Why Should We Take Vitamin C Supplements?

1. Vitamin C is one of the most essential vitamins for our body. Since the body cannot produce vitamin C, it is necessary to obtain vitamin C from food or supplements.

2. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so it cannot be stored in our body. It is found in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, strawberries, kiwis, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and spinach.

3. The recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men.

4. While it is generally recommended that you get vitamin C from food, many people also turn to supplements to meet their needs.

7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Taking a Vitamin C Supplement

1. May Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Disease

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your body’s natural defenses.

Antioxidants are molecules that strengthen the immune system. They do this by protecting cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.

When free radicals build up, they can promote a condition known as oxidative stress, which is linked to many chronic diseases.

Studies show that consuming more vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels by up to 30%. This helps the body’s natural defenses fight inflammation.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can increase your blood antioxidant levels. This can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease.

2. May Help Manage High Blood Pressure

About one third of adults in Turkey have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death globally.

Studies have shown that vitamin C can help lower blood pressure in both those with and without high blood pressure.

An animal study found that taking a vitamin C supplement helps relax the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart, which helps lower blood pressure levels.

Also, an analysis of 29 human studies found that taking vitamin C supplements in healthy adults reduced systolic blood pressure (upper value) by 3.8 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (lower value) by 1.5 mmHg.

In adults with high blood pressure, vitamin C supplements reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.7 mmHg, on average.

3. May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Many factors increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, high triglyceride or LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Vitamin C can help reduce these risk factors that can reduce the risk of heart disease. For example, an analysis of nine studies with 293,172 participants found that people who took at least 700 mg of vitamin C per day after 10 years had a 25% lower risk of heart disease than those who did not take vitamin C supplements.

Interestingly, another analysis of 15 studies found that consuming vitamin C from foods, not supplements, was linked to a lower risk of heart disease. But scientists were unsure whether people who consumed vitamin C-rich foods followed a healthier lifestyle than people who took the supplement. Therefore, it remains unclear whether the differences are due to vitamin C or other aspects of their diet.

Another analysis of 13 studies looked at the effects of taking at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily on heart disease risk factors such as blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The analysis determined that taking a vitamin C supplement significantly reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol by about 7.9 mg/dL and blood triglycerides by 20.1 mg/dL. In short, it appears that taking or consuming at least 500 mg of vitamin C per day can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, if you already consume a diet rich in vitamin C, supplements may not provide additional heart health benefits.

4. May Lower Blood Uric Acid Levels And Help Prevent Gout Attacks

Gout is a type of arthritis that affects approximately 3% of Turkish adults. It is incredibly painful and involves inflammation of the joints, especially the big toe. People with gout experience swelling and sudden attacks of severe pain. Gout symptoms occur when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is a waste product produced by the body. It can crystallize at high levels and accumulate in the joints.

Interestingly, several studies have shown that vitamin C can help reduce uric acid in the blood, thereby protecting against gout attacks. For example, a study involving 1,387 men found that those who consumed the most vitamin C had significantly lower blood uric acid levels than those who consumed the least. Another study followed 46,994 healthy men over 20 years to determine whether vitamin C intake was linked to the development of gout. People who took vitamin C supplements were found to have a 44% lower risk of gout. Additionally, an analysis of 13 studies found that taking a vitamin C supplement for 30 days significantly reduced blood uric acid compared to placebo. In short, foods and supplements rich in vitamin C have been associated with lower blood uric acid levels and a reduced risk of gout.

5. Helps Prevent Iron Deficiency

Iron is an important micronutrient with various functions in the body. It is necessary for making red blood cells and carrying oxygen throughout the body.

Vitamin C supplements can help improve the absorption of dietary iron. Vitamin C helps convert poorly absorbed iron into a form that is easier to absorb, such as plant-based sources of iron.

This is especially beneficial for people on a meatless diet, as meat is an important source of iron. In fact, consuming just 100 mg of vitamin C can increase iron absorption by 67%. As a result, vitamin C may help reduce the risk of anemia in people prone to iron deficiency.

In one study, vitamin C supplements were given to 65 children with mild iron deficiency anemia. The researchers found that the supplement alone helped control their anemia. If you have low iron levels, eating more vitamin C-rich foods or taking a vitamin C supplement can help improve your blood iron levels.

6. Boosts Immunity

One of the main reasons people take vitamin C supplements is to boost their immunity, as vitamin C is involved in many parts of the immune system. First, vitamin C helps stimulate the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infection. Second, vitamin C helps these white blood cells work more effectively while protecting them from the damage of potentially harmful molecules such as free radicals.

Third, vitamin C is an essential part of the skin’s defense system. It is actively transported to the skin, where it can act as an antioxidant and help strengthen the skin’s barriers. Studies have also shown that taking vitamin C can shorten wound healing time.

What’s more, low levels of vitamin C have been associated with poor health outcomes.

For example, people with pneumonia tend to have lower levels of vitamin C, and vitamin C supplements have been shown to shorten recovery time.

7. Protects Your Memory

Dementia affects more than 35 million people worldwide and typically occurs in older adults. Studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves (known altogether as the central nervous system) may increase the risk of dementia. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Low levels of this vitamin have been associated with impaired ability to think and remember.

Also, several studies have shown that people with dementia may have lower blood levels of vitamin C. Also, high vitamin C intake from food or supplements has been shown to have a protective effect on thinking and memory as we age.

In summary, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that must be obtained from the diet or supplements. It has been associated with many impressive health benefits, including increasing antioxidant levels, lowering blood pressure, protecting against gout attacks, improving iron absorption, boosting immunity, and reducing the risk of heart disease and dementia. In general, vitamin C supplements are a great and simple way to increase your vitamin C intake if you’re having trouble getting enough from your diet.