Everything you need to know about Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a compound necessary to the proper functioning of the human body. Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C represents a vitamin that is often talked about, but rarely understood. It is a water-soluble, meaning that it is not usually associated with toxic overdose issues. This is due to the fact that excess water soluble vitamins are secreted in the urine. The other commonly used water soluble vitamin is Vitamin B. Both of these substances are stored within the liver. One interesting thing to note about this crucial nutrient is that humans were once able to produce their own Vitamin C. Most animals are able to perform this process, with guinea pigs and primates being the one category of animals that have lost this functionality. For this reason, guinea pigs are often used in experiments involving Vitamin C.

One of the most important functions of Vitamin C is its assistance in the creation of collagen. This necessary substance is found throughout the body, present in our cartilage and connective tissues, as well as being used to separate our skeletal and smooth muscle cells. Vitamin C is useful in the creation of collagen due to the fact that it performs a process known as hydroxylation to certain amino acids, adding oxygen and hydrogen to form the compound procollagen, which is used to produce collagen when the body deems it necessary. In addition to this necessary process, Vitamin C is useful in that it helps the body to prevent Vitamins A and E from oxidation.

The one main problem associated with a lack of Vitamin C is the dreaded condition known as scurvy. While this condition is not commonly seen today, alcoholics may develop it due to the fact that they get most of their calories from alcohol, lacking in Vitamin C. Scurvy is a nasty affliction, which causes the body to bruise easily, as well as bleeding gums, looseness of the teeth, joint pain, muscle wasting, and an inability to heal from wounds quickly. To make sure that you get a good amount of Vitamin C from your diet, it is helpful to eat citrus fruits. These include oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit. Some vegetables, such as green peppers, potatoes and tomatoes contain Vitamin C as well.

A Recommended Daily Allowance has been established to help people ensure that they are getting the proper amount of this key nutrient. The typical desired intake hovers between 60 and 90 milligrams per day. In America, the average consumption rate of Vitamin C is around 72 milligrams per day. 5 to 7 milligrams of Vitamin C per day will prevent scurvy, and an upper bound of 2000 milligrams of Vitamin C per day is advised. Any dosage above this threshold will not cause any significant problems, but diarrhea may occur. One common misconception about this nutrient is that high doses may help cancer patients to prolong their life. A study performed by the Mayo clinic showed that people who received high doses of Vitamin C actually did worse than those who did not. If, for some reason, you are unable to get your daily value of Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables, supplements are available to help you maintain your Recommended Daily Allowance.