How Does Vitamin C Degrade
Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate. It can undergo a type of chemical reaction known as oxidation, which changes its chemical form. The oxidized product of vitamin C is known as dehydroascorbic acid, or DHAA. Although this compound can be converted back into vitamin C, that chemical reaction does not occur naturally.
Gentle On Your Stomach*
Ester-C® tablets and capsules are formulated to be non-acidic, meaning that it has a neutral pH. In a recent clinical trial, people who are generally sensitive to acidic foods were given either Ester-C® or regular vitamin C. Not surprisingly, the study showed that Ester-C® is gentler on the stomach than regular Vitamin C.
Are There Any Drawbacks To Taking Ascorbic Acid Powder
There are possible side effects of taking too much vitamin C, so always use these products as directed by your healthcare provider. These side effects are pretty rare and often not very serious. A few side effects that can happen from taking too much vitamin C include :
- Nausea & Vomiting
Taking large amounts of vitamin C can also lead to a build-up of uric acid. Although it is very uncommon, this build-up could lead to kidney stones .
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Linus Pauling And The Vitamin C Craze
A January 1971 article from an Oregon newspaper
Their discoveries led one scientist, Linus Pauling, to dig deeper. Pauling is the only person to ever win two unshared Nobel prizes. In 1949, Pauling and his team studying sickle cell anemia established it as a genetic disease. And he was also, arguably, the person most responsible for the great vitamin C myth.
During a talk in 1960, Pauling mentioned he hoped he could live another 25 years to keep following the exciting discoveries in science. A man in the audience, Irwin Stone, would change the course of Paulings career. In a letter to Pauling, Stone recommended he take 3,000 mg of vitamin C each day to live longer. Pauling said he began to feel livelier and healthier after taking Stones advice. In particular, the severe colds I had suffered several times a year all my life no longer occurred.
Over the next few years, Pauling upped his intake of vitamin C, eventually taking 18,000 mg per day. Vitamin C became his scientific obsession.
In 1970, Pauling came out with his book Vitamin C and the Common Cold, where he encouraged Americans to consume 3,000 mg of vitamin C daily.
Linus Pauling. Oregon State University/Flickr
Unfortunately, many laymen are going to believe the ideas that the author is selling, Franklin Bing wrote in a scathing review of the irritating book in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Bing was right.
How Many Emergen C Packets Can You Take Per Day
Symptoms of overdose may include: stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Subsequently, question is, do vitamin C packets work? Share on Pinterest Researchers have found limited evidence that vitamin C treats the cold or flu. Although theres some evidence to suggest that EmergenC can help minimize the duration of your cold, research is limited.
Accordingly, can you drink more than one Emergen C a day?
If taken in high doses for longer periods of time, supplements may lead to adverse health effects and even vitamin toxicity. Airborne recommends taking no more than three tablets per day, but this is still over 3000% more vitamin C than you actually need. EmergenC also cautions against using more than two packets.
Is it OK to take Emergen C at night?
Product of the Year 2016, Emergen-Zzzz ® naturally promotes sleep and relaxation with melatonin,* plus vitamin C and other key antioxidants to fortify you while you sleep. Take Emergen-Zzzz before bedtime for a great-tasting fizzy nightcap with natural fruit flavors and no artificial sweeteners.
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Doesnt Include Genetic Testing
Something important to keep in mind about Care/ofs vitamin quiz is that it does not provide customers the option to include genetic testing at any point. Thus, all final product recommendations are based solely upon how you answer the quiz and its important to answer as many questions as possible so that you receive the products that best fit your health goals and needs.
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May Reduce Your Risk Of Chronic Disease
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your bodys natural defenses .
Antioxidants are molecules that boost the immune system. They do so by protecting cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.
When free radicals accumulate, they can promote a state known as oxidative stress, which has been linked to many chronic diseases .
Studies show that consuming more vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels by up to 30%. This helps the bodys natural defenses fight inflammation .
SUMMARY
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that can boost your blood antioxidant levels. This may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease.
Approximately one-third of American adults have high blood pressure .
High blood pressure puts you at risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death globally .
Studies have shown that vitamin C may help lower blood pressure in both those with and without high blood pressure.
An animal study found that taking a vitamin C supplement helped relax the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart, which helped reduce blood pressure levels .
Moreover, an analysis of 29 human studies found that taking a vitamin C supplement reduced systolic blood pressure by 3.8 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.5 mmHg, on average, in healthy adults.
In adults with high blood pressure, vitamin C supplements reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.7 mmHg, on average .
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Vitamin C Can Do A Lot Of Good For Your Body But Not If It Leaves You Nauseated Or You Forget To Take It Every Day Heres The Best Time To Take Your C
irishe4kaaa/ShutterstockVitamin C is an antioxidant powerhouse that may help shorten the duration of common colds and improve healing after surgery and thats not allcheckout 13 more potential health benefits of vitamin C. But to get the most from your supplements, you have to take C at the right time of day.
Also known as L-ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. This means it is easily absorbed into body tissue. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins cant be stored by your body, so you need to replenish vitamin C regularly by eating C-rich foods or by taking supplements. Excess C and other water-soluble vitamins are cleared from your blood by your kidneys and excreted in your urine.
The National Institutes of Health experts recommend that men get 90 milligrams of vitamin C a day women should aim for 75 milligrams. If you smoke, add 35 mg to those values. Smoking can deplete vitamin C these are the signs you may be deficient in vitamin C.
Another option is to split up your doses, says Zembroski: This can improve absorption, reduce the chance that it will make you nauseated, and it can help keep your blood levels high all day as you wont be excreting as much of it in urine. Scheduling your dose after the same meal each day will help you remember to take it, he says.
Should I Take A Vitamin C Supplement
If you are eating a balanced diet, most likely you do not need to take a vitamin C supplement, says McGowan. Vitamin C is water-soluble meaning the body utilizes it but doesnt store it. For most healthy individuals, the body can only hold and use about 200 to 250 mg of vitamin C a day, and any excess is lost through urine, explains McGowan.
Despite this, you can overconsume vitamin C. This is most likely to occur with supplement use, so make sure your daily intake falls below the tolerable upper limit , or the maximum daily intake thats unlikely to result in negative health effects. That amount for a 1- to 3-year-old child is 400 mg, while its 650 mg for a 4- to 8-year-old child, 1,200 for a 9- to 12-year-old child, and 1,800 mg for a 14- to 18-year-old teenager. The UL for an adult is 2,000 mg. Keep in mind that if you take a multivitamin, youre getting vitamin C there, too dont forget to add that amount to your total supplemental intake.
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Minimal Research Behind Vitamin C
Another reason vitamin C is not recommended as a dietary supplement is the lack of compelling evidence for using it to treat or prevent diseaselets start with the common cold. A review published in 2013 compiled all available clinical data on using vitamin C for the common cold. After analyzing a total of 11,306 patients, the authors reported that supplementing with vitamin C did not lower the incidence of colds. However, researchers reported the duration of symptoms to be 8% shorter in adults and 14% shorter in children who took a vitamin C supplement .
A review studied the use of vitamin C supplements for the prevention of heart disease. The scientists reported no significant impact on the rate of cardiovascular disease between the group who got the vitamin C and the placebo group .
With all of this in mind, it makes sense that ascorbic acid is not indicated unless you have a deficiency or have developed scurvy from an inadequate diet. More clinical trials are needed to evaluate the role of vitamin C in treating and preventing disease.
Vitamin C For Numerous Cat And Dog Ailments
Dr. Goldstein also discusses how vitamin C can help deter hip dysplasia and other joint inflammation by enabling the immune system to properly mobilize calcium, which helps keep bones and joints from deteriorating. He also shares his protocol for cats diagnosed with leukemia and other cancers, as well as feline lower urinary tract disease , based on Dr. Wendell O. Belfields work. Dr. Belfield is a well-respected holistic vet known for treating pets with virtually every form of serious illness using massive doses of vitamin C intravenously.
In addition to helping deter hip dysplasia and joint inflammation, and fighting cancer in cats, vitamin C is also recommended and has been used for, protection against heart disease and respiratory issues. As the body is subjected to more and more stress, the more it needs help with vitamin C supplementation to restore the balance.
Stress can be emotional or physical, like relocation or getting vaccinated. Due to the stress, the vitamin C a dog normally produces on its own decreases. In younger dogs, common stressors include surgery, rapid growth, and vaccinations. With older dogs, it is more a need for antioxidants.
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Does Taking Vitamin C Help To Prevent Colds
Studies have shown that taking vitamin C does not help to prevent colds.
In a systematicreview, taking a daily dose of vitamin C was not shown to decrease the likelihood of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection . Commonly used over-the-counter vitamin C products like Emergen-C and Airborne have 1 gram of vitamin C per packet or tablet. It doesnt appear they prevent you from getting sick.
Medical Professionals See Emergen
Many may look to Emergen-C to get an energy boost or use it as a preventative measure to reduce the length of a future cold. Others may use it to replenish their bodies with vitamins and nutrients after drinking the night away. Regardless, its important not to rely on the fizzy drink mix for all of your health needs. Specifically, doctors warn that Emergen-C shouldnt be considered an alternative to getting your flu shot.
Amesh Adalja, infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Womens Health that Emergen-C has not been proven to work as a flu preventative, despite the supplements immune boosting claims. Emergen-C is a vitamin C supplement, and theres no evidence that it benefits people with the cold or influenza or affects your propensity to get the cold or the flu, he explained.
The doctor continued, telling Womens Health he worries that the marketed benefits of taking Emergen-C will deter the general public away from the one thing that has actually been proven to help prevent influenza during flu season: the flu vaccine.
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Thoughts On The Secret Powers Of Vitamin C
My dog Rocky was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma back in May 2016 and given 3 months to live.He is alive and well
I gave him powdered vit C and Alpha Lipoic acid.He also eats a Ketogenic diet.
Kathryn, thats amazing! I love hearing stories like yours. Congratulations on going outside the conventional medicine box and saving Rocky. I hope you guys have many more happy, healthy years together!
I, too, am a fan of this product. We first used it when my brother was diagnosed with cancer. It gave him much needed energy and prolonged his life.
I am a foster/rescue person as well. I presently foster seven cats and two dogs. One of my dogs has been diagnosed with heart disease as well as an enlarged liver and spleen. He almost died about a week ago and has been at the vet hospital since, stabilizing his condition. They offer little hope except to make him comfortable.
I remembered using this product for my brother and had wondered if it could be given to animals as well. Because Vitamin C helps oxygenate the blood, I thought it, along with B12 would be helpful for my little friend. Thanks to your article, I feel comfortable in giving him this supplement, and because of what you wrote, I also now have a guideline to follow.
This was very helpful. Prayers and good energy for your continued work with our four legged friends.
What Are The Key Ingredients In Emergen C And What Do They Do For Your Immune System
Vitamin C is the number one ingredient in all the different versions of Emergen-C. You can think of it as the hero ingredient. The powdered products and chewables all have 1000 mg of vitamin C, while the gummies tend to have lesser amounts because there is only so much vitamin C that can be mixed into a gummy without making it taste gross. Vitamin C is by far the most well-known ingredient for immunity, going back many decades to the advocacy of the renowned chemist, Linus Pauling. For more background, you can check out these pages on the Linus Pauling Institute and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet.
Some people think that the effect of vitamin C on immunity has been debunked, but a number of clinical trials have proven that it works to help shorten respiratory tract infections. This is especially true in people under physical stress, like soldiers and marathon runners. The caveat is that you do need to take a significant amount every day to get the job done, at least 200 mg, and many studies have shown benefits with 500-1000 mg per day.
Emergen-C also has other ingredients that are important for the immune system. B vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, and folate are all essential for immune cell production. It also has zinc, an essential mineral that plays a role in a huge number of physiological processes. Zinc is well known to support immune system health.
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So Is The High Level Of Vitamin C In Emergen C Packets A Problem
Although the high levels of vitamin C in Emergen C packets are important to deliver optimal immune system benefits, this also means that you are going to bang up against the upper limit with only 2 servings per day. So what is this upper limit based on? Well if you read the full DRI report , mentions diarrhea as a complication of taking too much vitamin C. Well, that doesnt sound pleasant.
Actually, it turns out that vitamin C is used in one of the popular coloscopy prep solutions to help clear things out before the procedure. Other than that, vitamin C is safe. There are many studies where much larger amounts of vitamin C have been injected with no adverse reactions. However, if you want to avoid a case of the squirts, probably best to keep below 2 servings of Emergen C per day
What Are The Benefits Of The Emergen
Emergen-C provides support for your immune system and adds to the intake of vitamin C in the form of a sweet and refreshing drink powder. Drinking this mix delivers a high dose of vitamin C to help boost your immune system and keep you feeling energized. Each packet of Emergen-C contains 1000mg vitamin C, which is equivalent to having 10 oranges. It’s also rich in B vitamins and antioxidants for an extra immune boost. Emergen-C also replenishes the electrolytes that tend to get lost when you go for your daily workouts or are suffering from a cold, thus helping to support your daily wellness goals and help you feel better.
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How To Store Your Vitamin D Supplements
Store the supplements out of the reach of young children.
The supplements should be kept away from pets. Consult with a vet if you are concerned that your pet has consumed any of the vitamin D supplements provided.
Check the product seal is still in place on delivery and do not take the supplements if the seal has been broken.
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