Today I want to talk about one of the most common vitamins - vitamin C.
Vitamin C has several important benefits - It helps fight infections, colds, helps strengthen your immune system and helps to battle diseases. It is necessary for maintaining healthy connective tissue and helps to heal wounds. It also has some benefits for those people wanting to build muscle. By upping your vitamin C level, you can help to decrease the amount of cortisone that is released (a hormone that is released when you are under stress, decreases your testosterone levels and pushes your body into a catabolic state, which you do not want).
Vitamin C can't just act on its own though, it needs the help of other nutrients in order to work. For example, if you are trying to fight off an infection, Vitamin C can help, but it also needs vitamin B6, B12, zinc, folic acid and choline in order to work. That's just another piece of evidence that not just 'one thing' will do the trick.
Where can you find vitamin C?
- Oranges and orange juice (the most common source)
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Strawberries
- Blackcurrants
- Red peppers
- Kiwi
- Mange tout
- Papaya
How much do you need?
I have seen some different opinions out there, but the common 'dosage' should be 1-3g per day. For athletes/smokers, 4-10g per day. This is due to the free radicals in the body, infection, stress, recovery needed etc.
If you take too much vitamin C, you could end up with an upset stomach, and possibly have to go to the bathroom more frequently! So stay within the guidelines....
You can supplement with vitamin C, but to be honest with you, the fact you can so easily consume vitamin C, there isn't really any need for it. Remember, food first!
Vitamin C is crucial for many reasons, and also, your body cannot store it, so you need to consume it every single day!