Vitamin C: Beyond Immunity - Exploring the Full Spectrum of Its Health Benefits
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that has many roles and benefits in the body, including boosting your immune system and protecting cells from free radical damage.[1] Unlike most animals, humans cannot make vitamin C and must obtain it from our diets. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the production of collagen, carnitine, and neuropeptides as well as gene expression. Low vitamin C levels have been linked to numerous poor health outcomes.
Oxidative stress, caused by damage from free radicals, has been linked to many chronic diseases.[2] Free radicals are molecules that contain unpaired electrons. They pull electrons away from the body’s cell walls, which causes the cells to break down, fall apart, and function improperly. Vitamin C is an electron donor, giving the free radicals the electrons they are looking for without damaging your cells. Studies show that vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels by up to 30%!
Vitamin C is an integral part of the immune system and can help boost immunity. It stimulates the body’s immune system to produce white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes.[3] It further helps these white blood cells function more effectively by shielding them from free radical damage. Vitamin C helps strengthen the skin barrier, keeping out unwanted bacteria and toxins.[4] Finally, studies have shown that vitamin C can shorten wound healing time and reduce the severity of colds and recovery.[5]
As you age, Vitamin C is essential in safeguarding your brain and aiding in its function. There are high concentrations of ascorbate (a form of vitamin C) in the brain’s neurons. Animal studies suggest that vitamin C supplements may protect these neurons from the damaging effects of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases and suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation around the brain can increase the risk of dementia.[6] Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, and low levels of vitamin C have been linked to impaired memory and cognitive function. Several studies have shown that people with dementia have lower vitamin C blood levels.[7] Conversely, vitamin C intake has been shown to protect cognitive function as you age.[8]
Studies show that vitamin C is essential for heart health. It can help lower blood pressure in those with and without high blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels around the heart, which helps reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.[9] A third of American adults have hypertension, which often doesn’t have any symptoms but wreaks havoc on their blood vessels and organs, particularly the brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys. One study showed that people taking at least 700 mg of vitamin C daily had a 25% lower risk of heart disease.[10] Studies also show that vitamin C can help significantly lower LDL and triglycerides.[11]
Studies show that therapeutic dosages needed to treat disease are higher than those required to prevent deficiency. For instance, improvement in endothelial function, dysfunction of which is considered an early sign of atherosclerosis, was observed with daily vitamin C doses above 500mg.[12] Research has shown that it is important to consume enough vitamin C to reach a plasma concentration of at least 60 nmol/L, which can typically be achieved by consuming 500mg of vitamin C daily. Based on his research, Dr. Linus Pauling, an American chemist awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, suggested that the optimum daily dose of vitamin C may be 2g per day.
Vitamin C is one of the safest, most effective supplements. Most people would benefit from taking at least 500mg of vitamin C daily. Since it’s water soluble, your body takes what it needs and excretes the rest. There are various forms of Vitamin C supplements available, but scientific evidence does not suggest any particular form to be superior to others. There is also no scientific evidence that large amounts of vitamin C have any adverse or toxic effects beyond potential gastrointestinal disturbance. Based on in vitro experiments, some people believe that vitamin C might promote oxidative damage in vivo. But these studies have turned out to be flawed or of no physiological relevance to humans. A comprehensive literature review found no credible scientific evidence that supplemental vitamin C promotes oxidative damage in humans.[13]
Vitamin C plays many important roles in the body. Taking 500mg per day as part of the THRIVE formula helps ensure you get enough of this powerhouse vitamin.
Note: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a physician before taking any supplement. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
[1] https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/7/1/article-p1.xml
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23675073/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25157026/
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584998001324
[5] https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4/full
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19221412/
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22710913/
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9663403/
[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22492364/
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15585762/
[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19674720/