Vitamin C has surprising health benefits that you may not have known about.
Plus, does vitamin C have any effect at all on COVID? I'll explain.
So first thing's first.
Vitamins in general, help make your body grow and work the way it should.
Vitamin C specifically, is one of these essential vitamins is required for our bodies to survive
and stay healthy.
But did you know there are five scientifically proven benefits of taking vitamin C supplements
that you may not even known about?
And COVID.
Does taking vitamin C have any effect at all on helping your body combat the coronavirus?
We're going to go over all of that.
Hey everyone.
I'm Doctor Jordan Wagner.
I'm an ER doctor.
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Vitamin C, what is it?
It's an essential dietary component, that helps many different functions in our body:
biosynthesis of collagen, wound healing, regenerating antioxidants, the list goes a mile long.
In other words, it's essential and your body needs it to stay healthy and function properly.
It's very important to get an adequate amount of daily vitamin C to ensure the overall wellbeing
of health.
But did you know taking an adequate amount of vitamin C could improve your long-term
memory as well as reduce your risk for certain chronic diseases.
It has many roles and has been linked to five impressive health benefits you should definitely
know about.
Number one, vitamin C and cancer therapy.
Vitamin C may help in treating cancer.
As an antioxidant, it protects the body against oxidative stress and helps prevent the oxidation
of other molecules.
It appears to regenerate other antioxidants in your body as well.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your body’s natural defenses.
Antioxidants protect your body’s cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.
When free radicals accumulate, they can promote something called oxidative stress.
Researchers have proposed using vitamin C in cancer patients whose treatment options
are limited.
In 2013, The National Cancer Institute reported several studies that used high dose vitamin
C intravenously with few side effects.
More studies are needed to understand which cancers could be affected by vitamin C and
which other effective treatments can be used in conjunction with vitamin C, as well as
the long-term effects of this approach.
Number two, vitamin C may help manage blood pressure.
Did you know that approximately one-third of American adults have high blood pressure?
Studies have shown that vitamin C may help lower blood pressure in both those with and
without high blood pressure.
Vitamin C helps relax the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart, which helps reduce
blood pressure levels.
Studies have shown that in adults with high blood pressure, vitamin C supplements reduced
systolic blood pressure by 4.9 and diastolic blood pressure by 1.7, on average.
While these results are promising, it’s not clear whether the effects on blood pressure
are long term.
So it’s probably best that individuals with high blood pressure not rely on vitamin C
alone for treatment.
Number three, vitamin C may lower your risk of heart disease.
Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death according to the CDC.
In the United States, one in every four deaths is the result of heart disease.
Many factors increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, cholesterol
levels being elevated, and smoking.
Vitamin C may help reduce these risk factors, which may reduce heart disease risk.
For example, an analysis of nine studies with a combined 290,000 participants found that
after 10 years, people who took at least 700 mg of vitamin C daily had a 25% lower risk
of heart disease than those who did not take a vitamin C supplement.
Interestingly, another analysis of 15 studies found that consuming vitamin C from foods
— not supplements — was linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
However, scientists were unsure whether people who consumed vitamin-C-rich foods also followed
a healthier lifestyle than people who took a supplement.
So it remains unclear whether the differences were due to vitamin C or other aspects of
their diet.
With that to said, if you already consume a vitamin-C-rich diet, then supplements may
not provide additional heart-healthy benefits.
Number four, vitamin C may boost your immune system.
First, vitamin C helps encourage the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes
and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infection.
White blood cells flow through your bloodstream to fight viruses, bacteria, and other foreign
invaders that threaten your health.
For example, individuals who suffer from pneumonia tend to have lower levels of vitamin C.
Once that patient has been administered vitamin C, they have been shown to experience a shortened
recovery time.
Number five, vitamin C protects your memory and thinking as you age.
Dementia is a broad term used to describe symptoms of poor thinking and memory.
It affects over 35 million people worldwide and typically occurs among older adults.
Studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves
can increase the risk of dementia.
Research has shown that those who suffer from dementia have been linked to having low levels
of vitamins and lower blood levels.
As I previously discussed, vitamin C may promote a healthier blood flood, therefore, high vitamin
C levels from food or supplements may have a positive effect on thinking and memory as
you age.
Alright, we went over five known medical benefits, but let's talk about COVID-19 and vitamin
C for a second.
Does vitamin C help combat the coronavirus?
Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory properties, influences cellular immunity and vascular
integrity, and serves as a cofactor in the generation of endogenous catecholamines, meaning
adrenaline and dopamine.
Because humans may require more vitamin C in states of oxidative stress, vitamin C supplementation
has been evaluated in numerous disease states, including serious infections and sepsis.
Therefore, because a serious COVID-19 may cause sepsis and acute respiratory distress
syndrome, the potential role of high doses of vitamin C in decreasing inflammation and
vascular injury in patients with COVID-19 is being studied.
Some other big questions.
Where can you get it?
And how much should you take?
Vitamin C is water-soluble vitamin that can be easily dissolved in water making it readily
available to our body.
It is found in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit,
bell peppers, broccoli, kale, spinach, and more.
While it’s commonly advised to get your vitamin C intake from foods, many people turn
to supplements to meet their needs.
So how much vitamin C should you take?
The recommended daily amount is 90 mg but there is a broad range.
Indivuduals have been known to take up to a couple thousand milligrams without any major
side effects.
The exact dose for each individual may be different and should be discussed with your
doctor.
The bottom line, there is no one magic pill or vitamin that cures all.
It’s important to not forget the overall big picture, eating a well-balanced diet rich
in vitamins is the best strategy for good health.
If you are concerned about your vitamin C intake or any health consequences related
to vitamin supplementation, talk to your doctor, please.
All right, that's been a quick vitamin C breakdown with me, Doctor Wagner.
Please leave me a comment below if you take vitamin C daily and what doses you are using.
Or let me know if you've seen any benefits from the vitamin C you take at home.
And as always, make sure you subscribe and turn your bell notifications on.
Thank you so much for watching and stay healthy my friends.