Six Essential Facts About Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is amazing for our body, and here are the reasons why! From supporting our immune systems to helping our skin look radiant and firm it has multiple benefits. Many foods do contain vitamin C, but we are simply not getting enough, through modern-day stresses it is increasingly evident that we are not getting nearly enough. The body cannot produce Vitamin C on its own, therefore we need to get enough from food or Vitamin supplements. Vitamin C is not stored by the body very easily, only around 1% of it is stored in your liver. Also, the food we eat is not getting from farm to plate quickly enough which depletes nutrients in the food and the state of our health is declining constantly with chronic disease. Therefore our nutrient demands are ever-increasing, and this includes the need for vitamin C.

Six Essential Facts About Vitamin C & its role in the body

1. Supports the immune system
2. Antioxidant Role in the body
3. Collagen formation. Not just beauty
4. Energy production: need a boost?
5. Aids iron absorption
6. Mental Health: Nervous and cognitive support

Supporting the immune system

Vitamin C is a great immune system supporter as it is essential for your white blood cells so they can function at their best! Vitamin C is essential for your immune system because it is involved in the creation of cortisol, cytokines, and white blood cells. Vitamin C is also essential because it gives your immune system the ability to fight infections and diseases. Vitamin C helps by regulating T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, B lymphocytes, and the production of antibodies. Vitamin C's role in making antibodies makes it exceptionally important for people suffering from types of infections that need an immunosuppressant.

Vitamin C also plays an important role in immunity by supporting numerous cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. This helps keep chronic disease at bay and it helps us respond quickly to acute illnesses and infections. Extra vitamin C may be particularly useful if you exercise a lot. This is because after intense physical exercise the immune system works to raise inflammation to aid the repair and building of muscles.

Antioxidant Role in the body

Vitamin C is known broadly as an antioxidant, which means it has the ability to mop up free radicals before they cause damage to tissues in the body via inflammation. It is also able to support another well-known antioxidant - vitamin E. This helps our cells to stay protected from the process of oxidative stress, which is a natural part of our metabolism, detoxification, or energy production, but when in excess, can be very damaging. Vitamin C's antioxidant effect recycles (reduces) vitamin E, to keep it active in the body. Vitamin C also helps with collagen formation and tissue repair, since this important structural component of our connective tissue requires adequate vitamin C levels to be maintained for optimal function.

Oxidative stress is another potent factor that causes DNA damage, leading to accelerated ageing and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other age-related mental deficits. Vitamin C has been found to protect against radiation-induced oxidative damage to both cellular and mitochondrial DNA (R). Vitamin c (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble reducing agent that acts as an antioxidant by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Collagen formation. Not just beauty

Vitamin C is required for the formation of collagen in the body. This contributes to the maintenance of healthy blood vessels, bones, cartilage, skin, gums and teeth of which collagen is a vital structural component. Its role is as an enzymatic cofactor is involved in many biosynthetic pathways particularly collagen synthesis which is required for wound healing Vitamin c deficiency affects collagen synthesis by reducing prolyl and lysyl hydroxylation which are critical posttranslational modifications required for collagen maturation.

Collagen is becoming increasingly popular as a supplement for anti-ageing and beauty treatments. But don't forget the Vitamin C which plays a large part in the support of healthy collagen levels which contribute to maintaining the structural integrity of the body.

Energy production: need a boost?

Vitamin C is involved in energy metabolism and helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue. It is a vital nutrient for our adrenal glands, which regulate balanced stress response in the body. In chronic stress, the balance of our adrenal hormones can be affected, leading to fatigue. Additionally, through its role in reducing oxidative stress caused by excess stress and toxic exposure, vitamin C helps to decrease the overall burden and energy demands on the body. Vitamin C is also involved in the synthesis of carnitine which enables the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria for energy production. Vitamin C activates an enzyme that allows fats to be metabolised and used as energy.

Some studies show people with chronic fatigue syndrome have low Vitamin C levels in their blood and poor antioxidant activity. Vitamin C deficiency leads to a depletion of carnitine, important for fuel metabolism. Vitamin C supplementation helps reduce tiredness or fatigue and may increase serotonin levels in some brain areas [by activation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)]. Vitamin c supplementation may contribute to the relief of symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

Aids iron absorption

A recent HFMA (Health Food Manufacturers' Association) Health of the Nation Survey showed that 49% of individuals didn’t know that a lack of iron can lead to anaemia despite the rise in vegetarians and vegans around the country. Therefore, it is important to note that the uptake of iron can be increased by the presence of vitamin C in the diet. Vitamin C has been shown to increase the absorption of iron when taken with foods that are high in Vitamin C (kale, sweet potatoes, broccoli, red peppers etc.). Vitamin C forms a complex with iron that is then absorbed into the bloodstream. Vitamin c also plays an essential role in maintaining healthy bones and teeth by enhancing calcium uptake.

Nervous and cognitive support

Vitamin C supports the normal functioning of the nervous system and hence psychological function. It has been suggested that vitamin C deficiency may be involved in neurological and mental health conditions. Vitamin C plays an important role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters which are important for nerve cell communication. Vitamin C is also involved in creating norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and epinephrine. Vitamin C deficiency has been found to be present in people with depression or anxiety disorders. Vitamin c supplementation may have beneficial effects on cognition by protecting against stress-related damage to the brain e.g. epilepsy, stroke etc.

How much Vitamin C do I need?

How much? It's important to take enough Vitamin c but how much is too much? There's very little evidence showing Vitamin c toxicity in humans at normal doses.

Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits, berries, peppers and green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and kale which are all good sources of Vitamin c. Vitamin C is also available as a supplement. Try to eat or drink Vitamin-C rich foods daily or consider taking a Vitamin-C supplement for better health. Vitamin C has been shown to be safe at high levels (3-8 g per day) for several months.

• The best form of natural Vitamin C is found foraging blackberries in hedgerows in early Autumn. Put the date in the diary and go foraging for these little nuggets of superfoods!

Why are we not getting enough Vitamin C?

• Latent, active or frequent infections
• Toxins: environmental pollutants, cosmetics, domestic products, smoking
• Medications: aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Stress: remember we all perceive this in different ways but it will still have an effect
• Poor diet: refined sugars, alcohol, caffeine, trans fats, processed foods
• Chronic disease: lowering the body’s defences, more susceptible
• The nutrient decline in foods due to soil depletion, intensive farming and long food storage.

Signs and symptoms of low vitamin C

can include weakness and fatigue, low immunity and recurrent infections, chronic inflammation and weak blood vessels (due to decreased collagen production). Weak blood vessels can lead to easy bruising, excessive bleeding, bleeding gums, and broken facial capillaries (spider veins).

Different forms of vitamin C

Naturobotanica's favourite Vitamin C supplements

• Cytoplan Organic Vitamin C
• Nutri Advanced Vitamin C Time Release
• yourzooki Liposomal Vitamin C
• Solgar Ester-C Plus 1000 mg

What do you get when you spend more?

• An effective form of vitamin C – The more you spend, the more bioavailable and effective the supplement is likely to be.
• Added ingredients to enhance bioavailability – There is little point taking any product if it cannot easily be absorbed. Some forms of vitamin C such as Ester-C® have been shown to be particularly bioavailable. The addition of bioflavonoids to a vitamin C product also enhances its bioavailability so these are important features to look out for.
• No fillers, sugars, sweeteners or colourings – Many cheaper products add unnecessary ingredients either to bulk up the product or to enhance the taste. A more expensive, higher quality product will be free from any nasty additions.
• High dosage – 1000mg vitamin C per day is often recommended; a more expensive product will usually deliver a higher dose. Many cheaper products deliver a low dose in a form that may not be absorbed by the body, and may well cause gastrointestinal upset. These are best avoided.

An overview of Vitamin C

Vitamin C; naturally found in foods as ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient that is required in our diets as our body cannot manufacture it. It is a water-soluble nutrient and is therefore not stored in the body so the body needs a constant supply.

C is one of the very few nutrients that almost everyone needs. Vitamin C supports the immune system and it's not just an antioxidant; vitamin C also plays a role in hundreds of essential body functions such as building collagen which strengthens your skin, bones and muscles.

Vitamin C is also involved in the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine Vitamin C.

Vitamin C plays a role in hundreds of essential body functions such as building collagen which strengthens your skin, bones and muscles.

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Photo credits Edgar Castrejon

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