Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)

What is it?

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for humans and is required from the diet on a regular basis as we are one of the few species of animals that cannot synthesize it.

Food sources.

Vitamin C is found in many different fruits and vegetables. The most concentrated food sources are blackcurrants, sweet green and red peppers, hot red peppers, green chili peppers, oranges and its fresh juice and strawberries.

In practice, vegetables may be a more important source of vitamin C than fruits because the vegetable supply often extends for longer periods during the year than does the fruit supply.

Up to 100% of the vitamin C content of food can be destroyed during cooking and storage as the vitamin is sensitive to light, heat, oxygen and alkaline conditions.

Deficiency signs.

May include weakness, fatigue, easy bruising, swollen gums, poor wound healing, loss of appetite and weigh loss, irritability and depression.

Main actions.

Vitamin C is primarily an antioxidant and is involved in a wide range of biochemical processes such as energy release from fatty acids, cholesterol metabolism, formation of thyroid hormones, modulation of iron absorption and corticosteroid synthesis.

It maintains connective tissue as it is essential for the formation of collagen.

Vitamin C is a co-factor required for the production of neurotransmitters noradrenaline and serotonin.

It is a well known immuno-stimulant and shows mild anti-histaminic properties.

Clinical uses.

Treatment and prevention of deficiency.

Iron deficiency anaemia.

Wound healing.

Upper respiratory tract infections like colds and flu.

Prevention of cataracts and cardiovascular disease.

Improvement in recovery time following endurance activity.

Important interactions.

Vitamin C increases aluminium absorption from aluminium based antacids.

Aspirin and corticosteroids may increase the requirements for vitamin C.