Vitamin C and Why It’s Good for Us

Vitamin C

We all know its good for us…. We all know its amazing for our immune system….

But do any of you know exactly why?🤷‍♂️

The water soluble vitamin, most commonly associated with fresh orange juice and other fruits and vegetables, is an important micronutrient our body requires to boost our immune system.
Being a very powerful antioxidant it can fight free radicals within our bodies which in turn reduces inflammation and speeds up recovery when fighting pathogens.
But let’s be fair, that’s probably the same script your doctor gave you which barely scratches the surface.

So good ole Vitamin .C has pleiotropic functions(has more than one effect for those of us new to this word), has the ability to donate electrons and is a cofactor for gene regulatory enzymes.
Historically, when we were trying to explain nutrition to someone who wasn’t quite grasping it, we’d always resort to ‘its because of the enzymes’ and that usually received a nod of ignorant satisfaction from the listener-in vitamin C’s case it really is this.

Vitamin C accumulates in phagocytic cells (these cells literally eat harmful bacteria, think of pac man) and can enhance chemotaxis (which is the movement of an organism via chemical environment, tough for my non chemistry brain to explain other than to liken it to the smell of delicious, freshly baked bread luring us all to the kitchen)

Vitamin c is also needed for the removal of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that from our immune defence) from the site of an infection. In this case, think of the first aiders with stretchers removing a player from the pitch after an injury.

So with the ability to donate electrons, consume ugly pathogens and also drag fallen comrades to safety, Vitamin C is basically a supercharge for our immune system, its like that scene in the Avengers movie, when Ironman takes on Thor and is struck by Thor’s lightning…his suit is charged to 400% and he is more powerful at fighting off the foe.
Thats kinda like what Vitamin C does for our immune system.

“Well would you look at that”

People always ask “Can I over dose on vitamin C” and the short answer is yes, although it’s unlikely unless you were seriously over doing the supplementation.
Theres a list of side affects like most things, but the most common would be an upset stomach. It is worth remembering that Vitamin C is a Water soluble vitamin therefore so long as you are staying hydrated, and not doing anything too silly with your intake, then any excess will be pee’d away.

So in our super sales deep voice “DON’T DELAY AND GET YOUR VITAMIN C TODAY” (insert diminishing echo here lol)

Yours Kilted
Stephen & Rab

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