In the ancient days of intercontinental sailing aboard wooden vessels powered by sails, sailors often fell victim to the lethal disease known as scurvy. Beginning with hair loss and bleeding gums, the disease rapidly progresses to excruciating joint pain, the complete loss of teeth and then death. It wasn’t until surgeons aboard British naval vessels in the 1850s realized that scurvy was entirely due to a lack of Vitamin C that rations of lime or lemon juice were issued to every mariner, leading to the now-derogatory term of “limeys” to refer to British people.
Today, medical professionals understand the importance of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, in a host of bodily functions. Beyond the prevention of scurvy, vitamin C is critical for health due to its role in improving the absorption of iron, repairing bones and teeth, healing wounds, repairing scar tissue, and bonding with proteins to maintain healthy tendons, blood vessels, skin, and ligaments.
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How Does Vitamin C Work in The Body
Vitamin C has also been shown to be a powerful antioxidant, substances classified by their ability to absorb and minimize the damage caused by so-called “free radicals”, errant molecules that, over time, can cause significant damage to DNA. When the body’s codex of how to grow, function and repair itself is damaged, this can cause long-term attrition in the form of accelerated aging and the onset of chronic conditions like arthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
When treating less-threatening conditions like the common cold, the flu, and the stresses and strains of daily life, vitamin C has been shown to be particularly effective. By working with the adrenal glands and combining with other substances in the body to boost the immune system, high doses of vitamin C have been demonstrated to help the body heal more quickly and develop greater resistance to stressors and both viral and bacteriological attacks.
Can you be deficient in Vitamin C?
In modern life, very few people are so deficient in vitamin C that they are at risk of developing scurvy although it has been demonstrated that smoking large volumes of cigarettes seriously depletes the body’s ability to retain and use vitamin C. Most people obtain a minimal amount of vitamin C through dietary means like citric fruits (including limes), cantaloupe, kiwis, mangos, papayas, pineapples, watermelon and berries to maintain basic body function. Unfortunately, vitamin C is a water-soluble solution, meaning that the body can only take advantage of about 20% of consumed vitamin C before losing it through the execratory process.
Vitamin C for Healthy Skin, Blood Vessels, & Joints.
In recent years, scientists have discovered that vitamin C is an essential element in the production of collagen in the body. This vital elastic tissue is used to repair and grow healthy skin, repair and maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, build and repair ligaments and tendons, and strengthen the connective tissue and interior of the body’s bones. Classified as a protein, collagen is the same substance that constitutes the interior of the nose, a strong and resilient form of tissue that is designed to combine stability with elasticity and flexibility.
Individuals who have difficulty in producing sufficient qualities of healthy collagen have been shown to have more fragile skin that is at a higher risk of tearing and breaking, weaker arteries and vessels, softer bones, and tendons and ligaments that are more prone to sprains, tears, and breaks. In some cases, extremely thin walls of the blood vessels can lead to an aneurysm or breakage that can cause a stroke or pulmonary embolism.
Vitamin C BOOSTS Energy Production
Another important role of vitamin C is the conversion of dietary fat into forms of energy that the body can use. Vitamin C combines with the amino acid carnitine to dissolve fats and release the energy inside for feeding the mitochrondria (the “engine”) of the cells and regulate metabolism. Therefore, by direct association, sufficient levels of Vitamin C can lead to higher energy levels as this vital substance works to efficiently break down fat cells into available energy for every cell in the body.
Intravenous Vitamin C Therapy
First developed by Linus Pauling, the Nobel prize winner in both biology and chemistry, high-dose IV therapy using vitamin C has been shown to provide tremendous benefit in the amelioration and recession of a number of ailments as well as to boost the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Unlike dietary vitamin C, ascorbic acid administered directly into the bloodstream via an intravenous (IV) infusion is 100% bio-available, meaning that the body can access and use all of this critical vitamin.
A high-dose IV injection of vitamin C is recommended for anyone undergoing an unusually high amount of stress, individuals who have struggled with persistent fatigue or anyone who has been subjected to a viral or bacterial assault on their immune system. High-dose IV injections of vitamin C are also very effective in repairing skin damage due to sunburn, surgery, or other forms of trauma. High-dose vitamin C IV injections are also an excellent all-natural method of combating the side effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and vomiting.