Why We Need More Vitamin C Every day

We’ve been told a million times that Vitamin C boosts the body’s immunity and that we should drink it every day. That’s true! But other than that, what are the other reasons why you need more Vitamin C in your life? What is the recommended daily dosage? Additionally, what are the other sources of Vitamin C other than dietary supplements? Read further to know more.

But First… What Is Vitamin C and What Does It Do?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that acts as an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are harmful chemicals that enter the body coming from environmental factors such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, or UV rays from the sun.

The antioxidant contents of Vitamin C fight off free radicals to protect the body from potential diseases. It is also called ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate. Here are the other benefits of taking Vitamin C:

• Helps in reducing the risk of developing a chronic disease like heart disease. Vitamin C acts as the body’s natural defense.
• Vitamin C helps lower blood pressure and helps in maintaining normal blood pressure levels
• Helps in reducing blood uric acid levels and helps prevent gout formation.
• Vitamin C helps prevent iron deficiency as it aids in better absorption of iron in the body.
• Vitamin C helps to boost immunity as it encourages the production of white blood cells, which we all know helps protect the body from infection.
• Vitamin C is an integral part of the skin’s defense system and helps in shortening wound healing time. Vitamin C is needed to make collagen and helps in achieving youthful and plump skin.
• Vitamin C has been shown to have protective effects on thinking and memory, especially for aging people.
• Vitamin C may help lower the risk of cataracts and slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration
• Vitamin C helps reduce allergic reactions by fighting off immune system triggers such that caused by psoriasis breaking out
• There are unproven claims on the benefits of Vitamin C as well, this includes: preventing the common cold, reducing cancer risk, protecting against eye disease, may treating lead toxicity _¹

How Much Vitamin C Is Needed Every day?

The recommended daily dosage of Vitamin C depends on a person’s age. Keep in mind that the amount of Vitamin C you need in your body may not be enough if you depend on your diet alone. That’s why the intake of Vitamin C supplements is preferred regardless of a person’s age.

Here is the average daily recommended dosage by age:

• Babies at 0 to 6 months: 40mg
• Babies at 7 to 12 months: 50mg
• Toddlers at 1 to 3 years old: 15mg
• Children at 4 to 8 years old: 25mg
• Children from 9 to 13 years old: 45mg
• Teens at 14 to 18 years old: 65 to 75mg
• Pregnant Teens: 80mg
• Adults: 75 to 90mg
• Pregnant Women: 85mg
• Breastfeeding Teens: 115mg
• Breastfeeding Women: 120mg

The numbers mentioned above are the recommended daily dosage, however, it doesn’t mean you can’t take anything more than that. The more Vitamin C you drink, the more health benefits your body will have. For adults, taking up to 2,000mg of Vitamin C a day is still considered safe.

For people with a chronic illnesses like liver disease, kidney disease, or gout, the recommended daily dosage of Vitamin C should not exceed 1000mg. Megadoses of Vitamin C, though unlikely and rare, may lead to stomach upset.

Sources of Vitamin C

So aside from store-bought supplements of Vitamin C, what are the food sources of Vitamin C? To mention a few:

• Orange fruit
• Orange juice
• Grapefruit
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Tomato juice
• Red and green peppers
• Kiwifruit
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cantaloupe
• Fortified breakfast cereals _²

The Takeaway

Need I say more? After reading this post, you now should realize that Vitamin C should be a daily essential in your life. As a matter of fact, encourage your loved ones and the whole family as well. Many online shops are selling affordable Vitamin C nowadays, have them delivered right to your doorstep. All you need to do is search for these shops online. Live happy and healthy with your Vitamin C!

References:
_¹ Healthline – 7 Impressive Ways Vitamin C Benefits Your Body
_² National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin C