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This is the most famous vitamin familiar to us from early childhood. How does it work and how much do we need in our modern difficult life? We asked the doctor Nikolai Adrianov about this.
It turns out that most representatives of the terrestrial fauna are able to produce ascorbic acid (the scientific name of vitamin C) from glucose in their own bodies. Man (like other primates) in this sense is an exception: we can get this valuable vitamin exclusively from the outside, along with food.
Meanwhile, according to experts, with a modern lifestyle, ascorbic acid is especially necessary for us.
Antioxidants
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. This property is due to the ability to easily donate electrons and form radical ions. These charged particles with an unpaired electron take on the role of targets for free radicals responsible for damage to cell membranes and subsequent cell mutations.
Inside the membrane, consisting of molecules of fats (lipids), the role of a free radical catcher is played by fat-soluble vitamin E. And in the intercellular space, in the aquatic environment, ascorbic acid takes on this function.
Perhaps at the lipid-water phase interface, vitamin C provides protection for vitamin E or restores its oxidized form after free radical attack.
Anti aging
Vitamin C is involved in the synthesis of collagen, which is why it is one of the favorite components of cosmetic laboratories that produce products for skin elasticity and wrinkle control.
Collagen is essential for more than just beautiful skin. A decrease in the number of collagen fibers in the vascular wall leads to hemorrhages, and a lack of skeletal tissue leads to bone destruction. Enhanced collagen formation is necessary for the rapid healing of wounds, with a deficiency of vitamin C, this process is very slow.
Immunity
Ascorbic acid is involved in the metabolism of certain amino acids, contributing to the formation of hormones – norepinephrine, serotonin, as well as a special protein that is directly related to the immune response.
In addition, vitamin C affects the quality of the blood. Firstly, the presence of ascorbic acid in the blood has a protective effect on hemoglobin, preventing its oxidation. Secondly, this vitamin helps maintain the iron reserve in the body – ascorbic acid helps to convert ferric iron into ferrous iron, which is more easily absorbed by the body.
Vitamin C is also involved in the metabolism of cholesterol, normalizing its level in the blood.
Method of use
If we want to get the necessary amount of vitamin C, we cannot avoid artificial vitamin supplements. Experts say that they are as effective as the ascorbic acid found in fruits and vegetables.
- The daily requirement of a healthy person is about 100 mg of vitamin C per day. We get about 60 mg from multivitamin complexes, and the rest from raw vegetables and fruits.
- To support our body during a cold or flu, we can increase the dose to 150-200 mg per day.
- Do not increase the “portions” of the useful substance on your own: excess of vitamin C can affect the functioning of the kidneys. Consult your doctor.
- Children also need vitamin C, but the dose recommended by pediatricians is less – from 40 to 70 mg per day (depending on age).
Stress
During stress, the body releases hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. Vitamin C is involved in the biosynthesis and transformation of these hormones. In addition, taking ascorbic acid increases the amount of adrenaline in the blood – it protects adrenaline from oxidation. Therefore, vitamin C is especially necessary for us to overcome stress more easily.
In addition, it is a wonderful adaptogen: it prevents the development of the so-called maladjustment neurosis that occurs due to too short daylight hours – for example, in northern latitudes. Thanks to its adaptogen properties, it also accelerates the process of acclimatization during long-haul flights.
What dosage do we need?
The human body can only absorb a limited amount of the vitamin, usually 2-30 g per day. Excess amounts are immediately excreted by the kidneys in an unchanged state. The minimum daily dose of vitamin C for a healthy person is approximately XNUMX mg per day.
Long-term observations of healthy people have shown that the optimal level of blood vessel resistance and the maximum rate of hemoglobin regeneration in donors after blood sampling are provided by a daily intake of 50-60 mg of ascorbic acid – apparently, this dose should be considered optimal.
The role of vitamin C in the treatment of colds, in improving the condition of cancer patients and other medical aspects are still topics of discussion, but most experts agree that an increased dose is needed for these diseases.
The same applies to vegetarians: protein deficiency in food contributes to the development of vitamin deficiency due to the weakening of the binding of ascorbic acid in tissues.
Women’s needs
According to some reports, taking contraceptives can lead to hypovitaminosis C, but so far there are no detailed studies that would allow us to talk about this with certainty. Women taking hormonal contraceptives may be advised “vitamin prophylaxis”. By the way, the same applies to periods of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Best Sources of Vitamin C
The concentration of vitamin C is especially high in fresh fruits, vegetables or berries: rose hips, green peas, black currants, red peppers, sea buckthorn berries, Brussels sprouts. The next most valuable sources of the vitamin are red and cauliflower, strawberries, rowan berries.
Seeds and grains of higher plants lack vitamin C, but ascorbic acid appears in them from the first days of germination, so sprouted cereals are also very useful.
In summer, it is better to consume vegetables and fruits immediately after purchase, and ideally freshly picked and raw, as vitamin C is destroyed by heat, light and air. For the same reasons, it is best to chop the salad vegetables as large as possible and immediately before serving.
Some people do not tolerate high doses of artificial vitamin C very well – this may be due to gastrointestinal sensitivity.
The only natural source comparable in concentration to artificial vitamin supplements is acerola extract (a special variety of cherries), which can be purchased at health food stores. A less concentrated, but also very effective source of vitamin C is an extract (syrup) of rose hips, sold in pharmacies.
About expert
Nikolai Adrianov – biochemist, candidate of medical sciences, lecturer at the Russian State Medical University.