The Power of Vitamin C
Vitamin C, is a water soluble nutrient, with a wide range of health benefits. Unlike many animals, humans cannot synthesise vitamin C, so we must obtain it from our diet. This water-soluble vitamin plays a crucial role in immune function, collagen production, and antioxidant defence.
Key Benefits:
Antioxidant protection- vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and other harmful substances.
Boosts immunity- vitamin C supports white blood cell activity and protects against damage from free radicals due to its anti-oxidant activity.
Protects against chronic diseases- due to its antioxidant properties, protects against oxidative stress which can cause and exacerbate chronic illness.
Aids in iron absorption- vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods, improving overall iron levels.
Promotes wound healing- vitamin C is essential for growth and repair of tissues, including collagen formation, which is crucial for wound healing.
Supports collagen synthesis- vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis to ocur. Collagen is a protein that provides structure and strength to tissues such as bones, skin and blood vessels.
Cognitive benefits- research has suggested that dementia risk is increased via oxidative stress and inflammation occurring near the brain, spin and nerves and that those with dementia may have lower levels of vitamin C. Whislt further research is needed in this area, high vitamin C intake has been shown to have a protective effect on thinking and memory.
Vitamin C Deficiency
Vitamin C cannot be made or stored in the human body so deficiency can happen quickly. Those at risk are people who smoke, abuse drugs or alcohol, don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, vitamin C requirements increase leading to a higher risk of deficiency if intake is not increased.
Common signs of deficiency include:
Fatigue
Anaemia (due to decreased iron absorption)
Signs of severe vitamin C deficiency include:
bruising or bleeding easily
bleeding gums and wobbly teeth
poor wound healing
skin spots (due to bleeding and bruising from broken blood vessels)
hair loss
Sources of Vitamin C
Fruit- Oranges, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Kiwi, Acerola Cherries, Guava
Vegetables- Capsicum, broccoli, spinach, kale, tomatoes, brussels sprouts
Other sources- fortified foods, supplements
How much Vitamin C do you need?
The recommended daily intake (RDI) for adults is 45mg/day. In pregnancy this rises to 55-60mg/day depending on age and during lactation it rises again to between 80-85mg/day. Ranges for children depend on their age from 35mg/day from 1-8 y.o rising to 40mg./day between 9-18 y.o. Smokers may need to adjust their intake of Vitamin C such due to the oxidative stress this causes. High doses of vitamin C can cause gastrointestinal effects such as diarrhoea so stick to the recommended dose if using supplementation.
The best way to avoid vitamin C deficiency is to eat a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, incorporating foods rich in vitamin C as outlined above. As vitamin C is water soluble, it is best to avoid boiling vegetables. Instead lightly steam or roast your vegetables and eat fruit fresh and uncooked.