Vitamin C
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How much Vitamin C do I need?
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Vitamin C References
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. Championed by Noble laureate Linus Pauling, Ph.D., and advocated by many nutrition buffs, vitamin C is indeed a fascinating and important nutrient (or micronutrient) necessary for human life. Unlike most mammals, humans do not have the ability to make their own vitamin C. Therefore, we must obtain vitamin C through our diet.
Natural Sources of Vitamin C
Excellent food sources of vitamin C include broccoli, bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, mustard and turnip greens, brussels sprouts, papaya, chard, cabbage, spinach, kiwifruit, snow peas, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tomatoes, zucchini, raspberries, asparagus, celery, pineapples, lettuce, watermelon, fennel, peppermint and parsley.
Food Sources
As shown in the table below different fruits and vegetables vary in their vitamin C content, but five servings of fruits and vegetables should average out to at least 200 mg of vitamin C.
| Food | Serving | Vitamin C (mg)
|
| Orange Juice | 180 ml | 75 |
| Grapefruit juice | 180 ml | 60 |
| Orange | 1 Medium | 70 |
| Grapefruit | ½ Medium | 44 |
| Strawberries | 240 gm | 82 |
| Tomato | 1 Medium | 23 |
| Sweet red pepper | 120 gm | 141 |
| Broccoli | 120 gm | 58 |
| Potato | 1 Medium, baked | 26 |
What are the Health Benefits Associated with Vitamin C?
Too little vitamin C can lead to signs and symptoms of deficiency, including:
Dry and splitting hair, Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), Bleeding gums, Rough, dry, scaly skin, Decreased wound-healing rate, Easy bruising, Nosebleeds, Weakened tooth enamel, Swollen and painful joints, Anaemia, Decreased ability to fight infection.
Severe vitamin C deficiency has been known for many centuries as the potentially fatal disease, scurvy. In the 17th and 18th centuries, sailors suffered terribly from scurvy. Vitamin C comes mainly from fresh fruits and vegetables, but these foods aren’t exactly easy to come by when you’re at sea for months at a time. So the Royal Navy prescribed lime juice for all sailors to help ward off scurvy, hence the nickname “Limey’s.” Scurvy is rare in developed countries because it can be prevented by as little as 10 mg of vitamin C daily (2). However, recent cases have occurred in children and the elderly on very restricted diets (4,5).
Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant. Even in small amounts vitamin C can protect proteins, lipids (fats), carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) found in our body from damage by disease causing free radicals. Free radicals can be generated during normal metabolism as well as through exposure to toxins and pollutants (e.g. smoking). Vitamin C is a powerful agent to neutralize these free radical, new research suggests that Vitamins C’s role as an antioxidant may also be able to regenerate and extend the life of other antioxidants such as vitamin E (1).
Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, an important structural component of blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, and bone.
Vitamin C also plays an important role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine. Neurotransmitters are critical to brain function and are known to affect mood.
The bulk of the research into vitamin C supplementation has focused on these key areas:
Cardiovascular Disease, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
Important Facts about Supplementing Vitamin C
Vitamin C toxicity is very rare, because the body cannot store the vitamin. However, amounts greater than 2,000 mg/day are not recommended because such high doses can lead to stomach upset and diarrhoea.
The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins, including vitamin C, is to eat a balanced diet that contains at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
Vitamin C should be consumed every day because it is not fat-soluble and, therefore, cannot be stored for later use.
Vitamin C ranks highly in the Diva’s personal medicine chest, you will note that the Diva doesn’t sell timed released forms of vitamin C. This is purely due to the fact the Diva personally thinks that split dosing vitamin C ( e.g. taking 500mg 3 times per day) is a more effective way of absorbing vitamin C.
