Seven Proven benefits vitamin c
- Strong Antioxidant That May Reduce the Risk of Chronic Diseases
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant as it strengthens your body’s natural defenses. Antioxidants are molecules that boost the immune system. They do so by protecting cells from harmful molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress is a condition where free radicals accumulate, which has been linked to many chronic diseases. Research shows that consuming more vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels by up to 30%. This helps the body's natural defenses fight inflammation.
- May Help Fight High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure puts you at risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death globally. Research has shown that vitamin C may help lower blood pressure in those both with and without high blood pressure. A research found that taking a vitamin C supplement helped relax the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart, which helped reduce blood pressure levels. However, people with high blood pressure should not rely on vitamin C alone for treatment.
- Fights Heart Disease
Heart disease is one of the main causes of death worldwide. Many factors increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Vitamin C may help in reduces the risk factors, which may reduce heart disease risk. Researchers were unsure if people who consumed vitamin C-rich foods also followed a healthier lifestyle than people who took a supplement. Thus, it remains unclear if the differences were due to vitamin C or other aspects of the diet.
- Could Reduce Blood Uric Acid Levels and Help Prevent Gout Attacks
Gout is a type of arthritis. It is incredibly painful and involves inflammation of the joints, especially those of the big toes. People with gout experience swelling and sudden, severe attacks of pain. Gout symptoms appear when there is too much uric acid in the blood as uric acid is a waste product produced by the body. At high levels, it may crystallize and deposit in the joints. Research has shown that vitamin C may help reduce uric acid in the blood and, as a result, protect against gout attacks.
- Prevents Iron Deficiencies by Improving Iron Absorption
Iron is an important nutrient that has a variety of functions in the body such as making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. The supplements of Vitamin C can help improve the absorption of iron from the diet. Vitamin C helps in converting iron that is poorly absorbed, such as plant-based sources of iron, into a form that is easier to absorb. This is mainly useful for people on a veggie diet, whereas meat is a major source of iron. Taking 100 mg of vitamin C may improve iron absorption by 67%. Studies found that the supplement alone helped control their anemia.
- Boosts Immunity by improving White Blood Cells Function
The reason behind people take vitamin C supplements is to boost their immunity. Vitamin C is involved in many parts of the immune system, which involves the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infections. As people who suffer from pneumonia tend to have lower vitamin C levels, and vitamin C supplements have been shown to shorten the recovery time.
7. Protects your memory and thinking
Low levels of vitamin C have been linked to an increased risk of memory and thinking disorders like dementia. Studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves (altogether known as the central nervous system) can increase the risk of dementia. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Moreover, high vitamin C intake from food or supplements has been shown to have a protective effect on thinking and memory as you age.