7 Reasons Why You Must Take Vitamin C Supplements
Vitamin C, also known as “ascorbic acid”, is a water-soluble vitamin and is vital for your body as it is a major contributor to your skin and bone health. Your muscles and blood vessels require a regular intake of Vitamin C supplements.
Vitamin C suppleme nts and their dosage:
Vitamin C is found in plenty of raw red peppers and green peppers, oranges, strawberries, kiwis, grapefruit, broccoli, and kale. It is also available in the form of synthetic supplements.
Different groups of people need it in different proportions:
- An adult man: 90 mg per day
- An adult woman: 75 mg per day
- A pregnant woman: 85 mg per day
- During breastfeeding: 120 mg per day
Listed below are few ways in which Vitamin C supplements fortify your body:
- Helps in the absorption of iron : Iron plays a very important role in your body. It carries oxygen throughout the body, thus producing energy. There are two types of iron: heme and non-heme. The heme type is available in animal meat and dairy. The non-heme type is found in vegetables and cereals. The heme type gets well absorbed during digestion, but it is not the case with the non-heme type. However, the good news is that taking vitamin C, preferably alongside the non-heme iron increases its absorption.
- Slows down the aging of skin: Vitamin C destroys the free radicals and increases the collagen production. Thus regular intake of Vitamin C supplements or even topical application of Vitamin C serums can keep wrinkles and fine lines away. It also considerably reduces dryness of skin and increases its elasticity.
- Boosts hair growth: A low intake of Vitamin C supplements results in dry hair and split ends. This is because vitamin C fights the damaging free radicals that make the hair thin and brittle. Vitamin C fights dandruff, maintains scalp health and boosts hair growth. It also helps stop premature greying of hair.
- Alleviates UTI: Urinary tract infection is very common among women. It is caused by the accumulation of bacteria in the urethra, which may sometimes travel up to the bladder and result in pain and burning sensation while passing urine. In such cases, taking vitamin C supplements preferably in the form of juices, alleviate the condition. This is because vitamin C acidifies urine, killing the bacteria in the bladder and along the urethra.
- Reduces muscle soreness: After a rigorous workout, you usually experience muscle soreness. This is especially the case for beginners. This is also called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). It results in a consistent dull pain and reduces the strength while stressing the muscles. In cases like this, it has been observed that taking vitamin C supplements a few days before and after the eccentric exercise routine has considerably reduced muscle soreness.
- Develops immunity: Apart from helping cure common colds, vitamin C has a lot more to do to protect and enhance the immune system. It enhances the function of the T-lymphocytes and phagocytes commonly called scavenger cells.
- Regulates blood pressure: Hypertension is a serious health issue that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. But an increased intake of Vitamin C supplements can bring down the blood pressure levels. It is because being an antioxidant, vitamin c increases the supply of nitric acid, which helps the blood vessels to relax.
So, make sure you have Vitamin C supplements in your daily diet, they are worth it.