| The real facts about Vitamin C may surprise you. | | | | soon develop some cracks?Although your body has a |
| First of all what is Vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water | | | | difficult time repairing those cracks in the complete |
| soluble vitamin. Unlike the oil soluble vitamins such as | | | | absence of Vitamin C (and hence scurvy), most folks |
| A and E, Vitamin C cannot be stored by your body. | | | | in the developed world get just enough Vitamin C to |
| Since Vitamin C is not stored by your body, we need | | | | keep scurvy at bay... but not much more.Problem is, |
| to get it from our diet or from supplements. But | | | | as this sub-optimal amount of Vitamin C in their body |
| Can't Our Bodies Just Make Vitamin C? Great | | | | is repairing with collagen, it's not quite enough. Your |
| question! Most animals have the ability to make their | | | | liver then determines that the repairs are not being |
| own Vitamin C. And make it they do... lots of it. It is | | | | made quick enough and sets about to produce a |
| estimated that if we had the ability to make our own | | | | special form of LDL called lipoprotein-a.Lipoprotein-a is |
| Vitamin C we would make between 3000 and 10,000 | | | | very sticky and acts as a putty to fill in the cracks |
| mg every day... and 3 to 4 times that amount if we | | | | that the lack of collagen left behind. Great right? Leak |
| were being stressed by infection.Unfortunately, | | | | stopped.Well the leak is stopped yes, but being as |
| humans along with guinea pigs, fruit bats and gorillas | | | | sticky as it is, lipoprotein-a catches and glues down all |
| are the only mammals that need to ingest our daily | | | | the other LDL (bad cholesterol) that floats by. This |
| dose of Vitamin C. The only vitamin we humans have | | | | action results in plaque build-up inside the vessel walls |
| the ability to make is Vitamin D... and we need the | | | | and can eventually close off these blood vessels... and |
| sunshine to help us do that.Some very exciting facts | | | | we all know what that means! Facts about Vitamin C |
| about Vitamin C have sprung up within the last few | | | | and Cholesterol Can Vitamin C lower cholesterol? A |
| years. First off, Vitamin C along with Coenzyme Q10 | | | | relationship has been shown experimentally between |
| (CoQ10), have been called the most essential of the | | | | high levels of Vitamin C and low levels of cholesterol. |
| "essential nutrients." That is, without an adequate | | | | An article appearing in the National Library of Medicine |
| supply of these two, you die. Maybe not today or | | | | shows that Vitamin C provides the same mechanism |
| tomorrow, but certainly years sooner than the folks | | | | for inhibiting the production of cholesterol as do |
| with optimal levels of both in their bodies. Arrrrr!!! | | | | cholesterol lowering statin drugs.The American Heart |
| Shiver Me Timbers! Remember the stories about the | | | | Association also reported that Vitamin C lowered LDL |
| sailors of old and the disease they contracted during | | | | cholesterol in children who were predisposed to high |
| long voyages called scurvy? Scurvy was nothing | | | | cholesterol.The facts about Vitamin C also show that |
| more than not having enough Vitamin C in their | | | | Vitamin C lowers cholesterol without the dangerous |
| bodies. Without an adequate supply of Vitamin C, the | | | | side effects of these statin drugs. Statin drugs have |
| blood vessels did not have enough collagen to repair | | | | been shown to inhibit the production of another |
| themselves. Some of these sailors literally bled to | | | | essential nutrient called Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). |
| death through cracks in their blood vessel | | | | Decreased levels of CoQ10 result in significant muscle |
| walls.Fortunately, in 1747 a Scottish doctor got a clue | | | | myopathy (wasting away). And since the heart is a |
| about Vitamin c and linked citrus fruits with a | | | | muscle, statin drugs have been linked to Congestive |
| decreased incidence of Scurvy. Towards the end of | | | | Heart Failure (CHF). More Facts about Vitamin C |
| that century, the Brits began sending along lime juice | | | | Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure, |
| with their sailors on long voyages. Now you know | | | | reduce the risk of Alzheimer's when taken with |
| why British sailors are called "limeys." Facts About | | | | Vitamin E and cut your chances of having a |
| Vitamin C and its Antioxidant Properties If you've | | | | stroke.Why is that? Remember the facts about |
| read the section of my site on the facts about | | | | Vitamin C above as an antioxidant? Well, most |
| Vitamin E, you've no doubt read about what an | | | | researchers agree that Vitamin C's powerful |
| antioxidant does. If not we can review quickly.The | | | | antioxidant properties are responsible. By neutralizing |
| cells of your body are under a lot of stress... | | | | the cell damaging effects of those free radicals |
| oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when highly | | | | running around in your body, Vitamin C works to |
| unstable molecules called free radicals roam freely | | | | keep your cells healthy and free of damage. And if |
| throughout your body.Free radicals are a by-product | | | | your cells are healthy, you are healthy!Vitamin C is |
| of not only the normal metabolic processes of your | | | | also known to protect the immune system. Vitamin C |
| cells but also your environment... things such as air | | | | aids in the manufacture of white blood cells. White |
| pollution, sun exposure, industrial chemical exposure, | | | | blood cells destroy viruses and bacteria.Also |
| ozone, nitrous oxide (from auto exhaust), cigarette | | | | remember the facts about Vitamin C as aiding in the |
| smoke, alcohol consumption and so on.Free radicals | | | | manufacture of collagen? Well collagen being the |
| damage cell membranes and DNA and can result in | | | | connective tissue that holds our skin together, our |
| changes to your cells that cause life threatening | | | | skin is what keeps pathogens out in the first place. |
| chronic diseases down the road. When your cells are | | | | Yeah, But I Drink My Glass of Orange Juice |
| being damaged by these free radicals, we say your | | | | Everyday... Well Almost What are the facts about |
| cells are experiencing oxidative stress... and one of | | | | Vitamin C concerning the amount you should take? |
| the facts about Vitamin C is that it is an antioxidant | | | | Well who do you want to believe? The official U.S. |
| and can significantly neutralize the free radicals and | | | | Government RDA for Vitamin C is 60 to 90 mg. |
| the damage to your cells that cause oxidative stress. | | | | Some would argue that this level does nothing more |
| Facts about Vitamin C and Heart Disease One of the | | | | than ward off scurvy. They would also argue that |
| facts about Vitamin C that we feel is most significant | | | | these levels do nothing to prevent chronic, long term, |
| is the role Vitamin C plays in the production of | | | | debilitating diseases.An article in the American Journal |
| collagen.Collagen is a protein. It is the connective | | | | for Clinical Nutrition reports on a study done on |
| tissue that holds our bodies together and keeps us | | | | antioxidant vitamins and coronary heart disease risk. |
| from falling apart. Collagen is found in your skin, | | | | The study looked at 9 other studies which included |
| bones, ligaments, tendons, liver, cartilage, bone | | | | participation by Harvard School of Public Health and |
| marrow and blood vessels.Collagen is essential for the | | | | Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.Conclusions: "The |
| repair of our bodies. Without collagen our bodies don't | | | | results suggest a reduced incidence of major CHD |
| heal. And without Vitamin C we don't make collagen. | | | | (coronary heart disease) events at high supplemental |
| What Does Collagen Production Have to Do With | | | | vitamin C intakes."How high was the daily Vitamin C |
| Heart Disease? Remember the facts about Vitamin C | | | | intake of the 293,172 patients during this ten year |
| above and the sailors with scurvy? They weren't | | | | study? Above 700 mg!Ok, But Is Vitamin C Safe?In |
| getting any Vitamin C. So when their blood vessels | | | | an article titled "Vitamins E and C Are Safe Across a |
| cracked, no collagen was being produced to repair | | | | Broad Range of Intakes" published in THE AMERICAN |
| the cracks.Why do your blood vessels crack in the | | | | JOURNAL of CLINICAL NUTRITION, a large study |
| first place? Well consider this. Your heart beats about | | | | concluded that Vitamin C supplements of up to 2000 |
| 4000 times every hour. That's 96,000 times a day | | | | mg per day were safe for most adults. Exceeding |
| and 35,040,000 times every year (yes that's million)! | | | | that limit could result in gastrointestinal upset or mild |
| The blood vessels of your heart are being squeezed | | | | diarrhea.You can learn much more than just the facts |
| and released that many times as well.Imagine you | | | | on Vitamin C at our content rich site called Health |
| were to run over a garden hose laying in your | | | | Supplements Advisor. |
| driveway that many times. Do you think it might | | | | |