 Here’s some interesting history 250 years ago, any sailor who joined the crew of a seagoing ship knew he had only half a chance of returning alive – not because of clashing with pirates but because he might get the dreaded scurvy. No one knew the reason why a ship’s crew on long voyages died and those on short voyages were free of scurvy UNTIL 50 years later – sailors who ate citrus fruits were okay! Fruits and vegetables get used up first on those long voyages. The British navy required all ships to provide every sailor with lime juice daily to prevent deadly scurvy – this tradition gave British sailors the nickname limeys. In 1932 Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) was discovered.
Here’s some powerful history…since those early years, countless research substantiates that vitamin C is a key nutrient essential for over 300 metabolic functions in our body –
- Boosts immunity
- Is an important antioxidant
- Helps adrenal glands work – vitamin C is probably THE most important for adrenal metabolism
- More Vitamin C = less stress
- Heals wounds and burns
- Helps produces collagen, a required protein used to make skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels
- Repairs and maintains tissue, cartilage, bones, and teeth
- Promotes healthy gums
- Prevents wrinkles – is it really the ultimate anti-aging vitamin?
- Helps make adrenaline and cortisone hormones
- Helps regulates cholesterol levels
- Helps the body absorb iron
- Combats toxins by partnering up with them and eliminating them from our body
- And, an important factor in radiation protection! And…
Even more amazing news, some hospitals, burn units and oral surgery centers are administering high doses of vitamin C intravenously to bolster the immune system, accelerate healing, and treat infections and diseases. Such is the famous case of the New Zealand farmer dying from swine flu as recently discussed by Dr. Mercola. The Riordan Clinic in Wichita Kansas has been using intravenous vitamin C for decades.
An even more important fact (if you remember one thing from this blog, here it is ) is Vitamin C is depleted faster than other nutrients when you’re under ANY kind of stress (physically, emotionally, environmentally-toxin/pollution exposure) and when your health is compromised (infection, surgery, chronic disease, serious disease). Alcohol, antidepressants, anticoagulants, oral contraceptives and steroids can also reduce the Vitamin C in the body. Smokers and tobacco chewers take heed – your Vitamin C is seriously depleted!
Unlike most mammals, our body doesn’t make Vitamin C on its own. It can’t even store it either – Vitamin C is water soluble and easily eliminated unlike fat soluble nutrients that can be stored for later use. Therefore, the only way you get Vitamin C is through your daily diet of Vitamin C rich foods. Or –
Choose a Vitamin C complex supplement – a combination formula of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and citrus bioflavinoids. According to Dr. Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D, our nation’s authority in human nutrition, immunology, microbiology, toxicology, pharmacology and adrenal fatigue, he recommends the Vitamin C complex be 2:1 for ascorbic acid to bioflavinoids. Bioflavinoids are essential for Vitamin C/ascorbic acid to be fully metabolized and used by your body.
The ideal Vitamin C formula is sustained released for minimum nutrient loss through excretion and maximum gain by cells. Unfortunately, most sustained released don’t contain enough bioflavinoids, which means having to take your supplement in divided doses, twice daily.
Esterified Vitamin C (Ester-C) is a remarkably effective Vitamin C. It enters the bloodstream and tissues 4 times faster than standard forms because it moves into the blood cells easier and stays in the body tissues longer. Vitamin C levels in white blood cells when taking Ester-C are 4 times higher too. Plus, only 1/3 as much is lost through urination. A good deal!
Because you now know that Vitamin C varies greatly in the body due to health, stress, medications, age and smoking status. Most Vitamin C experts will recommend a minimum of 1000 mg total daily of the foods you eat and supplements you take for healthy adults. The more chronically or seriously ill and/or stressed you are, the more Vitamin C is necessary. To find out how much Vitamin C your body requires, Dr. Wilson suggests this test – start taking 500 mg of ascorbic acid (with 150 mg of bioflavinoids) and increase your ascorbic acid by 500 mg every hour until your stools become loose and runny. Once this occurs, then reduce your ascorbic acid by 500 mg – this is usually the amount of Vitamin C your body needs at this time. Get this – the most common point for this level to occur is 2,000-4,000 mg.
Take Vitamin C with Vitamin E because together they have an affect even greater than when taken separately. Together then extend each other’s antioxidant activity.
FYI – Adrenal C Formula by Doctor Wilson’s Original Formulations (aka Future Formulations) is the top Vitamin C supplement by our customers. It’s uniquely designed to also support those you under stress and adrenal fatigue, a big reason for its popularity.
So, do you take a Vitamin C supplement? How much? If not, will you now?
Additional References: Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC & 9th Edition Understanding Nutrition by Eleanor Noss Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes
