As simple as it would "appear" to be in terms of getting plenty of vitamin C in our diets, a new study shows that vitamin C deficiency is more common than expected. From a group of 979 young, nonsmoking adults, researchers took fasting blood samples and had the study participants complete a one-month food intake questionnaire. Approximately one third of the participants had suboptimal vitamin C levels and 14% had deficient levels of vitamin C in their blood. In total, nearly one-half were low in this essential vitamin.
As a result of inadequate vitamin C levels, some of these young adults had significantly higher blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI) and C-reactive protein (CRP- a marker of inflammation), compared to those with adequate levels of the vitamin in their blood. Vitamin C helps protect our cells from free radical damage. And vitamin C is needed for proper iron absorption.
There are certain categories of illness that may require additional vitamin C support (making it crucial to eat our fruits and vegetables). This would include asthma, alcoholism, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, joint disease, thyroid disease, Alzheimer's disease, and acne.
To ensure we get enough vitamin C in our diets, we need to consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Papaya, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, kiwi, kale, oranges, cantaloupe, cauliflower, and lemon (and lime) juice, asparagus, tomatoes, raspberries, pineapple, watermelon, parsley,and zucchini are all fantastic sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is also very popular as a dietary supplement. There are few research studies that demonstrate toxicity of vitamin C at higher levels. Doses above 5000 milligrams (5 grams) daily can increase the risk of diarrhea – but it would be extremely difficult to get this level of vitamin C in food alone. The National Academy of Sciences has set a "tolerable upper intake level" (UL) for vitamin C at 2000 milligrams for adults.
Back to Articles>>