Vitamin C’s 7 Impressive Benefits

The health benefits of vitamin C are numerous. Among its benefits are that it strengthens our immune system and may help lower our blood pressure. The antioxidant can be found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The body cannot produce vitamin C, so it is an essential vitamin. Despite its many roles, it has been linked to impressive health benefits as well. There are many fruits and vegetables that contain it, including oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and spinach. Women should take 75 mg of vitamin C daily and men should take 90 mg.The common recommendation is to get your vitamin C intake from food, but many people turn to supplements. Vitamin C supplements have 7 scientifically proven benefits:

1. Reduces your risk of chronic diseases

The antioxidant properties of vitamin C can strengthen your body’s natural defences. The immune system is boosted by antioxidant molecules. By protecting cells from free radicals, they prevent cell damage.An accumulation of free radicals can cause oxidative stress, which has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases .Up to 30% of your blood antioxidant levels can be increased by consuming more vitamin C. As a result, your body’s natural defenses can more effectively fight inflammation.

2. May help manage high blood pressure

There is a high prevalence of high blood pressure among American adults. The leading cause of death worldwide is heart disease, which is caused by high blood pressure. The effects of vitamin C have been shown to be beneficial for both high blood pressure sufferers and those without. A source found that taking a vitamin C supplement helped relax the blood vessels carrying blood from the heart, resulting in lower blood pressure. In addition, on average, taking vitamin C supplements reduced systolic blood pressure (the upper value) and diastolic blood pressure (the lower value) in healthy adults. On average, vitamin C supplements reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.7 mmHg in adults with high blood pressure. While these results are promising, it’s not clear whether the effects on blood pressure are long-term. Moreover, people with high blood pressure should not rely on vitamin C alone for treatment.

3. May lower your risk of heart disease

The leading cause of death worldwide is heart disease. The risk of heart disease is increased by many factors, including high blood pressure, high triglyceride or LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels. This may reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing these risk factors. Based on an analysis of 9 studies with 293,172 participants, people taking at least 700 mg of vitamin C per day had a 25% lower risk of heart disease after 10 years. It’s interesting to note that another study found that vitamin C consumption derived from foods – not supplements – was linked to lower heart disease risk. However, scientists were uncertain whether people who consumed vitamin-C-rich foods also followed a healthier lifestyle than those who took supplements. Therefore, the cause of the differences may have been vitamin C or other dietary factors. Another study examined the effects of taking at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily on risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol and triglycerides. Taking or consuming at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily may reduce the risk of heart disease by approximately 7.9 mg/dL for LDL (bad) cholesterol and 20.1 mg/dL for blood triglycerides. Nevertheless, if you already consume a vitamin-C-rich diet, supplements may not provide additional heart health benefits.

4. May reduce blood uric acid levels and help prevent gout attacks

Gout is a type of arthritis that affects approximately 4% of American adults. It’s incredibly painful and involves inflammation of the joints, especially those of the big toes. People with Gout experience swelling and sudden, severe attacks of pain. Gout symptoms appear when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is a waste product produced by the body. At high levels, it may crystallise and deposit in the joints. Interestingly, several studies have shown that vitamin C may help reduce uric acid in the blood and, as a result, protect against gout attacks. One study of 1,387 men found that those who consumed the most vitamin C had significantly lower blood levels of uric acid than those who consumed the least. Over 20 years, 46,994 healthy men were followed to determine if vitamin C intake was associated with the development of gout. Taking a vitamin C supplement reduced gout risk by 44%. In addition, an analysis of 13 studies found that taking a vitamin C supplement for 30 days significantly reduced blood uric acid levels. Vitamin C intake appears to be linked to uric acid levels, but more research is needed to determine its effects on gout.

5. Helps prevent iron deficiency

Among its many functions in the body, iron is an important nutrient. Red blood cells are made with this nutrient and oxygen is transported throughout the body with the help of it. The absorption of iron from the diet can be improved by taking vitamin C supplements. Iron that is poorly absorbed, such as plant-based sources of iron, can be converted into a form that is more easily absorbed by the body by taking vitamin C. Those on meat-free diets will benefit most from this, since meat is a major source of iron. Taking 100 mg of vitamin C can improve iron absorption by 67%. Thus, vitamin C may reduce the risk of anaemia among people prone to iron deficiency. A vitamin C supplement was given to 65 children with mild iron deficiency anaemia in one study. The supplement alone helped control their anaemia, according to researchers. Taking a vitamin C supplement or eating more vitamin C-rich foods may help improve your iron levels if you have low iron.

6. Boosts immunity

Vitamin C plays an important role in many parts of the immune system, which is why people take vitamin C supplements to boost their immunity. A first benefit of vitamin C is that it promotes the production of white blood cells called lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infection. Additionally, vitamin C protects these white blood cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules, such as free radicals. In addition, vitamin C plays an important role in the skin’s defence. When it reaches the skin, it acts as an antioxidant and strengthens the skin’s barrier.Vitamin C may also speed wound healing, according to studies. Additionally, low vitamin C levels are associated with poor health outcomes. Taking vitamin C supplements can speed up the recovery process for people who have pneumonia, for example.

7. Protects your memory and thinking as you age

The term dementia refers to symptoms of poor memory and thinking.There are over 35 million people affected by this disease worldwide, and it typically affects older adults. Dementia risks can be increased by oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves (collectively known as the central nervous system). Antioxidants such as vitamin C are powerful. An impaired ability to think and remember can be caused by low levels of this vitamin. Furthermore, several studies have shown that people with dementia may have lower blood levels of vitamin C. Taking high amounts of vitamin C has been shown to have a protective effect on cognitive function and memory. Without enough vitamin C in your diet, you may need vitamin C supplements to prevent conditions like dementia. To better understand how vitamin C supplements affect the nervous system, further human studies are needed.

As a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C must be obtained through diet or supplementation. Researchers have found that it boosts antioxidant levels, lowers blood pressure, prevents gout attacks, improves iron absorption, boosts immunity, and reduces the risk of heart disease and dementia. In general, vitamin C supplements are a great and simple way to increase your vitamin C intake.