Nutritional Supplement

	A Healthnotes® Healthy Update brought to you by your friends at www.CNCAhealth.com Phone: 800.515.5573

YOUR RESOURCE FOR BETTER HEALTH \| NOVEMBER 2007

Vitamin C Will See You Through

Most people reach for the vitamin C when a cold seems imminent, but this versatile vitamin does more than combat the common cold. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that has a number of biological functions.

Where is it found?
Broccoli, red peppers, currants, Brussels sprouts, parsley, potatoes, citrus fruit, and strawberries are good sources of vitamin C.

Who is likely to be deficient?
Although scurvy (severe vitamin C deficiency) is uncommon in Western societies, many doctors believe that most people consume less than optimal amounts. Fatigue, easy bruising, and bleeding gums are early signs of vitamin C deficiency that occur long before frank scurvy develops. Smokers have low levels of vitamin C and require a higher daily intake to maintain normal vitamin C levels. Women with preeclampsia have been found to have lower blood levels of vitamin C than women without the condition. Women who have lower blood levels of vitamin C have an increased risk of gallstones. People with kidney failure have an increased risk of vitamin C deficiency. However, people with kidney failure should take vitamin C only under the supervision of a doctor.

How much is usually taken?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C in nonsmoking adults is 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men. For smokers, the RDAs are 110 mg per day for women and 125 mg per day for men. In terms of heart disease prevention, as little as 100–200 mg of vitamin C appears to be adequate.

Are there any side effects or interactions?
Some people develop diarrhea after as little as a few grams of vitamin C per day. A review of the available research concluded that high intakes (2–4 grams per day) are well-tolerated by healthy people. However, intake of large amounts of vitamin C can deplete the body of copper—an essential nutrient. People should be sure to maintain adequate copper intake at higher intakes of vitamin C. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron and should be avoided by people with iron overload diseases (e.g., hemochromatosis, hemosiderosis).

A preliminary study found that people who took 500 mg per day of vitamin C supplements for one year had a greater increase in wall thickness of the carotid arteries (vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain) than those who did not take vitamin C. Thickness of carotid artery walls is an indicator of progression of atherosclerosis. However, the vast preponderance of research suggests either a protective or therapeutic effect of vitamin C for heart disease, or no effect at all.

People with the following conditions should consult their doctor before supplementing with vitamin C: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, iron overload (hemosiderosis or hemochromatosis), history of kidney stones, or kidney failure.

Despite possible therapeutic effects of vitamin C in people with diabetes at lower intakes, one case of increased blood sugar levels was reported after taking 4.5 grams per day.

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