Vitamin C

Several benefits outweighing the protection from flu

At this time of the year, many people reach for Vitamin C, whether in supplements, juices, cough drops, tea, or other forms to prevent colds and flu that often spread in the fall season. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is key to the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels and gives skin its firmness and strength. Vitamin C also helps create scar tissue and ligaments, and it helps your skin repair itself.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that slows the rate of free-radical damage – free radicals are unstable molecules that damage collagen and cause skin dryness, fine lines, and wrinkles. New research shows that ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, a derivative of vitamin C, not only neutralizes free radicals but also reverses DNA damage.

So what are the health benefits of Vitamin C?

• A healthy dose of Vitamin C protects our body from infections and maintains healthy bones and teeth. It also improves our body’s ability to repair wounds and keeps our immune from bacteria, viruses, and infection.
• Vitamin C reduces the severity of cold symptoms and acts as an effective antihistamine that lessens the unpleasant effects of common cold, including inflammation, runny nose, and aches.
• Obtaining an adequate amount of Vitamin C contributes to fat loss and maintaining a healthy weight. It has been shown that eating fruits and juices containing Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of insulin, so instead of storing sugar and converting it to fat, it is used as the fuel that leads to weight loss.
• Vitamin C helps the body to deal with stress by reducing the elevated levels of stress, hormone, and cortisol.
• It contributes to the balance of the body’s internal systems and helps in the production of dopamine in the nervous system.
• Helps regulate blood sugar levels in reducing the risk of diabetes and improves the symptoms of existing conditions.
• Vitamin C bolsters the immune system and prevents some forms of cancer that may develop in the lungs, mouth, throat, colon, stomach, and esophagus.
• Vitamin C is a powerful and effective antioxidant that protects our body from free radicals that cause oxidative stress, or ”cellular rust” that can lead to a host of severe medical conditions such as atherosclerosis that can cause both heart disease and stroke.
• Vitamin C also ensures proper dilation of blood vessels which helps to protect us against certain diseases like atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, heart congestion and severe chest pains.
• It can increase your HDL cholesterol while reducing your LDL cholesterol (high levels of LDL associated with cardiovascular disease).
• Vitamin C helps to lower the level of lead in our blood dramatically. Lead toxicity can lead to various behavioral and developmental problems, especially in children living in urban areas. This leads to learning disabilities, lowered IQ and stunted growth in children. Adults may suffer from kidney damage and high blood pressure owing to lead toxicity.
• Our eye pupils require Vitamin C to function properly. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to cataracts, where the lens becomes increasing opaque, causing blurry vision and leads to blindness in adults. High intake of Vitamin C fights against cataracts and increases the amount of blood flow to the eye. 1000 mg Vitamin C per day stops cataracts in their tracks and improve vision.

The symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency include anemia, bleeding gums or nose, inability to fight infection and healing wounds, dry and split hair, dry and rough skin, gingivitis, weakened tooth enamel, overweight due to slow metabolism, joint pain and swelling, dry red spots on the skin, weak immune system, digestive disorders such as intestinal leakage and autoimmune diseases.

Amazing benefits for hair and skin

Vitamin C is the most important ingredient used in skin care treatments. Its ability to provide an effective shield against the sun has made it an indispensable ingredient used in the cosmetic industry. Vitamin C protects our skin from free radicals which we develop due to excess exposure to the sun, environmental pollution, and regular smoking. The antioxidants in Vitamin C protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation and the effect of sunlight exposure.

Vitamin C helps to reduce sunburn caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation to a great extent. It not only reduces sunburn but also prevents the consequences of long-term sun exposure, which can lead to skin cancer. It is a required component for the production of hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, both of which are needed to bind the molecules that produce collagen. This, in turn, gives the skin firmness and tones the skin. Collagen deficiency makes the skin dull and lifeless.  Collagen rejuvenates the skin from the roots and reduces wrinkles and symptoms of aging. Collagen also provides structure for blood vessels so the body needs Vitamin C for a healthy vascular system. The tiny blood vessels under the skin carry oxygen and nutrients that keep the skin healthy. Without enough nutrients, the skin will become rough and dry.

In order to get a healthy mane, we need to eat healthy food. Healthy diet reflects on our skin and hair. Vitamin C is much more than an antioxidant and plays an important role in improving the health of our skin and hair. Low intake of Vitamin C may be a root cause for a number of hair related problems that affect our hair growth. Vitamin C deficiency may result in dry hair and split ends. These conditions are not favorable for hair to grow regularly.

Free radicals naturally form when our body turns food that we consume into glucose for energy production. These free radicals damage our hair by making it weak, brittle and thin. These conditions interrupt hair growth. The antioxidant properties of Vitamin C reduce the formation of free radicals and minimize its effect on our body. Having an adequate supply of Vitamin C in our diet is essential for antioxidant protection against free radicals.

People who take a huge amount of Vitamin C have healthy, strong and thick hair. Our hair follicles often get clogged due to dandruff and dry flaky skin. This can damage the hair follicles if not treated and also inhibit hair growth. Vitamin C helps to fight the bacteria on the scalp. It wards off dandruff and helps to get rid the follicles debris and encourage new hair to grow. It also helps with dry and itchy scalps because of its anti-viral properties. It is used to reverse Adrenal gland fatigue.

This is crucial for stopping hair loss and encourages more hair growth since adrenal glands are a key to maintain proper hormonal balance. It also helps to improve blood circulation and strengthens and repairs capillaries too. This is particularly important for getting stronger, thicker hair. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for damaged hair and in the treatment and prevention of a variety of hair disorders, which can damage the hair follicles and affect the normal growth of hair. A diet containing significant levels of Vitamin C can help to combat alopecia and baldness in men. Vitamin C not only helps to combat hair loss but also helps to retain the natural color by preventing premature aging of the hair.