Vitamin C, aka, ascorbic acid is a powerhouse nutrient you can’t live without. This vitamin is used in a multitude of processes in the body including tissue growth and repair, wound healing, and immune function. It is critical for the formation of collagen, blood vessels, bones, cartilage, and muscles. It is needed for the metabolism of folic acid and certain essential amino acids. It protects against blood clotting, enhances immunity, increases the absorption of iron, and helps control infections.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that has been found to combat numerous viruses including herpes, hepatitis, and polio. It has been used in the treatment of kidney stones, diphtheria, tetanus, cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, cold and flu viruses, and even cancer and AIDS. vitamin C has even been used in the treatment of Covid 19. Given its amazing health benefits, vitamin C should be the first thing you turn to when you’re feeling unwell.
So where can you get this wonder nutrient?
Plants! Although most mammals make their own vitamin C, humans do not so we have to get it from the food we eat or from supplements. Most people associate vitamin C with oranges and other citrus fruits, but it is present in so many other fruits and veggies, some that might surprise you. Fruits and veggies highest in this superstar include:
- Red and green peppers
- Orange
- Kiwifruit
- Grapefruit
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Brussels sprouts
- Cantaloupe
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Green peas
How much vitamin C do you need to be healthy?
There is a debate on how much vitamin C you need. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90 mg for adult men and 75 mg for adult women. That’s about ½ cup of raw sweet red pepper or 6 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice. Vitamin C proponents suggest the RDA is ridiculously low and will basically only prevent scurvy, a disease resulting from vitamin C deficiency. It is believed that even the upper limit of vitamin C is much too low and not based on good scientific data. Since the 1930s doctors have seen massive health benefits from substantially higher doses of this nutrient.
So what is scurvy?
Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, a disease that affects multiple systems and especially connective tissue. It causes bleeding gums, skin discoloration, impeded wound healing, weakness, anemia, and skin hemorrhages. Historical references to the condition date back to Ancient Egypt. Soldiers and sailors were prime targets because of their limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. James Lind published A Treatise of Scurvy in 1753 documenting his clinical trials for sailors afflicted with the disease which concluded that citrus fruit was an antidote. It wasn’t until the 1930s when vitamin C was discovered that it was determined to be the active ingredient in scurvy prevention. Although scurvy is uncommon now in most western societies, it is still a concern for some groups including people of low socioeconomic status, food insecure, elderly, alcoholics, and those with poor nutrition.
How much should you take to not just prevent deficiency but to thrive?
In general, I believe in getting nutrients from whole foods, but attaining high doses of vitamin C likely requires supplementing. Even when supplementing, eating a variety of raw fruits and vegetables especially from the above list will not only help attain appropriate levels of vitamin C, but also provide the benefits of the phytonutrients and fiber in these plants.
The appropriate dose of vitamin C varies by individual needs and your current state of health. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant that helps fight infections and neutralize free radicals. However, in doing so, it is used up by the body. Therefore, when your body is under stress your need for vitamin C increases. You can determine what dose is sufficient by using the bowel tolerance test. Too much vitamin C may cause some bowel discomfort and loose stool. Once you hit that point you can lower the dosage till you are comfortable. An adult may start with 500 mg – 1,000 mg daily spread out throughout the day if possible. If your body tolerates that well, gradually increase the dosage to bowel tolerance.
A few factors to consider that affect vitamin C levels…
Fresh raw fruits and vegetables generally have the highest concentrations of vitamin C. Vitamin C is easily destroyed by heat and light. For maximum vitamin C retention, avoid cooking at high temperatures and for long durations. Steaming helps preserve some of the potency and reduces the amount lost to the cooking water. The following list of compounds and behaviors decrease the amount of vitamin C the body can retain and absorb:
- Smoking
- Oral contraceptives
- Alcohol
- Anticoagulants
- Antidepressants
- steroids
If these apply to you, consider supplementing and increasing consumption of vitamin C rich foods. Also, consider upping your intake if you have a virus, infection, wound, or certain chronic conditions. Because vitamin C is water soluble, whatever the body does not need or use will be excreted in the urine and will not accumulate in the body. Side effects of too much vitamin C are mainly limited to digestive discomfort. Although some literature associates excess vitamin C with the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones, other literature indicates vitamin C prevents kidney stones. Regardless, if you have kidney issues or a propensity to develop kidney stones, it is important to consult your physician prior to supplementing.
Vitamin C’s role in health
Vitamin C is a bit of an unsung hero. Doctors have been using vitamin C to treat illness for more than 90 years. In the 1930’s, a pioneer in vitamin C therapy successfully treated patients with polio, diphtheria, and tetanus. Subsequently other doctors and researchers used vitamin C to treat a broad range of viral illnesses and diseases. Recently, it has been used in conjunction with CoQ10 in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. The antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties appear to be a result of the strong antioxidant capabilities of the vitamin. HIgh doses of intravenous vitamin C are currently used by many doctors as an adjunct therapy in cancer treatment. The intravenous delivery ensures that sufficient levels of the vitamin accumulate inside the cells to attain the benefits. There have been studies negating the efficacy of vitamin C supplementation, but these appear to be based on insufficient doses to elicit positive effects.
Although there are many cases professing the benefits, unfortunately, there are not many clinical studies on high dose vitamin C therapy. The research on vitamin C is scanty; more research is needed to discover and quantify the extent of impact this vitamin has on our health. Unfortunately, research is underfunded and primarily relies on government grants and private donations. Because vitamin C cannot be patented, pharmaceutical companies have no financial incentive to fund research.
To sum it up…
To nourish your body and improve your health, be sure to eat a whole food diet with plenty of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables especially from the list above to get your daily dose of this power micronutrient. Consider adding a vitamin C supplement to your daily protocol for health maintenance. At the first sign of illness, take extra vitamin C and watch your body recover quickly.