Vitamin C: Sources & Benefits

Vitamin C, additionally known as ascorbic acid, is essential for many physical functions. For example, it is had to construct and repair tissues during the body. Vitamin C is a popular bloodless treatment, but research is mixed on whether or not it facilitates or prevents colds.  

Resources of diet C

Dietary sources of nutrition C encompass many fruits and veggies. The sources with the very best amount of vitamin C are sparkling, raw melons, citrus fruits, kiwis, mangoes, papayas, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, watermelon and cranberries, consistent with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Red and green bell peppers, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips and different green leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, wintry weather squash, and Brussels sprouts are other top resources of nutrition C. 

Advantages

The body makes use of diet C in exceptional methods. The frame desires vitamin C to shape collagen. According to the NIH, the frame also uses nutrition C to make pores and skin, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. You also use this nutrition to restore and maintain cartilage, bones, and tooth, to heal wounds, and to form scar tissue.

Vitamin C may additionally save you cancer via blockading loose radical damage. "Vitamin C is an vital antioxidant that helps protect cells against free radical damage that we're exposed to inside the environment, together with air pollution, cigarette smoke and ultraviolet mild from the solar," he said. Dr. Sherry Ross, OB/GYN and Women's Health Expert at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.  

Many people tout nutrition C as a therapy-interested by a wide range of illnesses. Many of them have no longer been examined. "Health blessings of nutrition C which have been proposed but no longer scientifically confirmed consist of reduced danger of certain types of most cancers, cardiovascular ailment, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration and cataracts," Ross stated.

However, a study via the National Eye Institute observed that an intake of 500 mg consistent with day of vitamin C, at the side of supplementation of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and zinc, slowed the progression of related advanced macular degeneration via about 25 percent of the age. . It additionally helped gradual visible acuity loss through 19% for those who were already at high hazard of developing the ailment. However, vitamins did not have a vast effect at the development or progression of cataracts.

The scientific community is split at the blessings of vitamin C on the coronary heart. Some studies advise that vitamin C may additionally prevent heart assaults with the aid of slowing hardening of the arteries with the aid of stopping LDL ("terrible") ldl cholesterol. Other studies show that diet C does no longer prevent coronary heart assaults. A take a look at by Johns Hopkins discovered that vitamin C has a "modest" impact in reducing high blood stress and does not presently advocate supplementation as a remedy alternative.

Vitamin C is often taken to prevent or treatment the commonplace bloodless. Research indicates that most of the people who take high doses of vitamin C nevertheless get colds as regularly as folks who do not take excessive doses. However, it could shorten the time someone is unwell and also can relieve signs. [Related: Does Vitamin C Really Help Colds?]

Deficiency and dosage

Vitamin C deficiency is pretty commonplace. Cigarette smoking can lessen the quantity of diet C inside the frame, making smokers more susceptible to deficiency, consistent with the University of Maryland Medical Center. Doctors frequently offer a nutrition C complement to smokers to save you or therapy a deficiency. 

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

An severe lack of nutrition C for extended durations can cause scurvy. Symptoms of scurvy are without problems bruised skin, bleeding gums, joint ache, and bad wound restoration.

 "It's expected that forty percent of guys and 38 percentage of girls get inadequate quantities of nutrition C. If you don't consume end result and greens, it's an awesome idea to take supplements," stated Dr. Brian Dixon, an expert in molecular biology and cellular and executive director of health and technological know-how training at USANA Health Sciences.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for nutrition C varies based totally on age, gender, and different factors. Typically, the RDA is