Vitamin C Supplements: For Your Overall Health
and Wellbeing
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that's crucial to good health. Though it's best known for its effectiveness against the common cold, vitamin C plays many roles in the body.
It's a powerful antioxidant that protects the body's autoimmune system. It has been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular disease, lower the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, and improve blood flow in people who have angina or heart failure.
Vitamin C also helps regulate blood sugar levels and may prevent some of the most severe complications of diabetes. It improves cellular elasticity, reducing wrinkles and skin problems. It's crucial to dental health and it also helps the body heal wounds. In addition, vitamin C is a vital neuroprotectant that can reduce the development of neurological disorders and guard the brain from the negative effects of stress.
Vitamin C deficiency is a serious condition that can lead to fatigue, mood swings, unexplained weight loss, joint and muscle aches, and excessive bruising. People who are deficient in vitamin C are at much greater risk for dental problems like periodontal disease, a painful condition that leads to tooth loss. Most seriously of all, vitamin C deficiency has a profoundly negative effect on the immune system, greatly increasing the risk of infection and markedly reducing the body's ability to fight off illness.
Though vitamin C is readily available through common foods like citrus fruits, berries, mangos, pineapple, and green vegetables like spinach and broccoli, it's such a vital nutrient that supplementation may be advisable. In increase in the recommended dietary allowance for adults (75mg for women and 90mg for men) may be necessary for people who smoke, drink alcohol, or take oral contraceptives or antidepressants. People who have digestive issues or limited diets may also require vitamin C supplements.
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