Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that the body does not have the ability to make, and therefore it must be obtained from food. Vitamin C is needed for the synthesis of collagen, tendons, ligaments, bone, and neurotransmitters. It also plays a role in bile metabolism, the transport of fat into mitochondria, and is a powerful antioxidant.
Absorbability
Low doses of vitamin C in food are almost completely absorbed by the body. Intake of vitamin C above the range of usual dietary intake of 30 to 180 milligrams per day can cause absorption to decrease to 75 percent as vitamin C fights with other competing compounds to be absorbed. It has been suggested that taking bioflavonoids with vitamin C may increase its bioavailability and absorption, but there is little evidence to support this, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Food Sources
Vitamin C requirement for healthy males is 90 mg per day, and healthy females should be receiving 75 milligrams per day. The requirement increases if you are a smoker, pregnant, or breast-feeding. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is commonly found in many fruits and vegetables. The best sources of vitamin C include oranges and orange juice, grapefruits and grapefruit juice, strawberries, tomatoes, sweet red peppers, broccoli, and potatoes. One orange can provide you with 70 milligrams of vitamin C, 1 cup of strawberries provides 85 milligrams, and a sweet red pepper provides 95 milligrams. Obtaining the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily should provide you with 200 milligrams of vitamin C.
Supplements
Vitamin C is available in many different forms in supplements. However, there is no scientific evidence that one form can be absorbed better, or is more effective than another. The two forms of of vitamin C in supplements used in most research studies include ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate. There is also no known difference between natural and synthetic ascorbic acid in their biological activity or bioavailability since they are chemically identical.
Deficiency and Toxicity
Vitamin C deficiency can cause a potentially fatal disease known as scurvy. As little as 10 mg of vitamin C is needed to prevent scurvy, which is why it is rare in developed countries. Vitamin C toxicity from food can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues, while too much vitamin C from supplements may cause kidney stones. It is recommended that adults do not consume more than 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily.
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