Vitamin C: Surprising Benefits, Side Effects, And Precautions

We know every type of vitamin is essential for our body. In this article, I am going to summarise the facts of Vitamin C that everyone needs to know. Vitamin C is scientifically known as the Ascorbic acid and is water-soluble. Our body cannot synthesize Vitamin C as some animals do. Therefore, we need to obtain it majorly from food.

Sources Of Vitamin C 

The rich source of Vitamin C is present in citrus fruits and vegetables and also can be made in a laboratory. Actually, we get Vitamin C daily by what we eat and drink.

These are the following listed food items that we can consume in our diet.

• Berries
• Potatoes
• Peppers red
• Yellow
• Green Capsicum
• Broccoli
• Sprouts
• Tomatoes
• Citrus fruits like oranges, grapes, Lime, etc.

Fresh squeezed orange juice or concentrate juice is a good source of vitamin C. Cutting, and heating food changes the concentration of Vitamin C, so it is to eat the fruits and vegetables in a raw form or lightly cooked form.

Why Vitamin C Is Essential For Our Body?

Vitamin C helps our body in the following ways:

1. It helps in keeping your skin, bones, and connective tissue healthy.
2. It helps in the wound healing process.
3. Certain skin creams contain Vitamin C helps to prevent wrinkled skin.
4. Taking dietary supplements helps to prevent cartilage loss and helps to avoid the effects of osteoarthritis.
5. It reduces the low-density lipoprotein (Bad Cholesterol)
6. Vit C also helps to cure anemic patients – by increasing iron absorption in the body.
7. A higher intake of it helps to prevent the risk of gout, but it is NOT used to treat gout.
8. Taking it before and after a few days of heart surgery helps to prevent irregular heartbeat after heart surgery.
9. Vit. C also helps to prevent age-related vision loss.
10. Vit. C + Vit. E helps to reduce protein in the urine in diabetics.
11. Applying creams containing Vitamin C + Vitamin E helps to prevent the sunburn effect. Vitamin C alone is in effect.

Effects Of Vitamin C Deficiency

• Vit. C deficiency forms small acne-like bumps on the arms, thighs, or buttocks.
• Hair follicles contain many tiny blood vessels but due to Vit. C deficiency, bright red spots form around the follicles.
• Forms the spoon-shaped fingernails and red spots underneath the nail bed.
• Low Vit. C is also associated with dry, sun-damaged skin.
• Weakens blood vessels and makes easy bruising.
• Interferes with tissue formation causing wounds to heal more slowly.
• Causes severe joint pain 
• Important for bone formation and deficiency makes waken and brittle bones.
• Tooth loss and gum bleeding
• An important nutrient for the immune system so low level leads to the risk of infection.
• An increase in the risk of iron deficiency anemia leads to an increase the bleeding.
• Linked to weight gain but some other factors also affect it.
• Regular consumption decreases the risk of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Side Effects Of Vitamin C Supplements

Vit C is likely safe for most of the people if it is taken in a recommended dose form via any route such as IV, tropical, oral, or IM route.

Consuming Vit C in an excess (higher than 2000 mg daily) amount may cause nausea, vomiting, headache, heartburn, or other side effects. This is unsafe and may also cause a lot of side effects including kidney stones, diarrhea, etc.

Precautions During Vitamin C Supplementation

• Safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women as long as it’s taken by mouth in a dose not exceeding 2000 mg daily.
• Taking it along with Vit. E and alpha-lipoic acid might worsen the mental function in Alzheimer’s disease.
• Avoid taking supplements containing Vit. C or other antioxidant vitamins before and after heart surgery because it may interfere with surgical healing.
• Weight loss surgery can cause the body to absorb more oxalate from food which leads to an increasing amount of oxalate in the urine. Also taking Vit. C increases the oxalate in the urine. More Oxalates form the kidney stones. So it is advisable to avoid taking large amounts of Vit C after weight loss surgery.
• Thalassemia patients should avoid taking Vit. C supplements as it increases more iron absorption which might make the condition worse.
• Long term use of Vit. C in high doses before a kidney transplant may increase the risk of transplant rejection.
• Taking Vit. C along with Vit. E in Schizophrenic patients might worsen psychosis in some people when taken with antipsychotic drugs.