Amazing Benefits of Vitamin C
8 Significant Benefits of Vitamin C For Your Body
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient along with 12 other vitamins crucial for bodily functions. Vitamin C serves an integral role in the growth, development, and repair of bodily tissue. People require Vitamin C in their lives. Not solely because it’s a necessity for healthy functioning bodies but because there are several advantages and benefits afforded to one’s health by consuming this micronutrient. Surprisingly, we cannot naturally create Vitamin C by ourselves and so must rely on dietary intake and supplements to take in essential nutrients. Here are eight significant benefits of Vitamin C supplementation:
Protects against free radicals
Free radicals are naturally forming as a result of converting food to energy or through absorption in the environment. These toxic substances damage and kill cells leading to oxidative stress
which has been associated with over 200 diseases. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, combats against free radicals by donating an extra electron towards free radical molecules. This donation
stops free radicals from stripping electrons from cells that cause DNA, protein, and membrane damage.
Lowers blood pressure
Given Vitamin C’s nature as water-soluble, this micronutrient acts as a diuretic. In turn, this leads to the kidneys to produce more urine which requires the removal of more sodium and water from the body. By lowering the levels of sodium in the body, there’s less stress on blood vessel walls.
Decreases cardiac risk factors
Through the lowering of blood pressure and by reducing levels of LDL cholesterol, Vitamin C is preventing risk factors commonly associated with cardiac diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarctions.
Bolsters the immune system
Vitamin C is known to promote the production of white blood cells that serve towards staving off infections. Also, Vitamin C helps white blood cells function more effectively by protecting them against free radicals. Lastly, Vitamin C helps reduce the time for wounds to heal, which
lowers the susceptibility of infections and raises the efficacy of the immune system.
Healthier skin and hair
Vitamin C acts in a regulatory capacity towards the synthesis of collagen by stabilizing the transcription and translation processes from collagen DNA to collagen mRNA to lastly, collagen protein. Translation converts mRNA into amino acid peptide chains that form proteins. During translation, Vitamin C interacts within collagen cells by adding hydrogens and oxygens to amino acids to promote collagen protein production.
Assists with weight loss
Dieting and moderate exercise are hailed as the best way to shed pounds and grow muscle. However, a Vitamin C deficiency is holding you back from your weight loss goals. Those with adequate vitamin levels have shown to oxidize 30% more fat during exercise than those with low
Vitamin C levels. In short, those with a Vitamin C deficiency are more resistant to weight loss. Furthermore, the aforementioned increased blood flow benefit promotes more significant muscle growth as well.
Protects memory and thinking
Studies have shown that inflammation and oxidative stress anywhere near the central nervous system can increase the risk of dementia. Individuals with dementia have shown lower levels of Vitamin C (recall how vitamin C acts as a buffer against oxidative stress); other studies have shown lowered levels of Vitamin C affect thinking and recall. The intake of Vitamin C can combat adverse effects on memory.
Cancer prevention
While more research is required, past studies have suggested that Vitamin C through diet and supplementation limits the formation of carcinogens. Vitamin C’s ability to protect the body from oxidative stress via a powerful antioxidant can negate oxidative damage that causes cancer.
Given all the benefits that Vitamin C ensures, it’s necessary not to neglect the consumption of essential micronutrients. With a healthy and diverse diet, enough Vitamin C can be consumed through fruits and vegetables such as leafy greens, peppers, strawberries, oranges, etc. While Vitamin C is best consumed through food, it’s not always easy to fulfill a diverse diet, which is why vitamin supplements make for an excellent alternative. However, not all dietary supplements are created equal; taking inferior vitamin supplements or overconsuming Vitamin C can have adverse health effects like nausea and diarrhea. With Vitality Aesthetic & Regenerative Medicine’ s pharmaceutical-grade supplements and injectible forms of Vitamin C, the right dosage of vitamins can be determined and administered for patients to augment one’ s diet and needs accordingly.