What is the effect of vitamin c?

Have you ever wondered what vitamin C actually does for your body? Is it just something we consume when we have a cold, or is there more to this essential nutrient?

Well, look no further! This ultimate guide will break down everything you need to know about the effects of vitamin C. We’ll discuss why it’s so important, how much you should be consuming each day and what happens if you don’t get enough. So grab an orange (or supplement) and let’s dive in!

What Exactly is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid (did someone say “ascorbic”?), is an essential nutrient found in many fruits and vegetables such as oranges, strawberries, broccoli and bell peppers.

Unlike some vitamins that can only be absorbed by fat cells or water soluble components in our bodies (woah science!), vitamin C can be easily absorbed into our bloodstream through the small intestine.

Vitamin C cannot be produced naturally by the human body (sorry self-sufficient folks) which means that getting enough from our diet is extremely important.

How Much Vitamin-C Do You Need?

The recommended daily intake of vitamin-C varies depending on your age and gender:

• Adults: 65 – 90 mg/day
• Pregnant women: 85 mg/day
• Breastfeeding women: 120 mg/day

While these are general guidelines set forth by governing health bodies, keep in mind that different people may require more or less depending on factors like genetics and overall health status. Essentially (I’m always ready for an easy way out with hand-wavy words) , consult your physician before any drastic changes happen; too much or little could cause negative results.

Can You Get Too Much Vitamin-C?

Believe it or not,you CAN overdose on vitamin-C. Shocker alert! However, since it’s a water-soluble vitamin, the body can typically excrete any excess through urine. This means that it would be pretty difficult to consume enough vitamin C to actually cause an overdose.

Now, if you’ve been chugging down those orange juices regularly and made orange juice your primary food source (umm… I personally wouldn’t go for this option but to each their own), consuming megadoses of Vitamin C could lead to diarrhea or indigestion (let’s avoid both situations at all costs).

The Positive Effects of Consuming Vitamin-C

Let’s get into the juicy goodness (pun absolutely intended) – what does getting enough daily vitamin C do for us? Here are some benefits you can expect:

1. Stronger Immune System

VitaminC helps promote a healthy immune system by stimulating white blood cell production which is necessary in fighting off infections and illnesses (thank God we have our soldiers in action here).

This is why many people take supplements during cold seasons; however, there isn’t really much evidence that mega-doses (>2000mg/day) actually provide immunity boosts beyond normal levels – keep this in mind before heading straight towards Walgreens next time around when feeling under the weather!

2. Improved Skin Health

Vitamin C plays a key role in collagen synthesis which is essential for wound healing and skin health overall (can we maybe ditch wearing makeup then?)

It also helps protect against sun damage from UV radiation which causes premature aging ### (insert horrified emoji here!)###

3. Enhanced Iron Absorption

Iron deficiency anemia affects millions of people worldwide causing fatigue , weakness and stamina issues.This issue was finally solved because intake vitamin-c along with iron-rich meals increases absorption rates tremendously (cue dramatic music)!

The molecular structure of ascorbic acid is capable of binding with non-heme dietary iron (iron in plants and not from animal sources) to form a more readily absorbable compound.

This is another reason why vegetarians might add these vitamins as supplements to their diet (poor vegetarian peeps whose sole focus throughout life could be to only find what healthy food they can afford)

4. Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (aka hypertension) is one of the major causes of cardiovascular disease , causing heart attacks, stroke and other chronic health conditions.

Interestingly enough, research shows that regular vitamin C intake lowers both systolic (max) and diastolic (min-between heartbeats) blood pressure (yay no more space shuttle sound in your ears!)

The Negative Effects of Consuming Too Little Vitamin-C

There are some effects when it comes to failing in providing an adequate amount of vitamin-C each day:

1. Weak Immune System

As discussed earlier,Vitamin C deficiency can lead to weakened immunity.This means increased susceptibility for infections, colds and flu viruses.

Lack of this nutrient would reduce white cell production which makes the body less capable at fighting off invaders(ouh la! sounds dangerous).

Cases where infants were fed boiled milk or cooked too much food items showed early symptoms like swollen joints,fatigue,gum trashing bleeding among others.

The levels required vary from person-to-person depending on weight etc but consult with doctors/pediatricians for infants especially if you plan cut down fruits & veggies suffering from scurvy isn’t so fun my pirate days are numbered

2. Increased Risk of Iron Deficiency Anemia

Just as we mentioned earlier that consuming iron-rich meals along with VitaminC increases absorbtion rate; failure do this results poor absorption rates resulting in anemia.What’s worse its lifetime affects- poor growth,breath shortness,delayed healing ability,wound opening during surgeries even post traumatic anemia in the elderly.

Now, that’s not a club you want to belong to,so make sure you are getting enough Vitamin-C especially if vegetarian or have an iron deficiency.

3. Decreased Collagen Production

Our friend vitamin C plays a crucial role in collagen production and synthesis helping to maintain strong connective tissue throughout our body.

This includes skin, bones ,joints and cartilage . Without these tissues being healthy we risk early onset of arthritis or osteoporosis which “ain’t nobody got time for”!

4. Reduced Brain Function And Mood Swings

Even though this research is still under scrutiny,there is evidence suggesting lower VitaminC intakes leading to impaired brain development preventing proper cognitive functioning,such as memory loss,fatigue,mood swings even depression.Which legit no one wants part of (period)!

Best Food Sources of Vitamin C

We all would like the source that seems more fun than supplements – delicious foods!!Here are some nutrient rich sources,integer sufficient amounts,the obscure ones worth try- included:

Fruits	Vegetables
Strawberries (52mg/8 berries) ^^^	Broccoli (132 mg/cup)
Grapefruit(28mg/half-citrus Bomb!)	Green Bell Pepper(95mg/cup )
Cherries(dried sweet cherries=10% RDI)(yum!)	Brussels Sprouts (75 mg /cup )
Kiwi fruit(just tasty but packs punch-74mg served)	Cauliflower(49mg /cup midly roasted offers max flavor too…yum!!.)

Whether adding them into smoothies as breakfast options for meals such s main special mouth-watering ingredient with most menu;these fruits & veggies were graciously made by nature with us in mind.Try experimenting different recipes to get your daily dose easily everyday

Conclusion

Now that we’ve broken down the effect of vitamin C on the body, you have a better understanding of just how important this essential nutrient is. From boosting our immune system and skin health to improving iron absorption rates and lowering blood pressure , there’s no denying the benefits.

It is always best however in uncertain situations where certain unique conditions are involved such as pregnancy or other illnesses,consult with professional medical personnel for adequate advice.In conclusion take those fruity bountiful ascorbic acid (aka Vitamin-C) helps improve overall health so go fourth,bust a fruit salad today!