Vitamin C

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in many fruits (mostly in citrus fruits) and vegetable sources. Many dietary supplements and topical serums of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) are sold in the market to treat melasma, wrinkles on the face, and other skin problems. Humans do not synthesize their own vitamin C and thus must acquire it from dietary sources and supplements. It is an antioxidant and an essential nutrient that uses to prevent many health problems. The main health benefits of vitamin C or ascorbic acid are to the functioning of several enzymes and maintaining our immune system.

Ascorbic acid is a weak acid structurally related to the glucose molecule. The name vitamin C always refers to the l-enantiomer of ascorbic acid and its oxidized form dehydroascorbate (DHA).

In biological systems, the ascorbic acid form of vitamin C can be found only at low pH, while the ionized ascorbate form is found predominantly in solutions above pH 5.

Sources of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

The richest natural sources of vitamin C are fruits and vegetables but ascorbic acid is widely taken as a dietary supplement. It dissolves in water and is delivered to the cells of our body but is not well stored. Hence, we must take it daily through food or supplements.

Ascorbic acid is sensitive to light and heat. Therefore, high heat cooking temperatures or prolonged cooking times generally break down this vitamin.

This vitamin also seeps into cooking liquid due to its water solubility. It may be lost if the liquids are not eaten. Therefore, quick heating methods and using little water may preserve this vitamin.

The most common fruit and vegetable sources of this vitamin are given below in the table,

Recommended Amounts

RDA’s recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C for adults (19 years and older) is 90 mg daily for men and 75 mg for women. It generally increases during pregnancy and lactation. The recommended amount during pregnancy = 85 mg/day and for lactating women = 120 mg/day.

Smoking generally decreases the ascorbic acid levels in our bodies. Therefore, an additional 35 mg beyond the RDA suggestion may be used for smokers.

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level set by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences = 2000 mg daily. Beyond this level, it promotes gastrointestinal distress and diarrhea.

Vitamin C supplements

Ascorbic acid is a natural or synthetic form of vitamin C that has many health benefits. Tablets and capsules are probably the most popular forms of this vitamin. However, it also comes in crystalline powder, effervescent, and liquid forms. The doses of this vitamin range from 25 mg to 1,000 mg.

Highly absorbable buffered form of vitamin occurs together with the buffering minerals magnesium, potassium, and calcium. As a result, we use higher doses of this vitamin without any stomach upset.

The most commonly used supplement molecules are ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate. The best way to take this vitamin supplement is 2 – 3 times per day with meals. Some studies suggest that most of the health benefits of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) are obtained when adults take 250 to 500 mg twice a day.

Thus, always talk to your doctor before taking a higher dose of this vitamin on a daily basis and before giving it to your child.

Benefits of Vitamin C for Skin

Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and nutrient that plays an important role in keeping your skin healthy. This antioxidant basically fights against harmful toxic materials that come in contact with your skin, either from external sources or from inside the body.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) generally gives the following main benefits to your skin health:

• Reduce undereye circles
• Collagen production
• Treats hyperpigmentation
• Hydrates skin
• Reduces redness

Reduce Undereye Circles

Dark circles in your eyes are a common problem among people of all ages around the world. It generally caused by aging, genetics, allergies, or not getting enough sleep.

Many clinical studies and research show that this vitamin generally helps to reduce and prevent dark circles under your eyes by strengthening the skin under the eyes.

Collagen Production

Vitamin C is absolutely essential for producing collagen protein in the human body. The main benefits of collagen protein present in connective tissue are to maintain the nervous, immune, bone, cartilage, blood, and other systems in our body.

The fibrous protein collagen is the building block of skin, hair, muscles, and tendons. Therefore, it keeps our skin looking youthful and smooth.

Treats Hyperpigmentation

A common skin problem, hyperpigmentation forms darker spots on the skin and it causes mainly due to overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and environmental stress.

Various studies show that the antioxidant properties of ascorbic acid reduce unwanted dark spots and prevent signs of aging caused by sun damage.

This vitamin also helps to inhibit the production of tyrosinase, an enzyme useful in the production of melanin which prevents hyperpigmentation.

Hydrates Skin

Hydration is an important factor in keeping your skin healthy and youthful-looking. Without sufficient moisture, the top layer of skin starts to dry out. It leads to itchy, scaly skin and aging signs. Ascorbic acid retains water in the skin and maintains your skin from becoming dry and oily.

Vitamin C derivative, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate uses in various skin care products because they help to hydrate your skin. Various other supplements containing this vitamin showed significant and sustainable improvements in skin hydration.

Reduces Redness

Anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C help to reduce the redness and swelling in your skin that comes with acne. The benefits are more pronounced when you use vitamin A and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) topically on your skin.

Uses of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants that uses to protect our cells against the effects of free radicals. These free radicals are produced during the breakdown of food or when our bodies are exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation coming from the sun or other sources.

Free radicals might play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other medical conditions. The buildup of free radicals in our bodies over time is responsible for signs of aging.

Ascorbic acid generally absorbs and stores non-heme iron in the human body. This vitamin also helps to make various hormones and chemical messengers that mostly uses in our brains and nerves.

The best health benefits come when you consume lots of vitamin C from your diet because our body doesn’t produce and store it. This vitamin occurs in many fruits and vegetables. We also use oral supplements of ascorbic acid or ascorbate in the form of capsules and chewable tablets.

The uses and benefits of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) for specific medical conditions are given below,

Vitamin C for Scurvy

Scurvy is the most common disease that causes due to vitamin C deficiency. It generally causes anemia, bleeding gums, bruising, and poor wound healing.

Scurvy is easily treated when adding some vitamin C to your diet such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and supplements until you feel better. Most people feel better within 48 hours and make a full recovery within 2 weeks.

Heart Disease

Some studies suggest that vitamins E and C reduce the risk of heart disease but larger clinical trials may not show the benefits. This vitamin does not lower cholesterol levels or reduce the overall risk of a heart attack. However, it helps to protect the arteries in our body against damage.

The American Heart Association thus does not recommend the way to take any vitamin to prevent heart disease.

High Blood Pressure

Population based studies show that when people eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and antioxidants reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Therefore, eating foods rich in ascorbic acid is an important factor for your overall health especially if you are at risk for high blood pressure.

For the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure, your dietitian generally recommends taking lots of antioxidants that come from various fruits and vegetables.

Cancer

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables might lower the risk of breast, colon, and lung cancers. There is no evidence that vitamin C or ascorbic acid present in such fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer.

Taking oral vitamin C or ascorbic acid capsules and chewable tablets doesn’t appear to offer the same health benefits as dietary implementation provides.

Common Cold

We have the popular belief that taking oral vitamin C supplements (capsules and chewable tablets) generally prevents the common cold. However, scientific evidence doesn’t support that theory. Therefore, taking this vitamin supplement regularly produces only a small reduction in the duration of a cold.

Iron Deficiency

Vitamin C improves the absorption of non-heme iron found mostly in plant foods such as leafy greens.

Drinking a small glass of fruit juice or food supplements that contain this vitamin helps to boost iron absorption. It reduces iron to form a more soluble ferrous state which is more easily absorbed.

Eye Diseases

Taking oral vitamin C or ascorbic acid supplements in combination with zinc, beta-carotene, and vitamin E seems to protect the eyes against developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a leading cause of legal blindness in people over 55 in the United States.

Some studies suggest that when people consume higher levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants in their diets have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Vitamin C Deficiency

Like other vitamins and minerals, it is an essential nutrient for our good health. Therefore, we consume vitamin C reached foods and supplements regularly to get health benefits and prevent deficiency. Deficiency is relatively rare in developed countries due to the availability of fresh vitamin C reached foods and supplements. However, it still affects roughly 7% of adults in the United States.

The most common risk factors for such a deficiency come from poor diet, alcoholism, anorexia, severe mental illness, smoking, and medication.

Scurvy is the most common disease that forms due to vitamin C deficiency. Without this vitamin, collagen made by the body is too unstable to perform its biological function. The deficiency also inhibits the activity of several other enzymes in the body.

The 15 most common signs and symptoms of vitamin C or ascorbic acid deficiency might include:

1. Rough and bumpy skin
2. Developing corkscrew-shaped body hair
3. Bright red hair follicles
4. Red spots or lines on fingernails
5. Dry and damaged skin
6. Easy bruising
7. Slowly healing wounds
8. Painful and swollen joints
9. Weak bones
10. Bleeding in the gums and tooth loss
11. Poor immune system
12. Developing iron deficiency anemia
13. Fatigue and poor mood
14. Unexpected weight gain
15. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress

Side Effects of Vitamin C

Dietary excesses water soluble vitamin C are not absorbed because any excesses in the blood are rapidly excreted through urine. Therefore, it shows very low toxicity. More than two to three grams of supplements causes indigestion, particularly during an empty stomach.

Taking sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate forms of this vitamin generally minimizes the side effects. Unlike benefits, high levels of vitamin C or ascorbic acid intake cause nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and excessive absorption of iron.