Vitamin C is required for growth, development and repair of all body tissues. vitamin C is also involved in many body functions, including formation of collagen, and absorption of iron. Many of you would have heard to take iron supplements along with Vitamin C – yes this is true.
There are also benefits to the immune system, wound healing, and bones, and teeth. The main issue is that most people simply do not get enough Vitamin C on a daily basis.
There are also benefits to the immune system, wound healing, and bones, and teeth. The main issue with the recommended daily allowances for vitamins is that the guidelines have not kept up with current research in the field of nutritional medicine. For example the RDA in india for Vitamin C is 40 mg per day, and hence an over the counter vitamin supplement for vitamin C cannot contain more than 40 mg. its interesting to note that the RDA’s for vitamin C in many other countries such as Europe has been revised to 500 mg. per day, even up to 1000 mg.
Is it that we Indians require less vitamin C than people of other nationalities? The answer is obviously no… add to that lifestyle factors we face such as pollution levels, soil depletion and over use of fertilizers in agricultural industry leading to less vitamin content of many fruits and vegetables.
What to do? Well step one is awareness. Of the fact that on a daily basis we probably getting significantly less vitamin C (and other vitamins) than what our body actually require for optimum health.
One solution is to try to increase foods rich in vitamin C, but as the above illustration, there is a limit to eating SEVERAL KILOS OF CERTAIN FRUITS per day…
Another option is to supplement by taking a quality vitamin C supplement. However, ensure that its a quality brand, and preferably from natural fruit source and not from the synthetic form of vitamin C ascorbic acid as the synthetic form obviousy have less bio-availability / absorbtion
