Today, we don’t actually have to fret about catching scurvy on a journey throughout the open seas. Nonetheless, it looks like we continually hear individuals saying we must always “Take more vitamin C!”
So what precisely does ascorbic acid (vitamin C) do, how a lot do you want, and is there such a factor as an excessive amount of? We hit up dietitians and medical specialists to get the news on C.
Why do we want vitamin C in any respect?
Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin present in a wide range of vegetables and fruit. Typically, we consider citrus fruit as one of the best vitamin C supply system, however you may also get it from peppers, tomatoes, and cauliflower.
As soon as it’s in your system, the C helps your immune system perform at its finest and shield towards injury from free radicals. Plus, ascorbic acid is required to make collagen, that wondrous protein that helps heal wounds and preserve our pores and skin trying younger and wonderful (amongst many different issues).
Our our bodies can’t make vitamin C on their very own, so it’s vital that we get sufficient ascorbic acid from meals or different outdoors sources.
Vitamin C deficiency is pretty uncommon in Western nations, however it might occur. In the event you take a protracted break from recent produce (or have an ailment that impedes your absorption of nutritional vitamins), it’s potential to get scurvy — which causes infected gums, pores and skin spots, melancholy, and finally dying.
It’s not frequent or possible when you’ve got entry to wholesome meals and produce, however it’s good to be conscious of your vitamin C consumption all the identical.
How a lot do I want?
“Vitamin C dissolves in water and is not stored in the body, so we do need a consistent supply to maintain adequate levels,” says registered dietitian Jillian Greaves. “The recommended daily intake is about 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men.” For girls, you might get greater than your every day requirement by consuming one kiwi and males may have half a papaya and name it a day.
Can you’re taking an excessive amount of vitamin C?
“The tolerable upper intake for adults is 2 grams of Vitamin C — consuming more than that can result in diarrhea and other unpleasant GI disturbances,” says Greaves. She admits that extreme uncomfortable side effects from an excessive amount of ascorbic acid are very uncommon, however chances are you’ll expertise some discomfort if you happen to take an excessive amount of. It’s just about unattainable to have a vitamin C overdose, however let’s not take a look at that out.
The true drawback with taking extra vitamin C than you want is that all of it goes to waste. “Up to 100 mg a day of vitamin C will get almost completely absorbed, says Francesco-Maria Serino, MD, PhD. “Above 100 mg a day and the fraction of vitamin C absorbed is progressively smaller. If you take more than 1 gram (1000 mg) of vitamin C per day, less than 50% is actually absorbed and it’s eliminated by the kidneys.”
That actually implies that a 500 mg vitamin C complement largely will get peed down the drain.
What’s the easiest way to take vitamin C?
Each specialists stress that the easiest way to take vitamin C is thru meals. “Whole foods contain a vitamin and micronutrient complex which cannot be fully replicated in vitamin supplements,” says Dr. Serino. Additionally, your physique absorbs extra of the vitamin by means of meals than by means of a complement.
“In my experience, most people do not need to supplement with vitamin C since it is abundant in food,” says Greaves. “The best sources of vitamin C are foods like bell pepper, brussels sprouts, strawberries, and citrus fruit. For example: A half cup of raw red pepper has about 95 mg of vitamin C.”
In the event you don’t like several of that stuff, you’ll be able to eat a medium potato (with pores and skin) and a cup of pink cabbage to get your every day dose. In the event you’ve acquired guava round, you’ll get 206 mg from consuming only one!
Ensure that to eat a couple of servings of vegetables and fruit every day, and also you’ll possible have greater than sufficient vitamin C to make your physique joyful. “It’s important to know that research doesn’t show any benefit of supplementing with vitamin C beyond the recommended daily intake,” says Greaves. “So more is definitely not better!”
Ought to I take extra vitamin C once I’m sick? – “2 grams vitamin c per day”
Many individuals pop vitamin C tablets after they really feel a chilly approaching. Although vitamin C helps the immune system, it does little or no for a chilly.
A research from the Australian Nationwide College discovered that vitamin C dietary supplements didn’t forestall colds in any respect. Supplementation, in a couple of circumstances, helped individuals recover from the chilly somewhat bit sooner since about 8 % of individuals had one much less day of illness as a consequence of vitamin C.
If you wish to play it protected and add extra vitamin C while you’re sick, it’s nonetheless finest to do it by means of meals. Add extra citrus or greens. Even when the vitamin C doesn’t make a distinction, the wholesome meals will allow you to really feel higher.
tl;dr
Since our our bodies can’t make vitamin C on their very own, it’s beneficial that you just get it by means of meals (or dietary supplements) to the tune of 75 mg per day for girls and 90 mg per day for males.
It’s not essential to take a vitamin C complement, except your physician has suggested you to. In any other case, it’s finest to fill up on citrus, peppers, broccoli, and brussels sprouts in your ascorbic acid wants.