Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is necessary for most of us to experience optimum health. Read on to learn about the benefits of Vitamin C in particular, and why more is needed in certain situations to sustain health.
Are you bracing yourself for the slew of illnesses sure to come as we start to transition toward cooler weather in Autumn? Or are you taking action to prevent illness?
In my experience, a natural approach of eating an organic whole food diet, lowering stress, and avoiding toxins is more effective than just relying on an annual flu shot. Adding more Vitamin C-rich foods into your diet or supplementing with sodium ascorbate can be an effective treatment if you do get sick. .
What are the benefits of Vitamin C and why is it so unique?
Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient that has the following roles in the body:
Anti-oxidant
It’s an electron donor that repairs oxidative damage from…
- Stress (any type – physical, emotional, etc.)
- UV radiation
- Microbes, infections
- Other chemicals such as chlorine)
Anti-histamine
It helps to manage allergic responses to…
- Food
- Insect bites
- Seasonal threats
- Pollutants
Enyme co-factor for…
- Collagen (healthy skin elasticity)
- Neurotransmitters (brain & motor function)
- Growth and fertility hormones
- Carnitine (energy metabolism)
- Iron absorption
Other benefits
- Reduces viral respiratory infections by 85%
- Reduces hyperbilirubinemia & jaundice) in infants
- Effectively treats toxin-mediated diseases like Pertussis (Whooping cough) and Tetanus
- Effectively manages chronic disease (heart disease, diabetes, etc.)
- Detoxifies the large intestine and treats constipation
Though Vitamin C is so important for humans, it’s interesting that we’re not able to synthesize it from glucose in the liver like the majority of other animals. (Even though we all have the gene for the needed enzyme, it doesn’t work for some reason). We rely exclusively on food sources for our entire supply of Vitamin C.
Can I get Vitamin C from whole foods or do I need to supplement?
It’s always best to get vitamins and minerals from our food, but we need to make sure we’re getting enough in our diet. It’s also important to know that any form of stress can cause oxidative damage to our bodies and use up our Vitamin C reserves quickly. Examples of stress may include emotional overwhelm, environmental toxins, too much sun, too much sugar, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, taking recreational drugs and eating pesticide-laden food.
The U.S. RDA for Vitamin C is 75mg/day for females, 90mg/day for males. But many physicians are realizing that these amounts are the minimum to prevent scurvy and are far from what is suggested to achieve optimum health. Much of our population is deficient in Vitamin C.
Suzanne Humpries, M.D. and Her Vitamin C Suggestions
Suzanne Humphries, M.D. is an expert in the study of Vitamin C and is quite famous in the Alternative Medicine field for her high-dose Vitamin C protocol for Pertussis.
For healthy, stress-free, people who eat lots of organic fresh produce and have minimal toxin exposure, Humphries suggests they take 200-1000mg/day. Higher doses are necessary when traveling, dealing with oxidative stress, when chronically ill, and even with constipation (a sign, she says, of Vitamin C deficiency).
I highly recommend that anyone wanting to learn more about Vitamin C watch Suzanne’s video below, especially if you’re a health practitioner. Much of what I’ve referenced here is in this video:
What form of Vitamin C is best in a supplement?
If supplementation is necessary, taking buffered sodium ascorbate is the next best idea to vitamin C-rich food. The presence of sodium helps with absorption. Even though some portion is not absorbed completely and is excreted in urine, it is better than nothing!
In my family, we strive to eat tons of Vitamin C rich foods. We also use Source Naturals Vitamin C – sodium ascorbate crystals – when high doses are necessary. I give my son Garden of Life Vitamin C Spray after swimming. And he gets a nice dose in his kids multivitamin.
Are there any risks to taking Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is completely non-toxic. The LD-50 is much greater (and therefore less toxic) than table salt (4X), aspirin (60X), and caffeine (62X).
Kidney stones are a concern with Vitamin C supplementation, but have only been reported in older men who were totally dehydrated. Kidney stones have not been reported in women. Good urine output is needed to prevent stones in general, so it’s always a good idea to stay hydrated.
So, is Vitamin C a reliable key to good health? The answer is “YES”! I hope you have a better understanding of Vitamin C’s vital role in maintaining wellness and how it can be used to treat you effectively when sick.
Do you emphasize Vitamin C consumption in your family’s wellness routine? With food or supplements? Let us know in the comments!
