VITAMIN C: THE MIRACLE OF NATURE

We hear about it every day even the family doctor always repeats it to us and because grandma, remember to take your dose of vitamin C is good for colds. But this fantastic vitamin is much more than a simple remedy for colds. In this article we will discover its most hidden secrets, in particular we will understand:

  1. What are the true functions of vitamin C?
  2. Where is vitamin C found ?
  3. When to take it and in what doses

WHAT ARE THE TRUE FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN C?

The first main function of vitamin C also called ascorbate is to help in oxidation reactions, i.e. reactions that prevent the aging of tissues or cells. However, its functions go even further since vitamin C is also a co-factor, i.e. a catalyst for many important reactions in our body. 

Do you want to reduce ageing? Then start supplementing with vitamin C as it is involved in the formation of new collagen as we know this protein is one of the most abundant in our body especially present on the skin and joints. Vitamin C helps the formation of new collagen chains, this important reaction requires an enzyme that contains iron if this iron is not in the correct biological form then the formation of collagen has decreased, and here comes vitamin C which helps to recharge the iron in the right ionic form to allow the enzyme that drives collagen formation to do its job and keep us healthy and young. 

Another function recharges our energy, yes you heard right when we feel the adrenaline flowing through the veins the heartbeat rising and the desire to do this is due to the formation of adrenaline starting from the dopamine which accumulates in the adrenal glands and this reaction is helped and facilitated by vitamin C.

Another function is the synthesis of very important hormones for our health such as vasopressin, which keeps the liquids in our body and our pressure stable, or oxytocin which is connected with the feeling of affection, pleasure and relaxation or cholecystokinin which is involved in the feeling of satiety after meals. You understand well that a reduction of this vitamin can therefore lead to many problems that will also affect our lives from an emotional point of view. 

But that's not all: vitamin C is also important for the synthesis of another molecule, carnitine, essential for the transport of energy especially in the heart and muscles. A lack of energy can also be caused by a diet low in vitamin C. 

Finally, there are also studies proving that the reduction of cholesterol can be facilitated by the use of vitamin C, which seems to be involved in a reaction that transforms cholesterol into bile acids to be eliminated from the body. For those who suffer from a drop in energy due to iron reduction after the cycle, for example, the use of vitamin C during meals to facilitate the transport of iron in the intestine and integrate the lost one could be a real strategy to recover faster from too heavy a cycle. 

WHERE IS VITAMIN C FOUND?

Now that we have understood the importance of this vitamin for our long-term health, I would say that we also need to understand where it is found in nature in which foods: the password to load up on vitamin C is fresh fruit and vegetables , unfortunately it's always that simple since the doses of vitamin C present in foods can be correlated to many factors including the ripening on the tree, storage times, storage temperatures after harvesting; all this makes us understand that often even if we eat vegetables the concentration of vitamin C can be below the level necessary to keep all the reactions we have talked about active. Even cooking above 60 degrees starts a decrease in vitamin C levels. The best way to preserve it is steam cooking: remember that next time. 

A list of foods rich in vitamin C:

Hot pepper 229mg
Blackcurrant 200mg
Peppers 151mg
Kiwifruit 85mg
Brussels Sprouts 81mg
Cauliflower 59mg
Strawberries 54mg
Spinach 54mg
Oranges and lemons 50mg

WHEN TO TAKE IT AND IN WHAT DOSES

This is a very important question because now that you know its miraculous effects on the body you will surely go and take very high quantities of it, so we must clarify how much the body can absorb so that it is effective and useful for our health. 

The saturation at blood level occurs on 50mM which is obtained with an administration of about 200mg per dose. Unfortunately, however, this dosage is very variable between the various subjects because it depends a lot on the intestinal absorption capacity. Numerous studies have proved that the best absorption through supplementation that allows an adequate blood load is through the use of fat-soluble vitamin C to allow transport in the blood without undergoing saturation phenomena. 

Given its use in both antioxidant and energy processes, the best time to take it is before and after intense physical and mental sporting activity.