| Vitamin C is most often used for immune support, but it serves many other purposes as well. Let’s talk through a few of those today.
Connective tissue repair
First, it plays an especially important role in repairing connective tissues of the body. Vitamin C is a key building block of collagen, which the body uses to repair wounds. When Vitamin C is lacking, that repair is stunted. In fact, easy bruising, rough skin, hair problems, and nail abnormalities are all possible consequences of low Vitamin C.
Strong bones
Vitamin C also facilitates calcium absorption in the bones. Those who worry about osteoporosis or osteopenia will want to ensure they are getting adequate Vitamin C.
Brain function
Neurotransmitters, the brain’s communication molecules, also need Vitamin C in their production.
Immune support
Of course, Vitamin C is well known as an antioxidant and, thus, a supporter of immune function. The elaborate dance it does with the immune pathways is complex and multifactorial, but in a nutshell, as an antioxidant, it provides extra electrons to repair damaged DNA and other cells.
Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants that serve the body like a handyman roaming the house, continually updating, repairing, and replacing missing parts in your body. This is the definition of anti-oxidation (repairing oxidation damage).
Several well-known research projects have shown that Vitamin C plays a role in controlling allergies and autoimmune diseases. Adequate Vitamin C also helps keep inflammation under control and prevents chronic illness.
Daily intake recommendations
Because our bodies do not make Vitamin C, we need to get it from our diets (especially from fruits and vegetables). Vitamin C intake needs to be routine because our body will not store it; it is a water-soluble vitamin and our bodies excrete it along with water on an ongoing basis.
Recommended intake hovers around 90-200 mg daily, and newer research suggests that you should take even more when ill.
If you supplement your diet to get more Vitamin C, it is always best to consult your doctor for help determining the right dose. Your health and exposure to health risks may affect your recommended dosage.
We recommend that you don’t overdo it. Vitamin C may cause diarrhea and too much can cause kidney stones in some patients.
Tip: Vitamin C can be stimulatory, so it is best taken during the day.
Vitamin C-rich foods:
Acerola cherries
Cantaloupe
Black currant
Lychee
Kiwi
Papaya
Pineapple
Strawberries
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Red and yellow peppers
Dr. Shannyn’s Vitamin C Challenge:
- Tell someone about what you learned about Vitamin C. Teaching someone else helps you retain what you learned.
- Try a new food with high Vitamin C.
- Take Vitamin C before exercising and see how you feel.
- Share a Vitamin C food with a friend and see if they notice it is healthy.
- Plant a high Vitamin C food and assess what the soil needs to produce the most Vitamin C content.
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