How Vitamin C Helps Your Body
Vitamin C supports your immune system and helps your body stay healthy in many ways.
- It helps white blood cells (like phagocytes and T-cells) function more effectively to fight off infections.
- Vitamin C protects cells from damage by acting as a powerful antioxidant—it fights off harmful molecules called free radicals.
- It supports the production of collagen, a protein that helps wounds heal and keeps skin, gums, and blood vessels strong.
- It boosts the body’s defense system, especially during cold and flu season, by enhancing the skin’s barrier and promoting new immune cell production.
Getting Enough Vitamin C
Your body can’t make or store Vitamin C, so you must eat it daily.
- Great sources include oranges, strawberries, kiwi, bell peppers, and broccoli.
- Cooking can reduce the amount of Vitamin C in food, so eating raw fruits and veggies is best.
- Vitamin C is water-soluble, meaning extra amounts leave the body through urine.
- Most people can get enough from a balanced diet—supplements aren’t always needed.
- Signs of not getting enough Vitamin C include fatigue, swollen gums, slow wound healing, and easy bruising.
Fun Facts
Here are some interesting facts about Vitamin C:
- Scurvy is a disease caused by not getting enough Vitamin C—It used to be common in sailors.
- Guinea pigs, monkeys, and humans are among the few that can’t make their own Vitamin C.
- Red bell peppers have more Vitamin C than oranges!
- Vitamin C was the first vitamin to be discovered and isolated.
Review
Let’s quickly recap what we learned about Vitamin C:
- What does Vitamin C help fight effectively? Infections
- Can your body make its own Vitamin C? No
- What type of vitamin is Vitamin C? Water-Soluble
- What protein does Vitamin C help produce? Collagen
Recent Comments