Vitamin C Supplement Info and Products

Vitamin C Benefits, Side Effects, and Research

AKA: , Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbate, Vitamin C

Vitamin C Overview

Detailed Information on Vitamin C:

Thousands of studies clearly support vitamin C's ability to protect against free radical damage. Studies show that vitamin C works with vitamin E to prevent the free radical chain oxidation of lipids. Vitamin C also regenerates vitamin D. It increases the rate at which cholesterol is removed by conversion to bile acids. It inhibits oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and increases HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It is also essential for collagen synthesis to make GAGs (glucosaminoglycans), the crucial ingredient of the “glue" that holds arterial cells in place. Deficiencies of vitamin C cause deterioration of cell linings, resulting in arterial injuries that attract cholesterol and initiate atherosclerosis. Arteries with high vitamin C levels have lower cholesterol levels and a reversal of atherosclerosis.

Vitamin C is one of the most versatile of all antioxidants. Vitamin C supports your body's entire antioxidant defense system by helping natural antioxidant enzymes perform at their best and regenerating vitamin E, requiring less dietary intake. Vitamin C can also detoxify heavy metals such as Mercury, led, cadmium and nickel.

More vitamin C is contained in the adrenal glands than any other organ in the body and is required at higher levels during times of stress. Physical stresses on the body such as infections, cigarette smoking, extreme temperatures, ingestion of heavy metals, and chronic use of certain medications also signal the need for increased intake of vitamin C. Usually recommended for the common cold, vitamin C should be taking year-round, especially if you smoke or are exposed to pollutants on a daily basis.

Humans are one of the few species that cannot manufacture vitamin C and must obtain the water soluble nutrient from dietary sources. Vitamin C exists in nature in both its reduced form, l-ascorbic acid, and in its oxidized form, l-dehydroascorbic acid. L-ascorbic acid is the most active form. “Buffered vitamin C" refers to the sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium ascorbate salts. This form of vitamin C is less acidic and may be less likely to cause gastric irritation when taken in higher doses.

There are no known toxicities associated with vitamin C, but large doses may interfere with tests to determine occult blood in the stool and tests to monitor blood glucose levels in diabetics. Also, some side effects of large doses and overdoses are diarrhea, which can be cured by lowering the vitamin dose, and abdominal gas, bloating and cramping. The mineral ascorbates such as calcium or magnesium ascorbate are not acidic and may solve this problem.

Vitamin C's most well-recognized function in the body is as an antioxidant. It also has reported antiviral activity and prevents the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines. Vitamin C is also popularly recognized for its role in the synthesis of collagen and elastin, the major structural components of skin, tendons, bone matrix, tooth dentin, blood vessels and connective tissues between cells. Vitamin C can detoxify heavy metals such as Mercury, led, cadmium and nickel, and it is involved in oxidation reduction reactions, energy production, tyrosine metabolism, reduction and storage of iron, and the activation of folic acid.

In fact synthesis, vitamin C has several roles: vitamin C aids in the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids for excretion; vitamin C helps the synthesis of collagen and elastin, which together maintain strength and elasticity of blood vessels; vitamin C decreases free radical oxidation of cholesterol and levels of lipoprotein(a). Vitamin C also functions as a histamine inhibitor by inhibiting the release and enhancing the degradation of histamine. In terms of immune function, vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells and antibiotics, contributes to the production of interferon, and modulates prostaglandin synthesis.

Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of the body's main stress response hormones in the adrenal glands, including epinephrine, nor epinephrine, cortisol and histamine. Stresses such as fever, Burns, exposure to cold, physical trauma, fractures, high altitude and radiation, all require larger doses of vitamin C. Vitamin C also increases the healing of scars, broken bones, Burns, etc.