Vitamin C health benefits: daily dose, food sources and deficiency symptoms

Vitamin C is one top published vitamin due to its wide range of health beneficial effects. Human body can’t self synthesize it so you have to take from external sources i.e. food sources. Vitamin C or its reduced form ascorbic acid is a water soluble vitamin. So body can’t store it and you need it on regular basis. Here you will know Vitamin C health benefits: daily dose, food sources and deficiency symptoms.

Vitamin C health benefits: daily dose, food sources and deficiency symptoms.

Powerful antioxidant and lower risk of chronic diseases

Free radical or oxidative damage is root cause or at least associated with many diseases. Having high electron donating power vitamin c can neutralize free radicals as well as give protection your body from oxidative damage of cells or organs. Regular intake of vitamin C can lower risk of a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, eye diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions.(1)

Being a powerful antioxidant vitamin c also lower risk of heart disease-cohort study pooling 9 prospective studies on 293,172 revealed.(2)

Related article: Most common causes of lifestyle diseases and prevention

Prevent aging and improve skin health

Your body needs vitamin C for biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters as well as protein metabolism.(3,4)Friends, collagen is the most important structural protein that holds the body, connective tissue, cartilage, ligaments, tendons. Lack of which results weaken tissue causes early aging. Vitamin C involves in collagen formation and thus prevents early aging.(5)Being a powerful antioxidant vitamin C gives protection to the skin from UV ray and so improves skin health.(6)

Apart from these vitamin C also works as co factor for various enzymes and improve your health.(1)

Helps to lower blood uric acid level and gout

Gout appears as symptoms of high uric acid level. Study found higher intake of vitamin C significantly reduces blood uric acid levels and also lower risk of developing gout.(7)Another population-based study of 1,387 men found that greater vitamin C intake was associated with lower blood uric acid and gout. (8)

Help in iron absorption and prevent iron deficiency anemia

Vitamin C improves bio-availability of iron and thus helps in iron absorption including plant source iron. And for that reason you should combine vitamin C with iron supplement or food with source of iron.

Vitamin C also enhances calcium absorption in intestine. However you should not mix iron and calcium at the same time, as due to similar structure they compete each other for absorption.

Improve immune function

Vitamin C helps in production of lymphocytes and phagocytes or white blood cells which protect our body from infection.(9)Vitamin C also helps in wound healing and your body to heal from wound in faster rate. (10)

Signs of vitamin C deficiency

With progression of vitamin C deficiency, collagen synthesis becomes impaired and so connective tissues become weakened. Deficiency symptoms include, joint and muscle pain and weakness, poor wound healing, bleeding gum, depression, hyperkeratosis, leg rashes and corkscrew hairs. Long term deficiency can cause scurvy.

Daily dose

* Adequate Intake (AI)-source: National Institute of Health

Upper limit of vitamin C is 2000 mg in a day. Although vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, mega dose may sometimes cause Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting, Heartburn, Abdominal cramps, Headache, Insomnia. Smoking depletes vitamin C level in body.

Take home message

While commonly people think only citrus fruits contains vitamin C, but vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts etc also contain higher level of vitamin C. I have attached a list of foods that contains vitamin C. As vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, your body can’t store it, also doesn’t absorb excess. So, you need to include it in your food regular basis. One most important thing you should know exposure to air destroys vitamin C. So, you need to eat fresh fruits or vegetable as early as possible to obtain vitamin C. Also cooking with hot water reduces large amount of vitamin C from foods.(11) I have listed fruits and vegetables containing higher percentage of vitamin C, which will help you to identify the sources.

Food sources of vitamin C(Source: USDA Databases)

Disclaimer: Information provided here are generalized information for 
educational purpose only,  not intended to provide one to one health 
consultation or replace practice of a qualified practitioner. Different 
people may have different health condition and may have different reaction 
to the same food. Hence it has been advised to consult with health care 
provider before application of any of above information

Source & reference: 
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Spiegelman D, Stevens J, Virtamo J, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Ascherio A., Am J 
Clin Nutr. 2004 Dec;80(6):1508-20 
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for vitamin C. J Nutr 2007; 137:2171-84 
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based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 
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5.Effect of vitamin C and its derivatives on collagen synthesis and cross-
linking by normal human fibroblasts, Boyera N, Galey I, Bernard BA,.Int J 
Cosmet Sci. 1998 Jun;20(3):151-8.  
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HK, Gao X, Curhan G., Arch Intern Med. 2009 Mar 9;169(5):502-7 
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Epub 2008 May 
9.Technical advance: ascorbic acid induces development of double-positive T 
cells from human hematopoietic stem cells in the absence of stromal 
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Author: Bikramjit Konwar