Is There Vitamin C in Your Vitamin C?
A Very Misunderstood Nutrient!
What role does Vitamin C actually play in your health? Most people think of it in terms of immune function. And it IS critically important for a strong immune system- it helps white blood cells to identify and kill invading pathogens and make antibodies. Vitamin C also ensures that you have adequate levels of white blood cells to maintain health.
But did you know that it also:
Is required for the production of collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Your hair,skin,nails,bones,joints connective tissues,ligaments, tendons, muscles and blood vessels are all made out of collagen. Collagen literally holds your body together. Without Vitamin C, you wouldn’t have a body!
You can’t absorb iron without Vitamin C. Iron helps your red blood cells to distribute oxygen to all your tissues.
It helps your gums and mucous membranes to stay strong. Vitamin C deficiency causes bleeding gums-also known as scurvy.
Your heart, adrenal glands and thyroid gland all need Vitamin C to function properly.
Vitamin C helps to reduce your uric acid levels. High uric acid is associated with gout, kidney stones and is a marker for serious diseases such as stroke, heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, obesity and other chronic degenerative diseases. (See video below for more information on uric acid)
But here’s the BIG problem- most people taking Vitamin C supplements are actually taking Ascorbic Acid. Look at your Vitamin C nutrition label right now. Chances are it says:
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) or
- Vitamin C (Calcium Ascorbate)
And guess what? Those are NOT Vitamin C! Ascorbic acid is one component of the Vitamin C complex. In fact, it makes up about 2% of the molecule. It is only the antioxidant outer shell- there is a lot more to Vitamin C than that!
Like all vitamins, C is a complex made of many different components. It contains bioflavonoids and enzymes and other substances called J and K factors. J factors help with carrying oxygen (one of the reasons C is important for heart health) and K factors help your blood to clot normally (so you don’t bleed to death). Bioflavonoids and the enzymes in Vitamin C help your body to absorb it better. Bioflavonoids are also antioxidant and support the immune system.
Most commercial nutritional supplements contain ascorbic acid only, usually derived from genetically modified corn and made in China. It’s one of the brilliant ways the “bad guys” are making you sick.
I strongly recommend any nutritional supplements you take are derived from whole food and are minimally processed.