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Vitamin C is the most well known and widely used vitamin on the market today. It serves as a protective agent in the body and plays a major role in the maintenance of healthy teeth, skin, cells and the cardiovascular, respiratory and immune systems. Studies have also shown that it can help reduce the risk of cancer (Vitamin C). Many medical conditions place emphasis the use of vitamin C to help alleviate symptoms including Acne, Alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, Asthma, Autism, Depression, Diabetes, Irritable bowel disease and Parkinson's disease (Vitamin C). Vitamin C plays such an important role in sustaining healthy living that many organisms produce it naturally within there own biological systems. Humans are one of a few exceptions to this natural biological production of vitamin C which has lead to the fact that “40% of older individuals in the U.S. take vitamin C supplements; and in some regions of the country, almost 25% of all adults, regardless of age, take vitamin C (Vitamin C).”
Well what exactly is Vitamin C? It is Ascorbic Acid, right? Wrong. Ascorbic Acid is only a part of the picture. The American public has been lead to believe a misconception. Vitamins are not a single component but rather a synergistic combination of “the nutrient, enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, and trace minerals activators (O'Shea)." Claiming that ascorbic acid is vitamin C is like saying that flour is bread. Ascorbic acid is only part of the equation. Vitamin C is the synergistic blend of ascorbic acid, rutin, bioflavonoids, Factor K, Factor J, Factor P, Tyrosinase, Ascorbinogen, and mineral co-factors in the proper portions. In order to reap the full benefits of the vitamin all these components must be present (O’Shea).
When taking Ascorbic Acid as Vitamin C the body searches within itself to find the missing components to create the complete vitamin complex. In so doing the body robs its own biological systems to supplement the missing components to enable full vitamin activity to take place. This has negative impact on the function and health of the systems that have been depleted to provide the missing elements of the vitamin C complex. For example, the body draws rutin from collagen to satisfy the missing vitamin c component, this them compromises the health of skin, muscles, bones and joints. It would seem that taking ascorbic acid to improve skin health actually has the reverse effect. So if taking true Vitamin C complex is so essential and ascorbic acid is not the answer then what is?
There are many sources of true vitamin C. The best source is found in many fully ripened fresh, raw fruits and vegetables: including berries, dark leafy greens, melons, tomatoes and citrus fruits (Vitamin C). Five daily servings of these foods provide an adequate amount of true vitamin C, however “less than 15 percent of children and adults in the USA actually consume such a diet (Larsen 22-4).” This dietary deficiency has many adverse effects and is evidenced by such symptoms as bleeding gums, easy bruising, poor wound healing, poor immune system functioning, lung conditions, respiratory infections, cardiovascular disease, cancers, joint diseases and cataracts (Vitamin C). The lack of vitamin C in dietary intake and the negative consequences thereof make vitamin C supplementation an essential alternative.
Which supplement to chose then: synthetic, natural, whole food? Synthetic supplements are manmade chemicals that exist no where in nature manipulated in an attempt to replicate the molecular structure of the vitamin. They often are incomplete leaving out essential components of the complete vitamin complex. Natural supplements are created with ingredients that exist somewhere on earth or in space and also leave out necessary vitamin complex components. The best option is a whole food supplement.
Whole food supplements are “vitamins as they are found in food, untampered-with in any way that would change their molecular structure, their biological or biochemical combination, or their actions (Lang).” These vitamins provide the full complement of elements found in a vitamin complex. When unable to eat the proper diet to provide all the needed vitamin complexes taking supplements made with vitamin rich foods is the next best option. So read labels carefully and avoid synthetic and natural supplements. Whole food supplements are often more costly than the other options but are the healthier and safer option.
So let the myth that ascorbic acid is vitamin C be dispelled. Simply taking ascorbic acid will NOT provide the health benefits of true Vitamin C complex and may very well have negative effects.
by Linde Crittenden
http://www.operationfreshairdelivery.com/
Your Indoor Air Pollution and Healthy Living Solution
References
Lang, DC, Dr. Janet. "Nutriton." Valeo WC. 2002. Valeo Health and Wellness Center. 14 Jun 2007, http://www.valeowc.com/valeo/nutrition.jsp.
Larsen, Hans. "Vitamin C: Your Ultimate Health Insurance." International Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 15(1997): 22-4.
O'Shea, Tim. "Whole Food Vitamins: Ascorbic Acid is not Vitamin C." The Doctor Within. 2007. The Doctor Within. 14 Jun 2007, http://thedoctorwithin.com/index_fr.php?page=articles/whole_food_vitamins.php.
"Vitamin C." The World's Healthiest Foods. 2007. George Mateljan Foundation . 10 Jun 2007, http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=109#impactcookingstorageprocessing.
