The Importance of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a vital addition to the body, but it is not something it produces naturally. It's water-soluble, which is an advantage cause if you take too much vitamin C, you naturally get rid of it in your urine. You can safely supplement vitamin C, and if it needs it, your body will take the benefits. So just what is it good for?
Immune Boosting
One of the main reasons people consider using a vitamin C supplement is to boost their immune system. It is one of the must-haves for staving off a cold and helping to recover quickly. There are several reasons why it works. Vitamin C helps the production of white blood cells, and these are used when the body is fighting infection. It helps them fight harder and more effectively, and also protects white cells against damage from free radicals. This also means that as well as internal viruses such as colds; vitamin C may also help wounds heal faster. If you have alone vitamin C count, you may suffer colds and other illnesses more frequently.
Suitable for High Blood Pressure
A common problem in the adult population is high blood pressure. It is caused by poor diets, obesity, stress and many other genetic factors. Vitamin C may help lower blood pressure, which in turn protects you against strokes and heart attacks that can occur from leaving high blood pressure untreated.
Stave Off Iron Deficiency
Iron is another vital nutrient for the body; it creates red blood cells and helps transport oxygen around our bodies. We can absorb iron from our diets and adding vitamin C supplements has shown to improve the absorption rate. Plant-based sources of iron are poorly absorbed so if you are a vegetarian or vegan, taking a vitamin C supplement can ensure that you do not become deficient in iron.
Good for Ageing
Ageing is a certainty, and some issues affect people as they get older. Problems with memory and thinking, such as dementia can be a real problem. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties, and one of the reasons people develop dementia is because of oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain and spine. Taking vitamin C can, therefore help to combat this and protect your memory and thinking during the ageing process.
Lower the Risk of Heart Disease
It is not just high blood pressure that causes heart disease; there are many other risk factors at work. These include high levels of LDL cholesterol, low levels of HDL cholesterol, and high triglyceride. Again, taking vitamin C has been shown to help combat these problems and protect against heart disease.
Other Possible Benefits
There are also anecdotal claims that vitamin C protects the body against the common cold, can reduce cancer risk, and protect against eye disease. There are currently not enough scientific studies to confirm or deny these claims. But again, as we obtain vitamin C from diet and supplements, there is no harm supplementing your vitamin C to the recommended daily amount.