Get an Idea of Why Vitamin C Is the King of All Supplements

“Drink lots of water, get lots of sleep, and take vitamin C!” (Georgia May Jagger)

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We all know that we have to drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. But taking vitamin C? “What’s the deal with it?” you may ask…

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble (which means the body does not store it) essential nutrient found in highest concentration in fruits (particularly citrus), tomatoes and green vegetables. It is an important vitamin and antioxidant that the body uses to stay healthy and strong. Because our bodies don’t produce vitamin C, we need to get it from external sources – through food and supplements.

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Fruits and vegetables are typically the best sources of vitamin C. You should know that vitamin C in food is easily destroyed by heat. This means, simply eating some of these foods raw is an easy way to reach the recommended intake. Great sources of vitamin C include red and green pepper, orange juice, kiwi fruit, broccoli, strawberries and brussels sprouts.

But if you can’t reach the recommended levels of vitamin C with food only, you can turn to vitamin C supplementation. When buying this supplement, you might see the nutrient in a few different forms including ascorbic acid, mineral ascorbates and ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids. Experts recommend choosing C vitamins with ascorbic acid as they have a high level of bioavailability, meaning your body absorbs them easily. To ensure you get adequate amounts of vitamin C from the supplement you choose, look for one that provides between 45-120 mg of vitamin C depending on your age and sex.

What Does Vitamin C Do?

Vitamin C is important for a variety of bodily functions. In addition to being necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues, vitamin C is also involved in the absorption of iron, the formation of collagen, wound healing, the immune system, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones and teeth.

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But the benefits of vitamin C don’t stop here. This vitamin is one of the many antioxidants that can protect against damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals, as well as toxic chemicals and pollutants like cigarette smoke. Free radicals can build up and contribute to the development of health conditions such as heart disease, arthritis and cancer.

How Much Vitamin C Daily?

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The institute of medicine (IOM) has develop a set of reference values for specific nutrient intake levels, including for vitamin C. One of these sets is known as the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and considers the intake from both food and supplements. The RDA recommendations for specific gender and age groups meet the nutrient needs of about 97-98% of healthy individuals. Here are the RDAs for vitamin C:
 

In addition to the RDA recommendations for vitamin C, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has created a Daily Value (DV) for food and supplement labels. This value helps you find out the percentage of nutrients in a single serving of food, compared with the daily requirements. On food labels this is displayed as %DV. The suggested DV for vitamin C for adults and children aged 4 and above is 60 mg regardless of gender.

Can You Have too Much Vitamin C?

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Although too much vitamin C is unlikely to cause an issue, a high intake of over 1,000 mg a day may lead to excess that won’t be absorbed in the intestine. This can lead do diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort. A high intake of vitamin C through supplements may also cause kidney stones. Those with hereditary hemochromatosis (an iron absorption disorder) should talk to their doctor before taking vitamin C supplement, as high levels of it could lead to tissue damage.

Does vitamin c help with colds?

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Vitamin C is widely known to be an effective treatment against the common cold. Over the years, a number of studies have examined the effect of vitamin C on the common cold and results have proven that taking vitamin C does not minimize the chances of catching a cold. However, regular vitamin C supplementation has shown several beneficial results during the studies, including reduced cold severity and reduced cold duration. According to the studies, a supplemental dose of 1-2 grams is enough to shorten the duration of a cold by 18% in children while adults need 6-8 grams per day to be effective.  To be able to enjoy the benefits of vitamins C for cold, you’ll need to consume it every day, not just at the beginning of the cold symptoms.