WHAT IS VITAMIN C GOOD FOR?
Table of contents
- What is vitamin C?
- What is vitamin C good for?
- What are the symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency?
- How does a vitamin C deficiency develop?
- Which foods are sources of vitamin C?
- What should you look out for in vitamin C supplements?
1 What is vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a naturally occurring organic acid - also known as ascorbic acid. The name ascorbic acid originally comes from Latin and means "without scurvy". The serious disease scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C and was once particularly common among sailors who had no access to fresh fruit and vegetables at sea. In fact, scurvy was the most common cause of death among seafarers in the late Middle Ages.
Ascorbic acid was first isolated from lemon juice, orange juice and white cabbage in the 1920s and named vitamin C by biochemist Sylvester Zilva. It is also used as a preservative in food production. In the body, the vitamin is necessary for a variety of processes.
2 What is vitamin C good for?
What specific tasks does vitamin C have in the body? The old adage that vitamin C is good for the immune system is actually true: It protects the cells in the body from oxidative stress and contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system. However, vitamin C plays an important role in many other functions: for example, in supporting the nervous system, in the formation of collagen and in the absorption of iron in the intestine.
Iron, on the other hand, is important for blood formation. This is why high-quality iron supplements such as EISEN MIT VITAMIN C are enriched with natural vitamin C from rose hips.
But is vitamin C really the anti-cold vitamin? Scientists have been able to prove that vitamin C can shorten the duration of colds, especially in children1. In competitive athletes and people who are exposed to high physical exertion or extreme cold, the preventive use of vitamin C has been observed to reduce cold infections by around half2. So the bottom line is this: There are many answers to the question "What is vitamin C good for?" - because the vitamin is a true all-rounder.
3 What are the symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency?
A vitamin C deficiency can lead to serious illnesses. Probably the best known is scurvy, a seafaring disease that claimed many victims in the 16th to 19th centuries. Typical symptoms of vitamin C deficiency are
- Exhaustion and tiredness
- Irritability and mood swings
- Paleness and gray-yellowish skin
- Pain in the muscles and joints
- Susceptibility to infections and weakened immune system
- Bleeding gums and tooth loss
- Bleeding skin and poor wound healing
- Edema and bleeding in the conjunctiva
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and balance problems
- Heart problems
Extremely severe vitamin C deficiency could lead to bleeding in the brain and death in the long term.
4 How does a vitamin C deficiency develop?
Today, a pronounced vitamin C deficiency is rare with a balanced diet with sufficient fresh fruit and vegetables. The daily requirement of 95 milligrams (women) or 110 milligrams (men) can usually be easily covered with one or two portions of fruit. However, a vitamin C deficiency can occur during stressful periods when we have a one-sided diet. People who have an increased need for vitamin C can also suffer from an undersupply.
For example, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers or people taking certain medications such as the contraceptive pill or medicines containing acetylsalicylic acid or sulphonamides need more vitamin C. Pre-existing conditions such as diabetes can also lead to an increased need for vitamin C. People who work hard physically or do competitive sports should also take in more vitamin C. The vitamin C requirement of smokers is also higher: it is 135 mg (women) or 155 mg (men).
5 Which foods are sources of vitamin C?
In short, fresh fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamin C. Many people consider citrus fruits in particular to be the best sources of vitamin C, although other foods contain significantly higher amounts of vitamin C. True vitamin C wonders are acerola, rose hips and sea buckthorn berries. Here is a brief overview of foods that contain a lot of vitamin C:
Food vitamin C per 100 grams
- Acerola 1700 mg
- Rosehips 1250 mg
- Nettle 330 mg
- Guava 273 mg
- Sea buckthorn berries 265 mg
- Blackcurrant 177 mg
- Red bell pepper 140 mg
- Brussels sprouts 110 mg
- Broccoli 110 mg
- Kiwi 100 mg
- Orange 50 g
6. what should you look out for in vitamin C supplements?
In our modern everyday lives, it is not always possible to eat a balanced diet. In many cases, it therefore makes sense to take food supplements to ensure that the vitamin C requirement is covered. When choosing a supplement, make sure it contains a high concentration of active ingredients and is pure and natural. Our online store offers high-quality vitamin C supplements that are made from purely natural ingredients.
All our food supplements are free from preservatives, artificial flavors or colorings and are tested by independent German institutes - such as our vitamin C from Vitactiv made from various sources of vitamin C, including acerola and rosehip, in one tablet. If you value organic quality, you can use our grapefruit seed extract from naturity.
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Conclusion: Vitamin C - many important functions
Vitamin C is responsible for many functions in the body and is particularly important for the immune system. A balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables ensures the supply of vitamin C. However, anyone who has an increased requirement - for example due to smoking, taking certain medications or participating in competitive sports - should pay particular attention to a sufficient vitamin C intake. Taking vitamin C supplements can also be useful if you have an unbalanced diet at times. When making your choice, you should pay attention to natural ingredients and tested quality.
Sources:
1https://www.aerztezeitung.de/Medizin/Vitamin-C-Prophylaxe-nutzt-vor-allem-Kindern-und-Sportlern-328677.html
2https://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/ausgabe-482015/vitamin-c-bei-erkaeltungen/