vitamin c ascorbic acid - buffered vitamin c

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is probably one of the most commonly known, yet least understood vitamin. Studies into vitamin c were only yet gaining speed in the early to mid 1900's, with the first discovery that it counteracted scurvy. Championed by Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Ph.D., and advocated by many nutrition buffs, vitamin C is indeed an interesting and important nutrient with new support to the anti-cancer role of Vitamin C being herolded in recent studies (Frei and Lawson, 2008). The major benefit of vitamin c ascorbic acid with regard to cancer may be in reducing the chance of getting cancer as apposed to its therapeutic properties in cancer treatment.

What organisms create their own ascorbic acid?

It is interesting to note that all plants and almost all mammals can create their own ascorbic acid, although they do it in different ways. Only a few mammals (humans, some primates, guinea pigs, some birds, some fish) cannot synthesize ascorbic acid.

Benefits of Vitamin C - Facts on Vitamin C

Vitamin C is important as an antioxidant helping to protect fat-soluble vitamins A and E as well as fatty acids from oxidation. Vitamin C prevents and cures scurvy, and can be helpful in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (as vitamin C can increase a absorption of iron from plant foods) and, as mentioned, shows promise in preventing cancer, as many antioxidants do.

The body's immune and detoxification systems make special use of vitamin C, and overload in either of these systems can increase risk of deficiency. The immune system relies on a wide variety of mechanisms to help protect the body from infection, including white blood cells, complement proteins, and interferons; and vitamin C is especially important in the function of these immune components.

Vitamin C is also critical for the detoxification process of the body. Detoxificaiton takes place in many types of tissue, but it is a vital function of the liver. When the body is exposed to toxins, pollution, or stress vitamin C is needed (sometimes in high doses) for the body to begin elemination of the toxins. Not getting enough vitamin c can create a toxic overload in our bodies.

Vitamin C is vital to the production of collagen. Collagen is a word we hear bandied about in cosmetic ads on TV, but most people have no idea what collagen is and how important it is to our very existence.

Collagen is the fibers contained in connective tissue which is what gives our body form and supports our internal organs. Types of collagen used in our bodies include fibers in our skin, bone, teeth, tendons, ligaments, fascia, cartilage, organs, and more.

As you can see, collagen is vital to the formation and connectivity, form and structure of our body, and vitamin C plays a role in the formation of collagen by hydroxylating (adds hydrogen and oxygen) two amino acids: proline and lysine. This helps create a precursor molecule ( procollagen) that is later turned into collagen. Without vitamin c there is no collagen formation.

Foods High in Vitamin C

Citrus fruits (oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit), mango, strawberries, guavas, bananas, kiwi, plums and watermelon create fresh sources of vitamin c seasonally. For a list of food sources of vitamin c by seanson click here.

Vegetables include asperagus, brocolly, cole vegatables (cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc.) tomatoes, green pepper, potatoes, parsley, spinache and many others.

Vitamin C is damaged by exposure to air, so be careful in your food preparations to avoid chopping, grating, cooking or submerging your food high in Vitamin C. Raw is best when it comes to trying to meet your dietary needs for vitamin c ascorbic acid.

buffered vitamin c - bioflavonoids - rutin - hesperidin

Not eating enough foods high in vitamin C laden is a common contributor to vitamin C deficiency in the USA where 1/3 of all adults get less vitamin C from their diet than is recommended. Smoking and exposure to second hand smoke also increases vitamin C deficiency.

You need higher doses of vitamin c if you suffer from:

• Poor wound healing
• Frequent colds or infections
• Lung-related problems

You need buffered vitamin c if you suffer from:

• acidosis
• sensitive stomache

Bioflavonoids and vitamin C are found in many of the same foods and the body uses these nutrients in a very similar manner. Some research has shown that what has formerly been credited as a health function of vitamin c, might just be from bioflavonoids or from the existance of both in the same compound. That is why you find many formulations of vitamin c with bioflavonoids.

Rutin It is an antioxidant, and therefore plays a role in preventing some cancers. Rutin also strengthens capillaries thus reducing edema of the legs. Rutin can reduce the toxicity of oxidized LDL cholesterol which lowers the chance of heart disease.

Hesperidin is also an antioxidant featuring health benefits in the area of reduced cholesteral and blood pressure.

Vitamin C Supplements that we carry from these fine brands:

Natrol        Schiff Bio Foods        Twinlabs        Alacer Emergen C