Vitamin C

Vitamin C is perhaps the most widely known and most popular of all nutrients. Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C is involved in hundreds of body processes, including collagen production, immune system regulation, blood vessel maintenance, cell repair and hormone production.

Most animals synthesize vitamin C from glucose and other sugars, but humans do not have this ability. All human vitamin C requirements must be met through diet or supplementation. Since vitamin C is water soluble, the body stores only small amounts and excretes excess quantities in the urine. Because of this, everyone should ensure an adequate daily intake of foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a highly unstable compound that rapidly deteriorates in storage and food preparation, so fresh fruits and vegetables are the best sources.

Vitamin C is well known today, but its discovery was surprisingly recent. The Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgi first isolated vitamin C in 1928 and won the Nobel Prize in 1938 for his discovery. But while vitamin C itself was unknown before 1938, a lack of vitamin C – manifest as the disease scurvy – has plagued humankind for millennia. The first known record of scurvy dates from the sixteenth century BCE and describes classic symptoms such as gum inflammation, tooth decay, lack of energy and bleeding problems. It wasn’t until the seventeenth century CE – over 3,000 years later – that the British surgeon James Lind discovered that lemons and limes could prevent and cure the deadly disease. Scurvy was common among sailors, and after Lind’s discovery, British ships began to carry limes for the sailors to eat, earning British sailors the nickname “limeys”. While scurvy is rare in Western industrialized society today, it is still a problem in developing areas of the world.

Functions of Vitamin C

Antioxidant
Because of its powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin C plays an important role in neutralizing free radicals throughout the body. In addition, vitamin C protects the fat-soluble antioxidants vitamins A and E from excessive oxidation. Scientists theorize that reducing free radical activity in the body can help prevent cell death, protect against cancer and other diseases and slow the aging process.

Building Connective Tissue
The body requires vitamin C to manufacture collagen, a protein that binds the body’s cells together. Collagen is the most abundant tissue in the body and is needed to build and maintain skin, tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. Collagen is also essential in healing wounds, fractures and other injuries.

Building Strong Teeth and Bones
Vitamin C is needed for calcification, the process of forming bones, and for the manufacture of dentin, a major component in teeth.

Immune System Function
Vitamin C supports healthy immune system function in several ways. It enhances the function of phagocytes, cells that destroy foreign invaders; it assists in the production of lymphocytes, white blood cells that help fight infection; it helps produce antibodies, substances that protect against bacteria and viruses; and it supports the thymus, and important part of the immune system.

Metabolism
The body needs vitamin C to properly metabolize fats and some proteins, including tyrosine, which is used to produce adrenaline, dopamine and tryptophan. Vitamin C is also critical for metabolizing folic acid.

Sources of Vitamin C
The best food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (such as lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, pomelos, clementines and mandarin oranges), citrus juices, cantaloupe and other melons, strawberries, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapples, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes and tomato juice, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. Since vitamin C is such a fragile vitamin, concentrations are highest in fresh, uncooked servings of these foods.

Vitamin C is also available in multivitamins and other dietary supplements. As a single nutrient, vitamin C is available in tablet, capsule, powder, liquid, effervescent and even chewing gum forms. Many people choose to take a daily vitamin C supplement to ensure that their basic dietary needs are met and to help protect against disease.

USANA's Poly C® stands above the rest. Formulated with a unique blend of highly bioavailable mineral ascorbates, all of which have potent vitamin C activity, USANA Poly C® maintains higher blood levels of vitamin C than absorbic acid alone. With USANA Poly C®, you'll receive superior vitamin C protection.