What Does Vitamin C Do For Us?

Curious about what vitamin C does for us? Learn how it impacts your wellbeing and discover how to include more vitamin C in your life today!

What does vitamin C do for us?

Since childhood, we’ve been told by our parents to eat our greens and consume 5 fruits and vegetables a day to get enough vitamins. One such important nutrient in the limelight today is vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a nutrient known to help our heart, brain, immune system, and maintain overall wellbeing. But how does it do this? And how can you incorporate more vitamin C into your daily life? Time to find out.

Understanding the role of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the foundation of a healthy body. This antioxidant assists in a variety of critical bodily functions which include collagen production, maintenance of healthy skin, repairing bodily tissues, and wound healing. Additionally, it supports the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin which impact our moods and cognitive functioning.

Vitamin C also acts as a powerful antioxidant to fight off harmful free radicals in our bodies. These free radicals are known to cause cell damage called oxidative stress. They have homeostatic disruption capabilities which cause inflammation in the body. And the role of vitamin C doesn’t end there – it also plays an important role in the cardiovascular system.

The cardiovascular system comprises the heart and a large number of blood vessels which are essential for transporting nutrient and oxygen-rich blood around the body to our organs. Vitamin C helps in the maintenance of those blood vessels.

How to get more vitamin C in your daily life

You may be surprised to learn that our modern daily diet, filled with processed foods, is lacking in many nutrients – not just vitamin C. That being said, there are quite a few foods which can significantly contribute to maintaining good vitamin C levels in your body when consumed on a regular basis.

We start off this list with the classic citrus fruit – oranges and lemons are abundant in vitamin C. If you’re not a fan of citrus fruits, and prefer something sweeter, kiwi, papaya, strawberries and raspberries can provide your taste buds that sweet hit whilst contributing to your daily dose of vitamin C.

Toss them in a blender and whip up a quick smoothie for your breakfast. Although fruit is typically associated with vitamin C, many vegetables have surprisingly high amounts of this antioxidant.

This includes the likes of bell peppers and broccoli, cabbage and even potatoes! These natural sources of vitamin C are easy to pack into your meals, leading the way towards a well-rounded diet. If you don’t think you’re getting enough vitamin C, you can easily add a daily supplement to your routine.

Some people, however, may not be able to get all the vitamins they need through food alone. This could be a result of chronic health conditions like an autoimmune disease or gut issue which prevents proper nutrient absorption. For such instances, oral supplements may not be the most suitable option.

If you fall into this group, you may find an IV drip a more appropriate way of getting enough vitamin C. Once only administered in a hospital setting, IV drips are now widely available at clinics across the UK as a way of topping up nutrients in a fast and effective manner.

They deliver the desired nutrients directly into the bloodstream for immediate absorption by the body – no waiting weeks or even months for levels to build up. It is generally considered a safe procedure when carried out at a medical clinic.

This also gives you the peace of mind to know that should any complications arise, a doctor will be able to react quickly and appropriately. A vitamin C IV drip may also be suitable for people who feel run down, and who are exposed to a lot of pollution (those who travel a lot or work in the City), but you should speak with your healthcare professional at your appointment to discuss your goals.

Vitamin C: Your new best friend

By understanding the functions of this hero antioxidant, hopefully you can see how important it is. Vitamin C not only strengthens the immune system but provides many other health benefits.

Starting your day with a burst of vitamin C from fruits in a breakfast bowl or adding vitamin C-rich food items in meals throughout the day can help maintain vitamin C levels in the body. Oral supplements and IV drips are also great alternatives for those who need a little extra helping hand!

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