Vitamin C is of vital importance and is something that is not produced naturally in the body, but it has many functions. It is a water-soluble vitamin and can be found in fruit such as oranges, strawberries, guavas, kiwi fruit and papaya and in vegetables such as kale, broccoli, peppers and snow peas.
It recommended that women should have about 75 mg a day and men 90 mg per day and although it is advisable to eat foods rich in Vitamin C, there are many people who take supplements to increase their intake.
Powerful Antioxidant
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can help the body put up natural defences and boost the immune system. This means you’ll get sick less, so you can play the online pokies NZ you love and do other fun things a whole lot more too. Antioxidants are made of molecules that help to boost the immune system and this is done by protecting the cells from harmful molecules, which are known as free radicals.
When these free radicals multiply they cause oxidative stress, which may lead to various chronic diseases. Studies have shown that larger quantities of Vitamin C may help to increase blood antioxidant levels by as much as 30% and will help the body fight against inflammation.
Reduces Heart Disease
Heart disease is a killer, and there are many factors that can increase this risk such as high blood pressure, increased levels of LDL cholesterol and lower levels of HDL cholesterol and taking Vitamin C may help to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Various studies have shown that taking at least 500 mg each day may reduce this risk, but if you already have a Vitamin C rich diet, taking extra Vitamin C supplements may not provide extra benefits in this regard.
Absorption of Iron
Iron is an essential nutrient and performs various functions, the main one being making red blood cells and ensuring that oxygen is transported through the body.
Vitamin C supplements can help the body absorb iron from a diet and also helps to convert iron that is not absorbed well by the body like plant-based sources and converts in into a form that is more easily absorbed. Vegetarians would benefit from this and by just adding 100 mg of Vitamin C to your diet can improve absorption of iron by 67%.
This means that it can reduce anaemia among those who are prone to deficiencies and will help to improve blood iron levels.
Reduced Risk of Dementia
As we get older we become prone to loss of memory and Dementia it affects around 35 million people and is more prevalent among older people.
Studies have shown that oxidative stress and inflammation around the central nervous system may increase the risk of dementia and low levels of Vitamin C have been linked to this. High levels of Vitamin C in a diet or through supplements have suggested that it may help improve memory, as we get older.
Using supplements may help with this if your diet does not contain enough Vitamin C, but more studies need to be done to show how Vitamin C can impact the nervous system.