Found in: Antioxidants | Vitamins | Immune System Support | Colds and Flu Support | Hormonal Balance Support

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Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is needed for many processes in the body. It participates in amino acid metabolism and hormone synthesis, and in the utilization of other nutrients such as iron. It is also a key factor in the body's immune system. Vitamin C is a potent reducing agent and antioxidant and may help regenerate oxidized vitamin E.

Perhaps the most important function of vitamin C is to act as a cofactor in the formation of collagen protein. Collagen is the main structural material in the body and it provides strength to ligaments, tendons, skin, blood vessels, and scar tissue.

Vitamin C is unusual in that it is synthesized by most mammals, but not by primates (including humans) and guinea pigs. Humans have three out of four enzymes needed to produce Vitamin C, which suggests our distant ancestors had the ability to produce Vitamin C, but lost it as a result of evolution. It is estimated that, had humans not lost this ability, the human body would have been able to produce in excess of 1,000 mg of Vitamin C per day. This suggests that the current FDA Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) (90 mg for adult men, 75 mg for adult women and 95 mg for breastfeeding women) may need to be revised upward.

High doses of vitamin C are well tolerated however, since in its pure form vitamin C is a weak acid (ascorbic acid), and in some people, it may lead to stomach upset and diarrhea in doses in excess of 2,000 mg/day (upper limit established by National Academy of Sciences). To avoid the acidity problems, a buffered form of vitamin C, such as an ascorbate, can be used. Ascorbate is a salt of ascorbic acid and a metal, such as sodium, calcium, magnesium or zinc among others, and thus can also deliver these nutritionally important minerals as a bonus.

Humans have struggled with vitamin C deficiency, which exhibits itself in an acute form as scurvy, throughout history. Acute lack of vitamin C over prolonged periods of time (months) leads to breakdown of collagen in the body. This leads to capillaries becoming fragile and spontaneous hemorrhaging throughout the body typically starting with the capillaries of the hair follicles leading to the telltale raised red spots appearing on the skin. Other symptoms include blackened gums and loose teeth, blotched limbs and stiff aching joints, depression and mental aberrations, minor bruises become serious injuries, wounds don't heal and scar tissue from old wounds dissolves away causing them to open up again.

The Egyptians recorded symptoms of scurvy as early as 1550 BC. The Vikings knew of scurvy and avoided it by taking cloudberries with them on long journeys, and eating fresh meat. In more recent times, scurvy was a scourge of mariners and arctic explorers. In 1746, James Lind, a British naval surgeon, established the fact that fresh citrus fruit was effective in curing scurvy by supplementing diets of some of the crewmembers suffering from scurvy with oranges and lemons.

While vitamin C is present in most fresh foods (including fresh raw meat), it is unstable and will break down during long-term storage, or by high temperatures during cooking. Thus, canned and other heavily processed foods lose their vitamin content.

It was not until 1928 that vitamin C was first isolated, and then identified in 1932. Sadly, though, infrequent scurvy can still occur, most notably in infants if they are fed milk or fruit juice that has been boiled.

Vitamin C Related Categories: