Health Benefits of Vitamin C

We all know that Vitamin C is good for our health.  When we are sick and feeling too weak, we are advised to take it daily so we will get well sooner. It is a very good daily supplement and it has gained much popularity to older and younger generations alike.

Vitamin C is one of the free radical scavenger vitamins. The others being A and E.  It counteracts the effects of free radicals in the body that are caused by unhealthy lifestyle, too much stress and unhealthy environment.  Together with A and E, they enhance our body’s immunity, protecting it from the harmful effects of infection, pollution and even cancer.

Vitamin C is essential for the tissues in the body, teeth, muscle, bone and cartilage.  It helps with the production of collagen and to strengthen your facial muscles.  This essential vitamin is easily released by the body through the urine so it is important to constantly replenish it by taking supplements or eating high vitamin C content diet.

Taking of Vitamin C results to the production of anti-stress hormones which aids in the production of interferon.  Interferon is very much important in the metabolism of folic acid and the amino acids, phenylalanine and tyrosine. When taking vitamin C, it is best to supplement it with vitamin E as the two help each in extending the activities of antioxidants in the human body.  Vitamin  E scavenges for the dangerous free radicals in the cell membrane, then C breaks down the free radical chain in the biologic fluids. 

Deficiency of vitamin C results to puffy eyes when you wake up, bleeding gums, swelling in the legs, slowing down of the healing process, rough dry skin with obvious follicles which is visible immediately in the skin most especially to those who are smoking, taking oral contraceptives, aspirin, steroids and for older people.

Good sources of vitamin C are green vegetables, onions, avocados, citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, strawberries, mangos, currants, papaya, persimmons, pineapple and rosehips.