Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a nutrient your body needs to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones. Vitamin C is also vital to your body’s healing process.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect your cells against the effects of free radicals — molecules produced when your body breaks down food or is exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation from the sun, X-rays or other sources. Free radicals might play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Vitamin C also helps your body absorb and store iron.
Because your body doesn’t produce vitamin C, you need to get it from your diet. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, berries, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and spinach. Vitamin C is also available as an oral supplement.
Most people get enough vitamin C from a healthy diet. Vitamin C deficiency is more likely in people who:
- Smoke or are exposed to second hand smoking
- Have certain gastrointestinal conditions or certain types of cancer
- Have a limited diet that doesn’t regularly include fruits and vegetables
- Severe vitamin C deficiency can lead to a disease called scurvy, which causes anemia, bleeding gums, bruising and poor wound healing.
Some of Benefits of Vitamin C are :
- Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that can boost your blood antioxidant levels. This may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease.
- Vitamin C supplements have been found to lower blood pressure in both healthy adults and those with high blood pressure.
- Vitamin C supplements have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. These supplements may lower heart disease risk factors, including high blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Vitamin-C-rich foods and supplements have been linked to reduced blood uric acid levels and lower risk of gout.
- Vitamin C can improve the absorption of iron that is poorly absorbed, such as iron from meat-free sources. It may also reduce the risk of iron deficiency.
- Vitamin C may boost immunity by helping white blood cells function more effectively, strengthening your skin’s defense system, and helping wounds heal faster.
- Low vitamin C levels have been linked to an increased risk of memory and thinking disorders like dementia, while a high intake of vitamin C from foods and supplements has been shown to have a protective effect.
The body needs vitamin C to produce collagen. This is the main component of connective tissue and makes up 1–2% of muscle tissue. Collagen is a vital component in fibrous tissues such as:
- tendons
- ligaments
- skin
- the cornea
- cartilage
- bones
- the gut
- blood vessels
For more information check these links:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219352#why-we-need-it
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-c/art-20363932