Deficiency
Severe vitamin C deficiency has been known for many centuries as scurvy. While scurvy is rare in the majority of today's population, current lifestyle factors raise the requirement for vitamin C. Adequate intake and retention is necessary to maintain healthy vitamin C status in the body.
Cardiovascular Health
Research has shown vitamin C to have a strong relationship with cardiovascular health. Overall, vitamin C supplementation has a significant impact on maintaining healthy blood fats. In addition, cross-sectional studies have indicated that plasma vitamin C concentration helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels in both men and women.
Immune Function & Antioxidant Support
Vitamin C supplementation has been studied for more than six decades for its role in supporting the body during immune challenges. It has been shown to stimulate both the production and function of white blood cells, especially neutrophils, lymphocytes and phagocytes. These immune guardians have been shown to accumulate high concentrations of vitamin C, which can protect these cell types from oxidative damage. Through its potent antioxidant functions, vitamin C has been shown to protect white blood cells from self-inflicted oxidative damage.
Connective Tissue Health
Vitamin C’s role in collagen formation makes it vital to maintaining skin, capillary, gum, joint and skeletal health. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C and its role in collagen synthesis make vitamin C vital to skin health. Keratinocytes have a high capacity for vitamin C transport, to compensate for limited blood flow to the epidermis. Vitamin C’s role in normal tissue repair and recovery may include promoting keratinocyte differentiation, stimulating the formation of the epidermal barrier and re-establishing the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. Higher intakes of dietary vitamin C have been correlated with a decreased risk of dry skin.
