Vitamin C: Your Immune System’s Secret Weapon
Your Immune System’s Secret Weapon This one vitamin can provide you with a big benefit. Now more than ever, people are viewing health as more than one’s athletic ability or fitness levels. Wellness and feeling healthy has become a top priority for many people. While performing an exercise routine, taking a multivitamin, and eating more nutritious food are great steps on the road to improved health, there is one small step that you can take which can become a giant leap. The small step focuses on your immune system. The immune system’s function is to protect your body from outside forces that could make it weaker and cause illnesses like bacteria, germs, viruses and other pathogens that would be considered “non-self”. While this is a powerful system within your body, it does need support and that can come from Vitamin C. Focusing on Vitamin C specifically can be a major game changer when it comes to your immune system. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is an essential micronutrient that is mandatory for normal development. Since it’s water-soluble, excess amounts can leave the body through your urine. “So it’s one vitamin on that list on the back of the multi that I already take. Why do I need more?” Good question. Vitamin C serves as a great ally for your immune system which means it will support that system in helping you stay well or overcoming an illness faster than if you weren’t taking it. A study conducted by Anitra Carr and Silvia Maggini confirms this. “Vitamin C contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Vitamin C supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and promotes the oxidant scavenging activity of the skin, thereby potentially protecting against environmental oxidative stress.” If your body doesn’t have enough Vitamin C, then it will become weaker and more susceptible to being defeated by those “non-self” forces. Once you’ve become ill or infected, then the toll becomes even greater because it will enhance inflammation and impact your metabolic response. So the need for Vitamin C then becomes even greater because the normal amount that you would take if you are well wouldn’t be enough to both support the immune system and combat the ailment you’re dealing with. The good news is that the previously mentioned study shows that Vitamin C can enhance various immune cell functions to not only help prevent you from catching a respiratory or systemic issues, but also treat your immune cells should you be impacted so that you can recover faster than if you weren’t to supplement with the micronutrient. Sources of Vitamin C Most people have associated Vitamin C with the orange for decades but vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and Brussel sprouts are among the best sources that naturally provide your “C” for you. Fruits like oranges or strawberries are good choices as well. You can also take Vitamin C in supplemental form. Most versions of this are offered in amounts as high as 1 gram per serving. Vitamin C is even offered in the form of intravenous therapy which was determined to help with the decrease of the side effects of cancer treatment by a study in 2018. The advantage of the IV option is that the absorption rate is 100% which can’t be guaranteed if you choose to go with pills, which could have an absorption rate of 25%. General health recommendations suggest taking 100-200 mg of Vitamin C daily through diet or supplement form but more would be required should you get sick or suffer from infections. Should you be interested in considering Intravenous Vitamin C therapy for yourself, reach out to the IV Lounge to book a consultation today.
