Vitamin C

General Information

The primary function of vitamin C is the manufacture of collagen, the main protein substance in the human body. Since collagen is such an important protein for the structures that hold our body together (connective tissue, cartilage, tendons, etc.), vitamin C is vital for wound repair, healthy gums, and the prevention of easy bruising.

In addition to its role in collagen metabolism, vitamin C is also critical to immune function, the manufacture of certain nerve-impulse-transmitting substances and hormones, carnitine synthesis, and the absorption and utilization of other nutritional factors.

Antioxidant effects

Vitamin C is one of the body’s most important antioxidants. It works in aqueous (watery) environments in the body, both outside and inside human cells. It is the first line of antioxidant protection in the body. As an antioxidant, vitamin C is showing promise in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative damage, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Asthma and other allergies

Low vitamin C levels in the diet and the blood are an independent risk factor for asthma. Since 1973 there have been eleven clinical studies of vitamin C showed significant improvements in respiratory measures and asthma symptoms as a result of supplementing the diet with 1 to 2 g of vitamin C daily. This dosage recommendation appears extremely wise based on the increasing exposure to inhaled oxidants along with the growing appreciation of the antioxidant function of vitamin C in the respiratory system.

High-dose vitamin C therapy may also help asthma and other allergies by lowering histamine levels. Vitamin C prevents the secretion of histamine by white blood cells and increases the breakdown of histamine.
Cancer prevention

Vitamin C exerts many functions that may offer protection against cancer, including acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin C also helps the body deal with environmental pollution and toxic chemicals, enhances immune function, and inhibits the formation of cancer-causing compounds in the body. The population-based (epidemiological evidence) of a protective effect of vitamin C against cancer is undeniable. A high dietary intake of vitamin C reduces the risk for virtually all forms of cancer, including cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, and pancreas. While most of this evidence is based upon a high vitamin C intake from foods also rich in carotenes and other nutrients protective against cancer, a few of the studies looked at supplementation as well.

Cataracts

Individuals with higher dietary intakes of vitamin C have a much lower risk for developing cataracts and macular degeneration. In addition to offering protective effects, several clinical studies have demonstrated that vitamin C supplementation can halt cataract progression and, in some cases, significantly improve vision.