Benefits of Vitamin C

Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate,) is a water soluble vitamin that is not synthesized or stored in the body in high amounts. Its main role is to provide potent antioxidant protection to cells and systems in the body. Vitamin C is involved in the immune system protection, wound healing and synthesizing collagen, amino acids, hormones and neurotransmitters.

It is very essential to get adequate amounts of vitamin C in the diet because, unlike many other mammals, humans cannot synthesize this valuable micronutrient.

Although vitamin C is found in abundance in most citrus fruits and vegetables like peppers, cabbage and broccoli, a major study illustrates that athletes undergoing regular strenuous exercise encounter greater levels of oxidative stress suggesting a need for supplemental antioxidant support.

Furthermore, dieting strength athletes with heavy training schedules who follow low carbohydrate diets tend to have lower vitamin C intake. Also research has suggested that long term mega dosing of vitamin C can negatively impact muscular gains and performance. But modest dosing of 500 milligrams to gram per day can produce significant ergogenic effects.

Support for vitamin C as a fat burning catalyst comes from a study which showed that levels of vitamin C in the body correlated with fat oxidation during fat burning cardio exercise on a teradmill. Fat burning was measured in subjects with marginal and adequate vitamin C levels during 60 minutes of low intensity cardio.

Subjects with marginal vitamin C levels completed and 8 week double blind, placebo, controlled study in which they were asked to do a low intensity treadmill walk while depleted of vitamin C and again after taking a vitamin C supplement. In the end it was found that individuals with marginal vitamin C levels burned 25 percent less fat during exercise compared to subjects with adequate vitamin C levels.

Also of course you all know that taking vitamin C as well is known to help with colds and flues and will prevent you from getting sick and will keep you away from the doctors office. So in the winter and early spring make sure you take plenty of vitamin C with a lot of water to help prevent from getting the common cold and other cold and flue like symptoms.

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