Vitamin C Shown to be Vital for Optimum Health

Wednesday, June 03, 2009 by: Sheryl Walters
Tags: vitamin C, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) Vitamin C or ascorbic acid offers many health benefits including being a powerful antioxidant. Recent studies have shown the numerous benefits of including Vitamin C as part of a daily regimen. Vitamin C can decrease health risks.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C in order to prevent scurvy is 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women. However, higher doses may be required to gain the full benefits in certain instances. A woman can meet the RDA by simply drinking one 6 oz glass of orange juice a day.

Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen and norepinephrin. It plays an important role in the transfer of fat to the mitochondria in cells for the production of energy. Vitamin C is also a very powerful antioxidant working to protect molecules in the body including DNA and RNA from free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Vitamin C even can regenerate other antioxidants such as Vitamin E.

Studies conducted by Linus Pauling and colleagues during the 1970's and 1980's have shown that very large intravenous doses of Vitamin C (10 grams per day) increases the survival and quality of life of terminal cancer patients. The key factor however appears to be that the doses be administered intravenously to get the most benefit by raising the level of Vitamin C available in the blood. Another study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that injections of Vitamin C directly into tumors of mice have shown a reduction in both the tumor size and growth. The researchers linked the anti-cancer effect of Vitamin C to the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the fluid surrounding the tumor. It should be noted that the normal cells surrounding the tumor were unaffected.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge recently released a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which measured Vitamin C levels in the blood for over a decade in 20,000 people. The research showed that those with the highest levels of Vitamin C in the blood reduced the risk of stroke by over 40% in comparison to those with the lowest Vitamin C levels.

Vitamin C has many uses and benefits. The benefits range from scurvy prevention to cancer treatment to stroke prevention. As more studies are completed looking at the benefits of Vitamin C, more benefits will most likely be forthcoming.

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitami...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/10/he...

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2008/niddk...

About the author

Sheryl is a kinesiologist, nutritionist and holistic practitioner.
Her website www.younglivingguide.com provides the latest research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, and feeling emotionally and physically fabulous. You can also find some of the most powerful super foods on the planet including raw chocolate, purple corn, and many others.