Vita C 500

Vitamin C has long been marketed for its potential to support healthy immune system function. During cold and flu season, many commercials highlight foods, drink additives and supplements with high contents of this supportive vitamin. Vitamin C largely owes this reputation for optimal immune support to its strong antioxidant properties. Although the body relies on this vitamin for immune support, vitamin C is known as an essential vitamin due to the fact that the body cannot produce it naturally. Unfortunately, this essential vitamin is not highly bioavailable, which means that the body cannot absorb it effectively. The bioavailability level in vitamin C is so low, in fact, that it requires the aid of other nutrients in order to be absorbed into the bloodstream following digestion. This is an unfortunate roadblock, because vitamin C has been known to support numerous aspects of optimal wellness beyond a proper oxidative response, including healthy joints, cardiovascular function, iron absorption and cognitive function. To help deliver this essential vitamin to the body effectively, the nutraceutical industry has spent years developing vitamin C products with a focus on enhanced bioavailability.

While vitamin C has been recognized for its versatile contributions to whole body health, it is still probably known best for its strong antioxidant profile. Oxidative stress occurs when free radical oxidant molecules attempt to bond with stable atoms, resulting in chaotic environments throughout the body. Oxidative stress can then lead to inflammation when not addressed properly, which can have massive ramifications for whole body health. Inflammation is known for being particularly impactful in the GI tract, where most of the body’s immune cells can be found. In supporting an optimal response to oxidative stress, therefore, vitamin C has the ability to support a healthy environment in the body’s immune system.

This influence that the antioxidant properties of vitamin C hold over inflammation can also have a positive effect on both joint and bone health. Vitamin C also has been recognized for the ability to reduce uric acid in the bloodstream, which is a major source of gout and other inflammatory joint conditions, and it is required by the body to produce collagen. Without collagen, the body would be unable to build and maintain healthy bones.

Vitamin C has also shown an ability to support optimal cognitive function, another byproduct of its potent antioxidant properties. Oxidative stress is a condition that can occur anywhere in the body, including the areas that surround the spine and brain. By addressing oxidative stress in these sensitive areas, vitamin C can often reduce the risk of memory loss, dementia and other cognitive issues.

This essential nutrient has also been recognized for its ability to support healthy cardiovascular function by helping the body regulate levels of cholesterol and blood pressure. Vitamin C is known to help lower the levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol while helping relax blood vessels throughout the body to promote optimal blood flow.

Vitamin C has also shown an ability to promote optimal whole body health through its interactions with iron. Like vitamin C, iron is an essential vitamin that does not occur naturally in the body. Also like vitamin C, iron is required by the body for a range of functions yet has a low level of bioavailability. While vitamin C has its own issues with being absorbed into the bloodstream, it has actually shown an ability to enhance the bioavailability of iron. Without iron, the body would struggle to produce red blood cells. Iron is also needed by the body in order to transport oxygen through the bloodstream. If not addressed properly, low levels of iron can lead to iron deficiency anemia. This condition can have devastating effects on whole body health, leading to a range of symptoms that include fatigue, chest pain, lightheadedness, chills and shortness of breath.