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When you think of Vitamin C, chances are you picture a glass of orange juice or a remedy for the sniffles. It’s the go-to vitamin when cold and flu season rolls around, right? But what if I told you that this powerhouse vitamin offers so much more? For decades, Vitamin C has been hailed as a champion for immune health, known for its ability to reduce the severity of colds and support recovery. Yet, its benefits stretch far beyond that. From glowing skin to protecting your heart and even balancing hormones, Vitamin C is quietly working behind the scenes in almost every system of your body. So, let’s dive deeper into why Vitamin C is more than just a cold remedy and how understanding its full range of benefits can help you improve your health, boost your energy, and even support your skin and hormones. What is Vitamin C and Why is it Essential? Vitamin C is commonly known as ascorbic acid. However, that isn't the whole story. In fact, ascorbic acid is just the protective shell of the vitamin. There is so much more to this vitamin than just ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is a complex that contains many vital components. One of these is Tyrosinase, a copper enzyme that arms lymphocytes to fight infection and also supports the adrenal glands. Tyrosinase is also necessary for the metabolism of tyrosine. Tyrosine is the "T" in the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Tyrosinase is also an important component in producing the catecholamines in the adrenal medulla; epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. If you look at your vitamin C supplement label, you are most likely just taking the ascorbic acid component of the C complex and therefore missing this huge biochemical process your body is starving for. We need Vitamin C as it was found in nature, whole and pure. We tend to think that more is better. So, when we look at the label of a whole-food vitamin C complex, it looks pitiful with its low mg dose, especially if you are comparing it to a 1,000 mg dose of ascorbic acid. So you might think you are getting more bang for your buck with the latter. But in fact, your body prefers the low dose complex where it utilizes every piece of the puzzle that it needs to operate your machinery properly. I have had my patients switch from mega dose vitamins to very low dose, whole-food supplementation, only to find that the symptoms they were trying to resolve disappeared. By consuming vitamins the way they were prepared in nature instead of stuffing them full of chemicals in mega dose formulas, and expecting them to make our wildest dreams come true, our bodies are able to absorb and utilize vitamins the way nature intended. Utilizing the whole-food vitamin C complex will support your body in more ways than you ever realized. Ascorbic acid that you see on many vitamin C products is a synthetic derivative and only a small piece of the vitamin C puzzle that your body requires. If you are only using the ascorbic acid component, your glands are starving for more.... Another part of the vitamin C complex is vitamin P, or rutin, to strengthen connective tissues like your blood vessels to prevent bruising. This is vital if you want to have healthy gums, flexible blood vessels, and healthy joints and tissues. It's really what makes every tissue in the body strong and flexible. It’s a really cheap “longevity” hack. Have you ever noticed how, as you age you bruise more easily? This is because our diets have been grossly deficient in the whole-food Vitamin C complex, and not just deficient in ascorbic acid. I give my patients who bruise easily, Cyruta Plus, because it's whole-food vitamin C that contains more of the rutin or vitamin P. It's so potent and works so well, that even my elderly patients have reported significantly less bruising, even in very low doses. Imagine if it can prevent bruising, what else it can do to your insides. It protects against more serious internal bleeds and strokes. In fact, Harvard did a profound study regarding strokes. Harvard concluded after testing 5,000 compounds to prevent clots and discovered that rutin rose to the top of the list. Rutin was found to be an incredibly potent prevention. This is profound. Again, something with a low dose, whole-food supplementation can stand out amongst 5,000 other compounds to prevent stroke!! If you are prescribing your patients or yourself vitamin c in the form of ascorbic acid, you are doing yourself and your patient an injustice. If the whole-food vitamin C complex helps with preventing bruising of the skin - typically those seen in the elderly - and a sign of cardiovascular disease, then it shows how important this vital nutrient is. I hope you are beginning to see how we are meant to have vitamins in their whole-food form rather than in their lab-created synthetic form. It’s like eating from a box versus a garden. But wait, there is more...... The Vitamin C complex also contains K factors. This is very important for blood coagulation. Blood coagulation is important for wound healing. If you can’t coagulate your blood, you would just bleed out. You can see this mildly when someone cuts their finger and it takes a while for the blood to coagulate. This should be a signal for someone that they need a whole vitamin C complex as one of their daily vitamins. Especially in those who have a familial history of strokes or cardiovascular disease. J factor is the last component of the vitamin C complex. J factors increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. This is important as all of our tissues need oxygen to thrive. J factors are especially important when you are sick, as the oxygen in the blood will help neutralize toxins, certain bacteria and viruses. Once neutralized, they are removed from our system. Another reason why you want the whole complex versus just ascorbic acid when you are sick. Ascorbic acid alone isn't meeting the nutritional demands that are necessary to the functions of your body. Ascorbic acid is like the wrapper around the nutrients, helping to protect the vital complex that is inside. If we just eat the wrapper, we are missing all the goodness inside. If you get a vitamin C supplement, it most likely contains only ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is produced in a lab. So, it doesn’t absorb and interact with your biochemistry in the same way that whole food does. When the lab makes ascorbic acid, they start with corn syrup. After that, it goes through about 15 steps to get to “ascorbic acid.” Compared to picking a high vitamin c containing crop from the garden and condensing it into a tiny whole food supplement - without harm or heat. So it stays in its natural form. Therefore it’s more potent. When you consume a whole-food supplement, you get more nutrient density and start to build your body away from that deficiency. Corn syrup is already something you wouldn’t want to consume. Then it’s heated up to form L-Sorbose and then they add acid to the mix via acetone! The product is oxidized to make L-Gluconic acid and mixed with hydrochloric acid to make crude ascorbic acid. From there it’s milled into a crystalline powder. Now you know why they call vitamins “expensive urine.” Your body can’t break that down and utilize it. Especially in the 1,000mg or more dosage. It’s ingrained in us to think that more is better. In whole-food supplementation, you will find the dosages are quite low. But, it’s powerfully potent, highly absorbable, and far less harmful to the human system. Taking the entire vitamin c complex allows the body the perfect formula for absorption. When taking the synthetic version, your body has to use its own resources from storage just to metabolize the ascorbic acid. So, you may feel a result, but it’s not coming from the supplement alone. And you are creating a vicious cycle of vitamin storage deficiency. Your body has storage of vitamins to react in times of need; high stress and illness. But if you are robbing your body, you won’t have anything left when you need it most. This action will also cause stress to your body. Your adrenal glands will compensate by secreting its own vitamin c to make cortisol. Eventually leading to or worsening adrenal exhaustion. You may get a result with high dose synthetic vitamins in some ways, but it is most likely affecting the body negatively in another way. As the body will have to compensate. Let’s break down why we need vitamin c…. 1. Vitamin C’s Immune-Boosting Properties When it comes to strengthening your immune system, Vitamin C plays a leading role. It’s like the body’s personal defender, helping to shield you from infections and illnesses by giving your immune defenses a serious boost. Support for White Blood Cells One of Vitamin C’s most important jobs is supporting the production and function of white blood cells, the body’s first line of defense against infections. These cells are like your immune system’s soldiers, attacking harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. Vitamin C helps keep these cells healthy, active, and ready to fight off infections, making it crucial for staying well. Wound Healing Vitamin C is also a key player in wound healing. It’s necessary for collagen production, the protein that helps to rebuild skin, muscles, and tissues after injury. Whether it’s a minor cut or a deeper wound, having enough Vitamin C in your system ensures that your body can repair itself quickly and efficiently. Reducing Severity of Illnesses And while Vitamin C might not completely stop you from getting sick, it can help make illnesses less severe and shorten their duration. When you do catch a cold or other illness, Vitamin C steps in to reduce the severity of symptoms, helping you recover faster and get back to feeling like yourself sooner. It’s no wonder Vitamin C is a go-to during flu season! 2. Vitamin C and Skin Health I'm sure you've noticed Vitamin C frequently highlighted in skincare products, and for good reason—this nutrient works behind the scenes to support your skin’s health, helping to maintain a youthful and radiant appearance. Collagen Synthesis One of Vitamin C’s most critical roles is in the production of collagen, the protein that gives your skin structure and firmness. Without enough Vitamin C, collagen production slows down, which can lead to sagging, wrinkles, and less elasticity. By supporting collagen synthesis, Vitamin C helps keep your skin firm, plump, and youthful. Sun Protection Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties also provide a layer of protection for your skin. It shields skin cells from damage caused by harmful UV rays and oxidative stress, which can accelerate aging. While it’s not a replacement for sunscreen, Vitamin C works alongside it to give your skin extra protection against sun damage. Brightening and Reducing Hyperpigmentation If you’re dealing with dark spots or uneven skin tone, Vitamin C should be your go-to! It helps reduce hyperpigmentation by inhibiting the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for dark spots. Over time, Vitamin C brightens your skin and boosts radiance, leaving you with a more even complexion. 3. Vitamin C’s Impact on Hormonal Health Vitamin C doesn’t just benefit your skin and immune system—it also plays a significant role in hormonal health, helping your body stay balanced during times of stress and hormonal fluctuations. Adrenal Support and Cortisol Regulation The adrenal glands are responsible for managing your body’s response to stress, and Vitamin C is crucial for their proper function. During stressful times, the adrenal glands produce cortisol, and Vitamin C helps regulate cortisol levels, ensuring your body doesn’t stay in a prolonged state of stress. This makes it an important nutrient for keeping stress in check and supporting overall adrenal health. Supporting Estrogen Detoxification Vitamin C also plays a role in liver function, particularly in detoxifying excess estrogen from the body. By supporting the liver’s detoxification processes, Vitamin C helps maintain healthy estrogen levels, which is needed for hormonal balance, especially for women. Progesterone Support Maintaining adequate levels of progesterone is crucial for women’s reproductive health, and Vitamin C helps ensure proper progesterone levels. This can be especially important during the menstrual cycle and in supporting overall hormonal balance. 4. Vitamin C for Cardiovascular Health The benefits of Vitamin C don’t end there. This vitamin doesn’t just keep your immune system strong and your skin glowing—it’s also a heart-healthy nutrient that supports your cardiovascular system in multiple ways. Blood Pressure Regulation Vitamin C helps relax blood vessels, which can lead to lower blood pressure levels. This relaxation, known as vasodilation, allows blood to flow more easily, reducing the strain on your heart and arteries, making it beneficial for heart health. Reducing Oxidative Stress Oxidative stress is one of the major contributors to heart disease. Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties help reduce oxidative damage to the walls of blood vessels, lowering the risk of atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in arteries) and keeping your cardiovascular system healthy. Supporting Healthy Cholesterol Levels Vitamin C also plays a role in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. It helps reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), which is a top factor in preventing the buildup of plaque in arteries. By keeping LDL in check, Vitamin C contributes to healthier cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of heart disease. Natural Sources of Vitamin C When we think of Vitamin C, oranges and citrus fruits are usually the first things that come to mind. But Vitamin C can actually be found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, many of which pack even more of a punch than an orange! Here are some top sources of Vitamin C beyond citrus:
While supplements can help you meet your Vitamin C needs, getting it from whole-food sources is always the best option. Whole-foods provide additional nutrients, fiber, and natural compounds that work together synergistically to boost your health. Plus, your body absorbs Vitamin C more effectively from food, making it easier for you to reap the full benefits. If you are in need of a whole-food vitamin c complex supplement, here is one of my recommendations. At only .20c per pill, I would keep this in your medicine cabinet with your daily vitamins or for future sickness. Conclusion From boosting your immune system and supporting healthy skin to balancing hormones and protecting your heart, Vitamin C is truly a multi-tasking nutrient that goes far beyond helping with the common cold. If you’ve been struggling with your health and want to uncover what’s really going on, testing your nutrient levels could be the key to finding answers. Schedule a discovery call today, and together we’ll explore your unique needs to create a personalized plan that helps you feel your best, restores balance, and addresses any underlying deficiencies. Book a new patient appointment to discover more.
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