Questions To Ask Your Health Care Provider About Cam
When considering complementary and alternative therapies, patients should ask their health care provider the following questions:
- What side effects can be expected?
- What are the risks related to this therapy?
- What benefits can be expected from this therapy?
- Do the known benefits outweigh the risks?
- Will the therapy affect conventional treatment?
- Is this therapy part of a clinical trial?
- If so, who is the sponsor of the trial?
- Will the therapy be covered by health insurance?
What About Fortified Foods
Some juices and ready-to-eat cereals have vitamin C added. The amount of vitamin C added to each product will vary. Check the nutrition label to see how much vitamin C the product will contribute to your daily diet. Always choose 100% fruit juice over fortified fruit drinks. Although they might be fortified with vitamin C, they lack the other vitamins and minerals that fruits and vegetables supply.
What Does Recommended Daily Allowance Mean
The recommended daily allowance for vitamins and minerals is the average daily intake a person needs to avoid deficiencies and stay healthy. Men and women often have different vitamin and mineral recommendations.
There are different ways to measure the RDA. Vitamins and minerals that are needed in larger doses are measured in milligrams and those that the body needs less of are measured in micrograms. There are 1,000 micrograms in 1 milligram. Each vitamin and mineral has a specific RDA.
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Vitamin C And The Body
Vitamin C enables the body to efficiently use carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Because vitamin C acts as an antioxidant a nutrient that chemically binds and neutralizes the tissue-damaging effects of substances known as free radicals it is vital to the growth and health of bones, teeth, gums, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also plays a key role in the formation of collagen, the bodys major building protein, and is therefore essential to the proper functioning of all internal organs.
Vitamin C is found in various foods, including citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit in green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and cabbage and in tomatoes and potatoes. Food processing may degrade or destroy vitamin C, as can exposure to air, drying, salting, cooking , or processing.
In modern times, access to fresh fruits and vegetables is common, rendering full-blown cases of vitamin C deficiency relatively rare. Cases are normally limited to isolated elderly adults, usually men whose diet is limited to foods lacking in vitamin C, as well as to infants fed reconstituted milk or milk substitutes without a vitamin C or orange juice supplement. Those with certain illnesses, such as AIDS, cancer or tuberculosis, surgical patients, and those exposed to long periods of cold temperatures can also suffer from vitamin C insufficiency.
How Vitamin C Supports A Healthy Immune System
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin well known for its role in supporting a healthy immune system. Because your body cannot make vitamin C, it must come from the foods you eat every day.
Research shows vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of tissue all over the body. Vitamin C helps heal wounds and repair and maintain healthy bones, teeth, skin and cartilage a type of firm tissue that covers the bones. As an antioxidant, vitamin C fights free radicals in the body which may help prevent or delay certain cancers and heart disease and promote healthy aging. Vitamin C from foods also seems to reduce the risk of cartilage loss in those with osteoarthritis.
Though it may not keep you from catching a cold, there is some evidence that high doses of vitamin C may decrease the length of cold symptoms by as much as one to one-and-a-half days for some people. However, other studies did not result in the same findings, and the risk of side effects is greater with high doses of vitamin C supplements, so check with your doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist before taking.
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Persona Vitamin C With Bioflavonoids
Persona is a subscription service that carries a vitamin C supplement containing bioflavonoids. The product is citrus flavored and can help boost antioxidant intake.
Each supplement contains 500 mg of vitamin C and has undergone quality testing at each stage to ensure safety.
Persona subscriptions also include consultations with nutritionists and personalized plans based on each individuals health conditions.
May Improve Your Eye Health
Studies have shown that vitamin C may benefit eye health, due to its antioxidant effects. Evidence shows a combination of nutrients, specifically vitamin c, e, beta-carotene, and zinc, collectively known as the AREDS formulation may reduce the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study which was initiated in 1990 by the National Eye Institute, involved 11 centers in the United States and enrolled 5000 patients. The study found that with a combination of vitamins c, e, beta-carotene, and zinc produced a 25% reduction in risk of progression to advanced AMD.
Although the benefits associated with age-related macular degeneration cannot be attributed to vitamin C alone, the combination of nutrients has been shown to slow the progression of AMD by 25% and loss of visual sharpness and clarity by 15% .
Ascorbate is found in the lens of the eye. Studies have shown that supplementation with just 2g of vitamin C per day was associated with a nearly 40-fold increase in lens ascorbate . In the Nutrition Vision Project , a subset of the Nurses’ Health Study, showed that women aged 60 years, with consumption of at least 363mg/day vitamin C was associated with a 57% decreased risk of developing a cortical cataract compared with women who consumed less than 140mg/day vitamin C .
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What Does Vitamin C Do
Vitamin C is a type of antioxidant. It helps protect the body from free radicals that damage and destroy otherwise healthy cells. In this respect, getting enough of the nutrient is just one way you can support your bodys natural defenses against illness. This is how it gained its reputation as a virus-fighting vitamin.
It also helps increase iron absorption, which is essential for growth and overall body functions. Not having enough vitamin C can lead to a potentially deadly condition known as scurvy.
Oranges and orange juices are perhaps the best-known sources of vitamin C, but other items in the produce aisle are chock-full, including:
- bell peppers
- nausea
- sleeping problems
People with hemochromatosis are in danger of a vitamin C overdose. This condition causes your body to store excessive amounts of iron, which is exacerbated by taking too much vitamin C. This condition can lead to body tissue damage.
Vitamin C supplements may also interact with certain medications. This is especially true of medications for heart disease and cancer. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking a supplement.
Impair The Effectiveness Of Niacin
Evidence suggests that taking vitamin C supplements may impair the bodys ability to increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol in people taking the combination drug niacin-simvastatin. This drug combines the vitamin niacin with the statin simvastatin , and people take it to treat high cholesterol.
Doctors consider HDL cholesterol the good cholesterol because it reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol in the blood.
If a person takes vitamin C supplements and niacin-simvastatin, they should talk to their doctor about ways to make each more effective. Doctors do not know whether vitamin C also affects the ability of other medicines similar to Zocor.
A persons body cannot make vitamin C, so people need to eat enough foods that contain vitamin C to meet their daily needs. If someone is at risk of a vitamin C deficiency, they can take vitamin C supplements.
The advise aiming for the following RDA of vitamin C each day:
| Age | |
| 90 mg | 75 mg |
People who smoke should take 35 mg more vitamin C per day than those who do not smoke.
During pregnancy or when breastfeeding, women should get the following levels of vitamin C per day:
- 1418 years: 80 mg during pregnancy and 115 mg when breastfeeding
- 19 years and older: 85 mg during pregnancy and 120 mg when breastfeeding
There is not enough research to suggest an RDA for vitamin C in those younger than 1 year of age. As a result, the ODS provide an adequate intake, which is the amount that is likely to be sufficient:
- broccoli
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How To Make Sure You’re Reaping The Maximum Vitamin C Benefits Of Oranges
“Consuming the whole fruit is the best way to ensure you gain the maximum nutritional benefit,” says physician Poonam Desai, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Weill Cornell Medical School. “When speaking with patients, I recommend seeking nutrients like vitamin C from whole food sources, rather than supplements, especially with a vitamin C-rich fruit like oranges.”
A few simple cooking, shopping, and storage tips for eating them include:
Is It Possible To Have A Vitamin C Overdose
Supplement marketers go into overdrive during cold and flu season, advertising products that promise to decrease your odds of getting sick. Vitamin C is among the best-known, most accessible antioxidants that have been touted to help prevent you from getting sick.
Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C is one of the many water-soluble nutrients found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Many people also take supplements to ensure theyre getting enough of it. This has raised concerns over the likelihood of an accidental overdose.
Too much vitamin C can cause undesirable effects. However, a severe overdose is rare and unlikely. The key is to learn how much vitamin C you really need.
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Things You Need To Know Before Using Vitamin C For Your Skin
Between brightening dark spots and helping to protect against UV damage, theres a lot vitamin C can do for your skin. But the type of vitamin C serum you select, as well as how you use and store it, can significantly affect how much you actually get out of it.
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that brightens dark spots, smooths fine lines, and, importantly, scavenges free radicals from the environment, pollution, and UV radiation, Sara Hogan, M.D., dermatologist at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, tells SELF. Over time, those free radicals can damage the skin, leading to premature signs of aging, and increase your risk for skin cancer. So protecting against UV damage with an antioxidantand, of course, daily SPFis important.
However, not all vitamin C products are created equaland they can be irritating and finicky to use in some cases, Angela Lamb, M.D., director of Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice, tells SELF. Its important to read the label on the product and know what youre really getting , especially if you have sensitive skin.
So, before you start going down the path of finding a vitamin C product for your face, peep these expert tips to get the most out of your vitamin C serum.
How Much Vitamin C Should I Take
To determine whether a vitamin C supplement is right for you, talk to your medical provider. He or she can suggest the proper strength for your needs and provide you with nutritional advice. Then, you can narrow down the supplement options by strength, form and concern to quickly discover the best product for you. To ensure best results, follow the directions for use printed on the packaging unless your health care provider tells you otherwise.
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The Best Vitamin C Supplements
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process.
Most people can get adequate vitamin C in their diet by eating fruits and vegetables. However, some people take a vitamin C supplement due to dietary restrictions or a medical condition.
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water soluble vitamin and antioxidant that is essential for health. It helps the immune system, skin, and bones function, and it combats damage from free radicals, which are molecules that can adversely affect the body.
This article looks at who may benefit from taking vitamin C, how much people need to consume per day, and some of the best vitamin C supplements available on the market.
National Institutes of Health , vitamin C deficiency is rare in the United States.
However, although most people can get enough vitamin C from fruits and vegetables, others may have difficulty getting enough vitamin C from their diet.
People who may be at risk of vitamin C deficiency include:
Anyone who is concerned that they have a deficiency can ask a doctor for blood tests to see which nutrients they need. Having a long-term deficiency in vitamin C can lead to scurvy.
In addition to those who have a vitamin C deficiency, some other people may also benefit from consuming more of this nutrient. For example, some evidence suggests that vitamin C can reduce the severity and duration of the common cold.
Vitamins C And D: A Perfect Pair
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Read on to learn how both vitamins are essential for life, and a combination of the two is better insurance for a healthy tomorrow.
Vitamin C
Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling was first to suggest that vitamin C has a profound effect on the immune system. He suggested two possible effects: first, high doses of vitamin C would be greatly beneficial for cancer patients, even curative second, regular supplementation could decrease the number of colds per year. Though both hypotheses have been disputed by the scientific community, Paulings work can be seen as the foundation for what we know about vitamin C today.The common coldPrevention of the common cold is the most widely perceived benefit of vitamin C. Pauling suggested that 1 to 2 g of daily vitamin C would substantially strengthen the immune system, reducing frequency of the common cold. While much interest exists in this theory, researchers have found that vitamin C helps shorten the duration of a cold rather than decrease the number of colds per year.
Wound healingVitamin C is beneficial for wound healing due to its ability to stimulate collagen synthesis.
Vitamin D
In November of 2000, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin published a study that concluded vitamin D could be a natural inhibitor of multiple sclerosis . Until this point, interest in vitamin D and its impact on serious diseases had been scarce.
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Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Vitamin C Liquid
The Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Vitamin C Liquid provides 1,000 mg of vitamin C in one teaspoon and comes in a pleasant citrus flavor. According to the company, it contains non-GMO ingredients and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
This product contains liposomal vitamin C, which means that tiny bubbles of oil contain the vitamin C.
According to one 2020 study , the gut absorbs this form of vitamin C easier. However, the company likely factored this into the products price, which is higher than that of other products by other brands.
The company is National Sanitation Foundation and Good Manufacturing Practice certified, and it has its ingredients tested for contaminants.
Notice If The Product Has Changed Color
Your vitamin C serum should be colorless or a light straw color, Dr. Hogan says. If it is oxidized, it becomes yellow or brown and is likely going to be less effective.
You can still use it if you want, but it wont do as much for your skin and, very rarely, oxidized vitamin C products can even cause slight yellow discoloration of the skin, Dr. Hogan says.
So consider getting rid of any vitamin C products that have dramatically changed color since you bought them. Especially if it is brown, I would say to toss it, Dr. Lamb says.
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Top 10 Foods Highest In Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient required for the maintenance of skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage, and wound healing.
Vitamin C also helps protect cells against oxidative stress, which in turn provides protection against certain diseases, including cancer.
Vitamin C, like zinc and vitamin A, also helps support your immune system.
High vitamin C foods include guavas, bell peppers, kiwifruit, strawberries, oranges, papayas, broccoli, tomatoes, kale, and snow peas. The current daily value for vitamin C is 90mg.
Below is a list high vitamin C foods ranked by a common serving size, use the nutrient ranking of over 200 foods high in vitamin C to see the foods highest in vitamin C by nutrient density , or see rankings of fruits high in vitamin C, and vegetables high in vitamin C.
What Test Do They Do For Vitamins
Most vitamin and mineral deficiencies can be picked up with a blood test, like: a venous blood test a trained professional will use a needle to puncture a vein, usually in your arm, to collect a blood sample. a finger-prick blood test using a lancet, you can prick your own finger and collect a small blood sample.
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