageing of the skin. Vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant which fights free radical damage, fights acne and helps to regenerate skin cells.
5. Joint Health health benefits of vitamin c: By stimulating the production of collagen, Vitamin C helps the body to repair and grow healthy connective tissues in the joints. Collagen is needed for healthy ligaments, tendons, bones, and cartilage, especially in growing children or after an injury. If you suffer from arthritis then Vitamin C is essential.
6. Lung Health: Vitamin C has been shown to help strengthen the lung and throat tissues, boost the immune system and lower inflammation in the lungs. Consuming at least 200mg of this daily was shown to help people breathe better after exercise and help in oxygenating the blood. Vitamin C has also been shown to kill drug-resistant tuberculosis bacteria in lab studies.
7. Anti-Ageing: We mentioned earlier that Vitamin C can help to maintain youthful skin, however it goes much deeper than this. It is involved with protecting the entire body, including the internal organs from free radical damage. This can prevent rapid and premature ageing, keeping the body healthy and fit with age.
8. Muscle Health: Many athletes understand that vitamin C is essential for healthy muscle growth and repair. When building muscle vitamin C helps to prevent oxidative stress by raising glutathione levels, the master antioxidant in the human body. It also helps to flush lactic acid out of the muscles, making them less stiff and more agile after exercise.
9. Eye Health: As Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant it reduces the effects of ageing to the eyes. Studies show that it can reduce the risk of cataracts, eye disorders, glaucoma and macular degeneration by fighting the effects of free radicals.
10. Anaemia: If you suffer from anaemia then you may be deficient in Iron. Consuming foods rich in Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron. This helps you to produce healthy red blood cells and transport oxygen through the entire body.
11. Fatigue: If you feel tired quite often then you may be deficient in Vitamin C and other nutrients. Consuming nutrient-dense foods like cruciferous vegetables can help the body to balance hormones and raise energy levels. Vitamin C helps the body to make norepinephrine which keeps you awake. It also helps the mitochondria energy factories within the cells to burn fat for fuel.
12. Heavy Metals: Vitamin C helps the liver and kidneys to detoxify heavy metals such as lead which could be causing some major problems in the body. Doctors are using Vitamin C as a prescription to reduce lead toxicity and also reduce detox symptoms.
13. Diabetes: Those who suffer from diabetes are at much higher risk of having kidney problems, eye problems and nerve problems as their bodies cannot control blood sugar properly. Vitamin C reduces the deterioration of these organs as long as you are consuming lots of raw plant-based foods. Remember that heat can destroy vitamin C.
14. Allergies: Research shows that consuming 2000mg of Vitamin C per day can help those who suffer from allergies. Vitamin C protects the cells from damage and reduces histamine levels in the blood, which may help those with hay fever and skin allergies.
15. Cancer Therapy: As Vitamin C is an antioxidant, it helps to protect the cells from oxidative stress and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants in the body. High doses of Vitamin C have been found to slow the spreading of some types of cancerous tissues however more research is currently required.
16. Brain Health: The brain needs lots of vitamin c to support normal neuron function. It helps the brain to make faster connections which may improve concentration. This nutrient also protects the brain cells from free radical damage, supports a healthy nervous system and is involved with making neurotransmitters like serotonin.
17. Uric Acid: If you suffer from high uric acid, uric acid kidney stones or gout then taking a daily supplement of food-based Vitamin C can help. Scientific studies show that Vitamin C helps to reduce uric acid levels in the blood and protect against gout attacks and the formation of uric acid crystals in the body.
18. Types: Ascorbic acid is only a small part of the Vitamin C complex found in nature, so synthetic supplements do not have the same benefits for the body. If you do wish to take a supplement, make sure that it is not synthetic and is made of a food-based concentrate. We recommend acerola cherry extract or camu camu powder. As you can see there are many benefits of getting enough Vitamin C in your diet. Remember that this nutrient is water-soluble, so the body cannot hold it for very long. It is important to keep eating healthy plant-based foods like leafy greens, fruits and herbs to meet your requirements. Adults should consume at least 90mg of Vitamin C per day from healthy foods, however, those who smoke, are pregnant or are elderly may need much more. High blood sugar can also block your absorption of Vitamin C, so if you are diabetic then you may also require higher amounts of this nutrient.