Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient that your body uses for several purposes, including wound healing and the production of blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, skin and cartilage. While serious deficiencies of this vitamin are rare in the U.S., having decreased levels may increase your risk for conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
Vitamin C Basics
Vitamin C belongs to a class of substances called water-soluble vitamins. Although your body needs these vitamins, it does not store them internally, and you must replenish your supply with vitamin-rich foods or supplements. Dietary sources of vitamin C include leafy greens, oranges, kiwi fruit, strawberries, green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, pineapples, blueberries, green peppers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and mangoes. Supplemental forms of vitamin C include natural or synthetic products that are available as chewables, capsules, tablets, powders or liquids.
Antioxidant Properties
Vitamin C also belongs to a group of substances called antioxidants, notes the National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus. These substances fight the damaging effects of particles called free radicals. Your body produces free radicals naturally when you transform food into energy, and you may also encounter free radicals generated by exposure to cigarette smoke and other pollutants or toxic chemicals. Over time, the buildup of these harmful particles triggers aging processes in your body and may also be responsible for the onset of serious conditions such as arthritis and cancer.
Additional Benefits
The antioxidant properties of vitamin C may help protect you from the harmful effects of atherosclerosis, or hardening of your arteries, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. What's more, if you do not get enough vitamin C, you may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack or a hardening of the blood vessels in your legs called peripheral artery disease. If you have known risks for the development of high blood pressure, adequate vitamin C intake may help improve your overall health. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends getting your vitamin C from dietary sources whenever possible. If dietary sources are insufficient, consider taking a vitamin C supplement.
Recommended Intake
If you are an adult male, you need 90 mg of vitamin C each day, according to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. Adult women need 75 mg each day. Boys ages 14 to 18 also need 75 mg a day, while girls this age need 65 mg a day. Children ages 9 to 13 need 45 mg of vitamin C each day, while children 4 to 8 need 25 mg. Children ages 1 to 3 need 15 mg a day. From birth to 6 months, babies need 40 mg a day, while those age 7 months to 1 year need 50 mg.
Considerations
There is little evidence to support vitamin C as a treatment for the common cold. Vitamin C doses in excess of 2,000 mg a day can trigger symptoms that include diarrhea and stomach upset, Medline Plus reports.
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