Our bodies are complex pieces of bio-machinery and require a
great deal of oversight. Without the influence of outside forces, our body is
able to regulate and maintain itself, but only demands proper sustenance in
return.
اضافة اعلان
From the environment around us, we are able to acquire all
the
biological components to sustain ourselves.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a nutrient found
in foods and is used in our bodies to produces and maintain blood vessels,
cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones. Vitamin C also plays an important
role in wound healing, absorption and storing of iron, and many more vital
regulatory functions.
Sources of vitamin C
Many plant and animal species are able to produce vitamin C themselves,
but humans lack the enzyme due to a mutation thought to have happened
approximately 40 million years ago. As a result, we must get our source of
vitamin C from foods such as:
Citrus Fruits
Berries
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Peppers
Cabbage
Brussels sprout
Broccoli
Spinach
Supplements for vitamin C can also be taken by persons with
deficiency, and unlike some vitamins, toxicity is rare.
Although toxicity may not be a concern, increased vitamin C
intake is associated with increased risk of kidney stones as well as a few common
side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, indigestion, and
flushed skin.
Vitamin C deficiency may have serious ramifications on the body
due to its role in many key regulatory processes.
Severe deficiency is known as scurvy, but is exceedingly
rare, and is associated with anemia, infections, bleeding gums, poor wound
healing, hemorrhaging of small blood vessels, muscle degradation and more.
Albeit a rare occurrence, according to Dr Fredrick Burkle, a
member of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, outbreaks of scurvy within recent
history have been seen primarily in
refugee populations and can occur within
three to four months upon arrival to refugee camps. The cause of scurvy
outbreaks among refugees is due to the scarcity of food and relief aid foods commonly
being inadequately fortified with vitamin C.
Due to the rarity of scurvy internationally speaking,
incidences are not well reported and documented.
Health benefits and misconceptions
The health benefits of vitamin C are numerous, but also
widely debated. Many conflicting studies have been conducted and consensus on
the topic has been difficult achieve. Nevertheless, a trend of benefits can be
seen centering around the fact that vitamin C is a naturally occurring
antioxidant.
Antioxidants are compounds that help eliminate free radicals
that are produced in our bodies due to food breakdown, smoking and radiation.
Free radicals have been linked to many serious diseases, in particular certain
cancers.
The most commonly associated use for vitamin C is for the
treatment and prevention of common colds. Among the scientific community, the
evidence for its benefits for treating colds is highly debated, with no clear
explanation as to whether or not it plays a role in preventing or treating cold
symptoms. Some studies suggest that continually, daily use of vitamin C may
reduce the duration and symptoms of the common cold, but has no effect on
preventing. As for treatment, the interpretation of data is widely disputed,
but some evidence suggests greater benefits from high doses over lower doses.
Vitamin C may also play a role in cancer prevention and
treatment. In terms of prevention, overwhelming evidence supports the link
between high vitamin C intake and decreased risk of esophageal, stomach,
breast, and colon cancers.
Although there are several purposed mechanisms for this, the
widely agreed reasoning is attributed to its antioxidant properties, which
prevent free radical damages and neutralizes some carcinogens (agents that
cause cancer). There is also evidence of increased survival rates in cancer
patients, with one study documenting an increased rate as high as 15 percent.
Along with the aforementioned health benefits, more include:
Enhanced availability and absorption of iron
Potential use in male infertility
Prevention of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in blood vessels)
Prevention and management of diabetes
Improving the immune system
Protection against heavy metal toxicity
Potential adjuvant (add-on) to conventional schizophrenia treatment
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