Recent research has found that vitamin C is the only vitamin that seems to play a role in every body function. The bad news is that deficiencies have been found in 25 to 50 percent of the adult population. Deficiency signs can be anything from bleeding gums and easy bruising to irritability and joint pain. Low intakes of vitamin C can compromise many body functions without showing any deficiency signs, including the ability to rid the body of cholesterol and the immune system’s ability to fight off infection.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant required for tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, and healthy gums. The body cannot manufacture vitamin C, so it must be obtained through diet and supplements. Some of the other functions of vitamin C are:

aids in the production of anti-stress hormones
protects against the effects of pollution
enhance immunity
increases the absorption of iron
supports healing of wounds and burns
supports neutralization of free radicals


Note: The information on this website is not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a qualified, licensed professional.
In the 65 years since its discovery, vitamin C has come to be known as a "wonder worker." It's easy to see why: In addition to its role in collagen formation and other life-sustaining functions, vitamin C serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free-radical fighter.

In the scientific world, the water-soluble vitamin C is known as ascorbic acid. We depend on ascorbic acid for many aspects of our biochemical functioning; yet human beings are among only a handful of animal species that cannot produce their own supply of vitamin C. Like these other animals, including primates and guinea pigs, we have no choice but to obtain this nutrient in our diet. Considering the many benefits vitamin C may provide, that mandate is deceptively simple.

How Does Vitamin C Function in the Body?
Much like the immune system itself, which operates at a cellular level, the hardworking vitamin C reaches every cell of the body. The concentration of vitamin C in both blood serum and tissues is quite high. In fact, this nutrient plays a major role in the manufacture and defense of our connective tissue, the elaborate matrix that holds the body together. It serves as a primary ingredient of collagen, a glue-like substance that binds cells together to form tissues.

Vitamin C helps some of our most important body systems. First and foremost, it helps the immune system to fight off foreign invaders and tumor cells. Vitamin C also supports the cardiovascular system by facilitating fat metabolism and protecting tissues from free radical damage, and it assists the nervous system by converting certain amino acids into neurotransmitters.

The skin, teeth and bones also benefit from vitamin C's collagen-forming and invader-resisting properties; this vitamin contributes to the maintenance of healthy bones, the prevention of periodontal disease and the healing of wounds. It even serves as a natural aspirin, of sorts, by combating inflammation and pain, according to Formula For Life. It accomplishes this task by inhibiting the secretion of the prostaglandins that contribute to such symptoms.

What is the RDA?
RDA (recommended dietary allowance) is the dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet nutrient requirements of 97-98% of healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group. Nutritional surveys indicate that about 11% of women and 21% of men in the US currently do not meet the recommended intakes of vitamin C. The revised of RDA's are important because they recognize the different nutritional need of males and females, and also address the needs of children.

The new RDAs for children are:
1-3 years: 15 mg
4-8 years: 25 mg
9-13 years: 45 mg
14-18: 75 mg for boys and 65 mg for girls

For pregnant and lactating (breast feeding) women:
Pregnant: 80-85 mg
Lactating: 115-120 mg

How much is too much?
The report also includes the newly calculated figures for the "tolerable upper intake level" for vitamin C -- the highest level of daily intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to the general adult population aged 18 years an older. For vitamin C this is estimated at 2,000 mg for adults; 400 mg for children ages 1-3 years; 650 mg for children ages 9-13 years, and 1800 mg for young adults aged 14-18 years old. As intake increases above this level, the risk of adverse effects increases.

Vitamin C and dietary antioxidants
Most of us know that vitamin C is effective in fighting off a cold and otherwise enhancing resistance to germs by helping to maintain the immune system. But the role of vitamin C as a dietary antioxidant is the reason why it is used so widely by men and women in the USA and abroad.

Dietary antioxidants are substances found in foods which can help to slow down or prevent the process of oxidation -- the damage done to cells in your body by oxygen. Oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL's) is thought to be a key step in the development of coronary atheroscelrosis.