As one of the most widely used antioxidants in the body, vitamin C plays a role in the liquid environments of all cells. It also affects the function of the adrenal glands to influence production of cortisol, the body's major stress hormone, making your vitamin C intake relevant during times of increased stress.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C provides antioxidant protection against free radicals throughout the body. The nutrient also helps facilitate liver detoxification. Although the official recommendation for vitamin C is just 60mg a day, Linus Pauling believed that intakes of up to 8,000mg per day could prove useful for cardiovascular health and resisting infections.
Cortisol
As the body's major stress hormone, cortisol plays a number of roles at various organ systems. Dr. Robert Kapolsky, a research scientist who wrote the best-selling book on stress "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers," says that the steroid hormone boosts blood sugar levels between meals, reduces inflammation and coordinates the immune system response. However, excessive levels of cortisol can also reduce energy levels and cause weight gain.
Interaction
Dr. James Wilson, a physician and the author of "Adrenal Fatigue: 21st Century Stress Syndrome," says that vitamin C levels and adrenal function remain intrinsically linked. The adrenal cortex requires a continual supply of the nutrient to produce cortisol. Wilson says that before the introduction of more advanced testing, serum levels of vitamin C were used as estimates of adrenal function.
Balanced Cortisol Production
The relationship between vitamin C and cortisol becomes more complicated when you consider that the water-soluble nutrient can also reduce excessive production of cortisol. David Robson, a nutritional researcher and a contributor to Bodybuilding.com, says that the administration of 3,000mg of vitamin C per day can reduce excessive cortisol production in those undergoing stressful training. This suggests that vitamin C has a useful normalizing effect on adrenal hormone production.
Expert Insight
Wilson suggests that all individuals who experience increased stress increase their vitamin C intake. Not only can increased consumption help boost the immune system and ward off colds during this time, but it also provides increased support for the adrenal glands.
References
- Bodybuilding.com: David Robson -- The Implications of Cortisol Release
- "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers"; Dr. Robert Kapolsky; 2002
- "Adrenal Fatigue: 21st Century Stress Syndrome"; Dr James Wilson; 2002
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
