Vitamin C, a critical component of a balanced diet, adds to our immunity and reduces the impact of infections; it’s also called “ascorbic acid” in its purest form and is water-soluble. It must be noted that Vitamin C remains in our tissues and doesn’t get stored in our bodies and forms a core component of our immune system.
National Vitamin C Day
National Vitamin Day is observed every year on the 4th of April. This day highlights the importance of Vitamin C to our health, primary to our body nurturing. On this National Vitamin C Day, let’s learn more about Vitamin C and give our health a much-needed boost!
How Does Vitamin C Affect Your Body?
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can go a long way to neutralize free radicals, heal wounds, and prevents further infections. Vitamin C helps produce collagen, a component connecting the connective tissues throughout the body. Besides these, Vitamin C helps produce various hormones that transport chemical messages to the nerves and the brains.
Vitamin C boosts immunity by helping to heal wounds and rebuild muscle wear and tear. It helps to maintain teeth, gives bright skin, and strengthens cartilage. It fights the free radicals in our body and may prevent the onset of different kinds of cancer and heart disease. People with osteoarthritis (OA) may benefit from Vitamin C as it helps to reduce the risk of cartilage loss.
It may not prevent you from getting a cold, but high doses of vitamin C can shorten the duration of cold symptoms in some people by one to one and a half days. Here are the recommended dietary amounts (RDA) of Vitamin C according to different ages and requirements-
| Ages | RDA of Vitamin C (men) | RDA of Vitamin C (women) | Sources of Vitamin C |
| Adults (Ages 19 and up) | 90 mg | 75 mg | Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, broccoli, kiwifruit, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, green and red bell peppers. |
| Pregnant women | – | 85 mg | |
| Lactating women | – | 120 mg | |
| Smokers | RDA + 35 mg more | RDA + 35 mg more | |
| Tolerable Upper Intake Level (TUIL)- Exceeding TUIL can cause diarrhea and gastro infections. | 2000 mg | 2000 mg |
| Did You Know? Drinking a small glass of 100% fruit juice or including vitamin-C-rich food with meals can help boost iron absorption. Anemia can be relieved with Vitamin C. This magic vitamin helps absorb iron into the bloodstream. This explains why doctors prescribe Vitamin C supplements and iron to cure the iron deficiency in Amenia. |
Vitamin C Deficiency Diseases
- Scurvy, the most common symptom of severe vitamin C deficiency, is caused by the loss of collagen, which weakens connective tissues.:
- Bleeding and bruising from broken blood vessels cause skin spots.
- Gum swelling or bleeding and eventual tooth loss
- Hair loss is a common problem.
- Wounds on the skin heal slowly.
- Fatigue, malaise
- Iron-deficiency Anemia- Vitamin C has enhanced iron absorption. It captures non-heme iron and stores it in your body’s more easily absorbed form.
- Vitamin C keeps skin healthy by preventing oxidative damage caused by light, heat, and pollution daily.
Gigadocs and Vitamin C Deficiency Diseases
Vitamin C aids the body’s natural defenses against inflammation, potentially lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Teleconsultations with Gigadocs are a part of your healthcare journey and a supplement to your primary care physician’s follow-up. Gigadocs allows you to see a specialist whenever you want, without having to wait, get advice on which specialist to see based on your illness or condition, get advice before seeing a doctor, get information on the seriousness of your illness or situation, get a second medical opinion, get a more detailed explanation of a diagnosis provided by your primary care physician, and get a regular medical follow-up.
Gigadocs teleconsultation is here to help you with your medical needs in the best way possible. For the best Vitamin C deficiency consultation, download the Gigadocs app from-
- IOS App – apple.co/2W2iG4V
- Android App – bit.ly/33AQoRC
To know more and schedule a Virtual Consultation demo, Email @ info@gigadocs.com
