What is Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin used by the body in many key metabolic reactions. Like other vitamins, vitamin C is an organic compound. Vitamin C is also known that is as ascorbic acid. It is a potent antioxidant - eliminating free radicals that damage our bodily organs, tissues and cells. It's stored in the liver and is essential for healthy teeth, gums and bones and is extremely useful for our skin. Body needs to form collagen in bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels. It also aids in absorption of iron. The use of Vitamin C in the treatment/prevention of cold and flu remains controversial and research is still ongoing.

Some of the more common signs of mild Vitamin C deficiency include weakness, lassitude, swollen gums, nosebleeds and scurvy. Even though the body would only use as much as it needs of the vitamin, overdose can hinder metabolic activities in the body. You may get diarrhea, nausea and gastritis. Some may even experience rebound scurvy.

Our body does not produce Vitamin C, so it is important to get it from food sources. The best ways to get Vitamin C is from fruits and vegetables. Fruits Containing Large Quantities of Vitamin C are guava, papaya, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, orange and grape.

There are many different types of vitamin c, such as ascorbic acid (this is pure Vitamin C and has a sharp taste), calcium ascorbate (provides a supplemental form of calcium), magnesium ascorbate (non-acid form of Vitamin C that is highly absorbable as well as gentle on the stomach. It is also a supplemental form of magnesium), Ester C is a patented formulation of Vitamin C in the calcium ascorbate form that makes it easily absorbable as well as non-acidic.

Do not take Vitamin C supplements in tap water as the metals in tap water (copper and iron) will oxidize the Vitamin C and make it useless.