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Vitamin C
INFORMATION:
What is Vitamin C and why do I need Vitamin C? Vitamin C, also known as Ascorbic acid, is a vitamin found in many of the fruits/vegetables we eat including citrus fruits, broccoli, sweet peppers and potatoes. Vitamin C has an important role in many processes in our bodies. It enhances how well our body absorbs iron, and more importantly it is involved with the process that makes collagen. Collagen is a key component of many fibrous tissues including bone, skin, tendons and connective tissues. Due to Vitamin C’s role in making collagen, it also is important to wound healing. Vitamin C also helps to synthesize certain hormones. How does Vitamin C work as an Antioxidant? Vitamin C does have the beneficial classification of being an Antioxidant. Antioxidants are responsible for protecting our body’s cells from free radicals. Free radicals, which are created everyday by our bodies, can oxidize various nutrients and cells. If allowed to reach large amounts, the free radicals can be extremely harmful, that’s where antioxidants become helpful. Another benefit of Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties helps to protect the eye from cataracts. The role of Vitamin C as an antioxidant is still a new concept, but new studies are being done to see how Vitamin C helps to prevent the oxidation (damage) of lipids, proteins and even DNA. Can Vitamin C prevent Cancer? Cancer has been named one of the top five leading causes of death in the US for many years. Research is constantly being done to help find a cure. Could Vitamin C be the answer to prevention? Recent research has shown that individuals with higher levels of serum Vitamin C have a decreased risk of developing throat, mouth, stomach or even colon cancer. Vitamin C has also been in prevention of Breast Cancer. Unfortunately, the studies all vary on the doses of Vitamin C, and how long the vitamin is taken. That fact makes it difficult to determine in what capacity Vitamin C can truly be effective against Cancer. How much Vitamin C do I need in a day? Vitamin C is one of the few vitamins that aren’t intrinsically made in the body, so we need to get it from an outside source. With Vitamin C being so
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important in many processes, it’s important to know how much we should be getting in a day. Many people feel they have to supplement Vitamin C in their diet; about 44% of our elderly population takes a Vitamin C supplement (1). In actuality, for healthly individuals, we only need a small amount to do all the things Vitamin C does. There is a new set of standards, Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), that keep us aware of how much we need to be healthy. Meeting those Vitamin C requirements is best accomplished by consuming fruits and vegetables daily. Pregnant and lactating women may need to seek out a supplement to ensure they are meeting their recommended intake. Infants shouldn’t have to be supplemented if they are breast or formula fed. People who are in the process of wound healing, or have a deficiency due to some type of prolonged illness, need about 1500mg or more a day. This is when a Vitamin C supplement may be necessary. What next? Vitamin C and ascorbic acid properties continue to be studied. Vitamin C may, not only help with cancer prevention and general health, but it may also help reduce some risk factors for cardiovascular disease. New findings arise everyday. Vitamin C could be a key to unlocking the mysteries of curing some diseases. It is easy to see that Vitamin C does play an important role in the way our bodies function and maintain health. It is important to get Vitamin C from the foods we eat and not strictly by supplementation. As always, if you have further questions contact your local dietitian.
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