20 Facts about Vitamin C

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20 Facts about Vitamin C

June 12, 2019

20 Facts about Vitamin C | Healthbiztips
photo credit: Brooke Lark @brookelark @unsplash

20 Facts about Vitamin C | Healthbiztips

You may recognize Vitamin C as the vitamin you take to boost your immune system, especially during times when you want to avoid getting infected with a disease such as common cold.

@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan | health blog

Let's dive into the facts about Vitamin C.


1. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that's popular in preventing and reversing premature aging, boosting the immune system, and repairing cell damages.


2. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin which means your body is not capable of storing it.


3. Humans eliminate vitamin C through urination. Therefore, they have to replenish this vitamin through their diet.


4. The dietary reference intake for Vitamin C for adult is 75 mg for female and 90 mg for male.


5. The recommended dietary allowance for Vitamin C is:

• 0-6 months:  40 mg
• 7-12 months:  50 mg
• 1-3 yrs:  15 mg
• 4-8 yrs:  25 mg
• 9-13 yrs male:  45 mg
• 9-13 yrs female:  45 mg
• 14-18 yrs male: 75 mg
• 14-18 yrs female: 65 mg
• 19-70 yrs male:  90 mg
• 19-70 yrs female: 75 mg
• 14-18 yrs pregnant:  80 mg
• 19-50 yrs pregnant:  85 mg
• 14-18 yrs breastfeeding mother: 115 mg
• 19-30 yrs breastfeeding mother: 120 mg

6. The upper limit of daily vitamin C intake is 2000 mg. Too much intake of Vitamin C can cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, fatigue, insomnia, drowsiness, and flushed skin.


7. Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid.


8. Vitamin C has an anti-inflammatory property.


9. Vitamin C is unstable. It degrades easily when expose to sunlight and extremes of temperature.


10. Taking Vitamin C can decrease the duration of certain diseases.


11. Vitamin C is essential to the normal functioning of a human body that without it, you will develop a disease called "scurvy" which is characterized by swelling of the gums, falling off of teeth, bleeding, muscle pain, and anemia. Scurvy can lead to death if left untreated.


12. Vitamin C is easy to find. You can easily obtain vitamin C from fruits, vegetables, and enriched processed foods.


13. If you want to increase your gut's non heme iron absorption from plant sources, consume iron-rich foods together with Vitamin C.


14. You need Vitamin C in order for your body to make collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body that makes up the structural support of skin, muscle, tendons, cartilage, blood vessels, and internal organs.


15. Humans can't produce vitamin C so they have to get this essential vitamin from the foods and beverages that they consume.


16. Among the best sources of Vitamin C includes citrus fruits, strawberries, grapefruits, guava, kiwifruits, broccoli, peppers, spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, papaya, and pineapples.


17. Vitamin C has been revealed in several research to prevent the development of cancer.


18. Your body needs Vitamin C in order to manufacture carnitine, a compound that facilitates the transport of fat into the cells.


19. Without Vitamin C, your body will not be able to produce the neurotransmitter norepenephrine.


20. Research has shown that even high intake of Vitamin C does not increase a person's risk of developing kidney stones.

Are vitamins effective in boosting the immune system?

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Are vitamins effective in boosting the immune system?

December 23, 2018

Are vitamins effective in boosting the immune system?

If you've ever missed school or work because of a disease or if you find it all too common to contract common diseases such as common cold, you'll realize just how important it is to build a strong immune system. A very popular and well accepted strategy to boost one's immune system is through vitamin intake or multivitamin supplementation.

Vitamin supplements litter drug stores and convenience stores. It has become a go to for people who want an instant boost in their immune system. Individuals most likely to take multivitamins are those working in highly stressful jobs like the call center, and those working in places where microbes count are high like the hospital and airlines.

Are vitamins effective in boosting the immune system?

@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan

YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM NEEDS VITAMINS TO WORK

Vitamins are among the crucial substances that builds a strong immune system. Vitamins such as vitamins A, B, C, D, and E plays indispensable part to maintain a healthy functioning immune system.


VITAMIN DEFICIENCY IS DANGEROUS

We need adequate intake of vitamins so we wouldn't run prey from a range of diseases:

• Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency.
• Rickets is caused by vitamin D deficiency.
• Beriberi is caused by vitamin B1 deficiency.
• Ariboflavinosis is caused by vitamin B2 deficiency.
• Pellagra is caused by vitamin B3 deficiency.

DON'T DOWNPLAY DIET

While it's terrifying how vitamin deficiency can cause diseases. Filling your gut with multivitamin supplement is not always the right answer. Diet has a crucial and natural role in maintaining our health. We should eat a variety of foods consisting of protein, carbohydrate, fruits, vegetables, and little fat to get vitamins.

The hustle and bustle of life can compromise our healthy diet and lifestyle. When time is constrained and a healthy diet is not always accessible, food supplements may seem like a convenient and wise choice.

Vitamin supplement, multivitamins, and food supplement can provide essential vitamins and minerals we are missing from our diet.

However,  do know that vitamin supplements should be taken as prescribed. Taking vitamin supplement to boost the immune system don't come without risk.


TOO MUCH VITAMINS IS BAD

You shouldn't abuse vitamins. Too much of essential stuffs can cause harm:

• Vitamin A overdose can cause dizziness, blurring of vision, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dry itchy skin, sensitivity to light, weakening of bone, and liver damage.
• Vitamin C overdose can cause nausea, constipation, and diarrhea.
• Vitamin D overdose can cause headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, and kidney damage.
• Vitamin E overdose can cause dizziness and abdominal pain.
• Vitamin B6 overdose can cause nerve damage.

The Role of the Immune System

We are constantly surrounded by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In fact, trillions of bacteria reside inside our body. While some are beneficial, others are catastrophic and deadly. Having to deal with these humongous number of microscopic germs may seem scary, but we have a strong ally that keeps these guys in constant check -- our immune system.

We appreciate our immune system's role as we painfully bear the headache, clogged and runny nose that comes with common cold. It's a common notion that having a strong immune system will lessen the chance of getting infected by a disease. The immune system is made up of complex and balanced processes that's crucial to our survival. Without an effective immune system, microbes can easily kill.


In conclusion, just as how the harmony and balance of our complex immune system sustains us, it is rightful that we sustain our immune system with the right amount of vitamins.