In the past, doctors assumed that vitamin C was important in treating scurvy. British physician John Woodall used citrus fruits to treat scurvy as early as 1617. However, the chemical structure of vitamin C has only been known since the 1930s. Two Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1937 for the identification and synthesis of this substance: in medicine (Albert Szent-Györgyi) and in chemistry (Walter Norman Haworth).
What does vitamin C help with?
Modern molecular medicine research has discovered a whole range of important effects of vitamin C. Starting from its antioxidant effect, through its impact on skin elasticity, wound healing, connective tissue integrity and iron absorption, to studies showing its specific role in the fight against infections and cells. cancer, cardiovascular diseases, allergies and many other diseases, such as fracture healing.
Vitamin C it acts primarily as an electron donor. This is important for the proper functioning of key enzymes involved in the synthesis of collagen in skin and cartilage, blood vessels and wounds, and enzymes synthesizing carnitine. Vitamin C is also necessary for the synthesis of dopamine and other peptide hormones, and its antiproliferative (growth inhibiting) effects on certain cell types cancerous is significant. In recent years, it has been possible to more precisely characterize not only the preventive effect of a sufficient supply of vitamin C, but also the therapeutic potential of high doses of vitamin C (of the order of several grams per day) in many pathological conditions, including: especially chronic stress.
Vitamin C is known primarily as a vitamin effective against colds. It strengthens the immune system, and recently other positive effects on the activity of our body have been discovered. This would mean that this substance is even more important for our body than we thought! Let’s take a look at three of them!
Does vitamin C help fight anxiety and stress?
Well, it turns out that it is, and there is evidence to prove it. In one study, high school students were divided into two groups. One received 500 mg of vitamin C daily, and the other received a placebo. These young people’s anxiety levels were then measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). This method was developed for these purposes and is used immediately before the exam and then 2 weeks after it. The BAI of students in the placebo group did not change (remained moderate), while the BAI of students in the vitamin C supplement group decreased from “moderate” to a healthier “low” anxiety score.
Vitamin C – is it good for seniors?
It turns out that vitamin C can help you stay fit even in old age. Japanese scientists studied 655 women with an average age of 75, who were divided into four groups based on their vitamin C levels – from lowest to highest – and then measured their physical fitness. It was found that the group with higher levels of vitamin C showed significantly better results, for example in hand grip strength and standing on one leg. This may mean that women who consume more vitamin C may retain more muscle mass during menopause, when muscles tend to atrophy.
Why is vitamin C a key molecule for the brain?
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is widely known, but perhaps less talked about, as one of the key antioxidant defenders of the central nervous system. Vitamin C is found in large amounts in the brain. This vitamin binds free radicals that are produced during brain activity, thus protecting the nervous system. Its presence in the central nervous system is so important that its deficiency is believed to play a role in the development of various diseases of the nervous system (dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease).
Tablets, capsules or drops, which vitamin C should you choose?
Currently, there is a very large selection of products with vitamin C on the market. We can choose from vitamin C tablets, capsules, liquid or drops. Available preparations differ in dose, composition, price and quality. So what should you consider when choosing a product with vitamin C? Should I choose a drug or should I choose a good dietary supplement? We give you a hint.
First of all, it is worth paying attention to the composition. The more natural the composition and fewer excipients, the better. Due to their structure, vitamin C tablets will contain more excipients. We should rather avoid using soluble vitamin C tablets on a daily basis.
GMP and cGMP standards, or how to verify the quality of products with vitamin C.
The second issue often emphasized in advertisements is the distinction between a drug or a dietary supplement. Contrary to popular belief, a drug with vitamin C does not necessarily have to be better than a supplement and vice versa. It all depends on the production quality standard. Generally, all medicines meet GMP standards, but so do some supplements. Unfortunately, the GMP standard itself does not guarantee the highest quality and safety of a drug or supplement. Most of us remember mass withdrawals of medicines from the market due to contamination of active substances imported from China. This is due to the fact that the GMP standard does not require testing of each batch of active substance and each batch of finished medicine or dietary supplement. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to preparations produced in accordance with the latest cGMP standard, which requires continuous control of both the active substance – vitamin C and the finished product. If we expect our vitamin C to be of the highest quality, we should choose one that meets the latest cGMP standard.
