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Vitamin C. The Cold Season Wonder Vitamin
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Common Names: Vitamin C, Ascorbate .jpg)
Clinical Name: Ascorbic Acid
Forms: Ascorbic acid, calcium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, sodium ascorbate; Ester C. It is a water soluable vitamin.
What it does: Assists with Collagen synthesis and may repair connective tissues such as cartilage, dentin, skin, and bones. It may be valuable in the treatment of schizophrenia by converting dopamine to epinephrine. It increases the bio-availability of iron. It is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C assists with the regulation of the immune system. It assists in the formulation of bile.
Known Uses: Asthma, atherosclerosis, bronchitis, bruising, cancer, candidiasis, capillary fragility, cataracts, common cold, Crohn's disease, diabetes, eczema, elevated cholesterol, fatigue, gallbladder disease, glaucoma, gout, hay fever, heavy metal detoxification, hepatitis, high blood pressure, HIV support, hypoglycemia, immune function, influenza, iron deficiency anemia, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis, periodontal disease, peripheral vascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, scurvy, skin ulcers, urinary tract infection, viral or bacterial infections, wound healing and many others.
Signs of deficiency: Symptoms of severe vitamin C deficiency is called scurvy. It includes muscle cramps, aching bones, joints and muscles, anorexia, weakness, shortness of breath, bleeding gums and easy bruising. Other symptoms are dry skin, fever, hemorrhage, and secondary infections. Researchers have found that smokers and those under a lot of stress tend to have low levels of vitamin C.
Food Sources: Acerola cherries, rose hips, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, red and green peppers, black currants, brussel sprouts, cantaloupe, kale, parsley, turnip greens, apples, guavas , potatoes.
Dosing: According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended daily intake for adults is 90 mg per day for men and 75mg for women. Dr. Weil recommends taking 250 mg of vitamin C each day, or higher doses - greater than 1,000 mg per day – for additional protection against the oxidative effects of the environment.
Therapeutic dose: 1 - 10 g per day. Absorption of vitamin C can be enhanced with the simultaneous intake of the same or greater amount of citrus bioflavonoids. 1-4 g per day is usually sufficient for most individuals. Vitamin C in large doses, 6-10 g or greater, may result in diarrhea.
Maintenance dose: 500 - 1000 mg per day. It only takes 5 mg per day to prevent scurvy! This is usually obtained through a healthy diet. The RDA is 60mg/day which was raised from 24mg in 1974. These doses are for healthy non smoking individuals. Most of us do not fall within this category. Remember the RDA was established by the FDA is much lower then the ODA (Optimum Daily Requirements) that is recognized by most holistic health providers.
Cautions: Vitamin C has been shown to increase uric acid excretion and has been suspected of precipitating gout. This increased excretion of uric acid, however, may actually be beneficial for some individuals. Concerns have also been voiced that vitamin C could raise oxalic acid levels in the urine and possibly cause kidney stones. It appears to be a very individual thing however. This may relate to research which found that 1 of every 400 people carry a genetic defect in which large doses of vitamin C above 4gm.
Interactions: Vitamin C may interfere with Chemotherapy as it is a power antioxidant (as are Vitamin E and Bioflavanoids as well).
Side effects: Side effects are rarely reported, but include nausea, vomiting, heartburn and abdominal cramps. Diarrhea has been reported for some individuals. Lowering the dosage to the highest level which does not provoke diarrhea, (known as "bowel tolerance)," is a commonly used method of determining the maximal therapeutic dosage.
Contraindications:
• Use of Vitamin C in doses greater than 1000 mg per day is contraindicated during some chemotherapy administration, due to their inhibition of the free radical formation which is an intentional part of the chemo.
• Individuals with a history of oxalate kidney stones. Avoid daily dosages of 1000 mg or more.
• Individuals with hemochromatosis may develop Iron overload
• Pregnant women should avoid daily doses above 500 mg.
• Individuals with allergies to corn may react to most inexpensive commercially available forms of vitamin C as they are derived from corn.
Before taking any supplements it is important that you discuss it with a trusted healthcare provider.
Healthy Blessings,
Tracy Lynn
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