Vitamin C Essays

Each vitamin has its own importance within the body and the health. Vitamins are helpful for the health and life of the body in several ways that include:

Scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C that can affect guinea pigs and primates, including humans. Animals affected by scurvy are unable to synthesize or store vitamin C and therefore require oral or dietary supplementation. Vitamin C is required for making collagen that is required for maintaining blood vessel integrity, formation of bone, and wound healing. Deficiency results in fragile blood vessels, leading to hemorrhage of the gums and tissues in the mouth, skin, muscles, and internal organ surfaces. A vitamin C deficiency may cause abnormal cartilage and bone formation, commonly at joints of leg bones and ribs, leading to painful swelling of joints. With scurvy symptoms can occur within 2 weeks of receiving a deficient diet.

Utilizing the data provided, NNT was calculated to be fifty-five.6 A NNT of fifty-five suggested that vitamin C needed to be administered to fifty-five people in order to treat one case of the cold. The NNT for an acute condition such as the common cold should be small to provide any benefits. This suggested that vitamin C provided little advantage in the treatment of a cold. The calculations of RR were not necessary because there were no interest with vitamin C as a preventative agent for the common cold. It is imperative to note that the study was conducted in 1977 and the standard of care in 1977 could differ significantly from present day. The study did not provide any data on the safety of ascorbic acid. In conclusion, the trial suggested that vitamin C supplementation had little value in the treatment of the common

You only need vitamins in small quantities (micronutrients) and they are essential to your health. Vitamins are important because they help the body to function optimally. Vitamins can be found in everything we eat and have

Imagine having swollen gums, tooth loss, fatigue, bruising, and exposure to new disease, only to die a few weeks after. With education, medicinal practices and accessibility to resources, the risk of scurvy proves less viable in our modern society. However, scurvy dominated the outbreaks and contributed to the onset of other pathogens during the Middle Ages and the Age of Sail. With over two million died during voyages, the disease impacted the ability to explore the world, the economy and ended up wiping out new colonies established from the Old World (Harthorne, 1). Caused by a lack of education, mundane conditions and diet, Scurvy became an epidemic between 1500 and 1800. Thus, scurvy ended up impacting the Columbian exchange and the role of history.

(Sinno et al, 2011). It also helps in the transfer of white blood cells to the wound, improves resistance to infection and increases capillary strength. Since vitamin C is water-soluble, it is difficult to store it in the body, so a regular intake is necessary and dietary sources are green vegetables, potatoes, fruits like orange, kiwi and berries. (Timms, 2011).

Since most cooking methods deplete the content of vitamin C, one of the best methods for adding it to one’s diet is to eat citrus fruits raw, or to very lightly cook green vegetables like broccoli. Spinach salad is a tasty way to add more vitamin C to your diet. Vitamin C has recently been added not just to many foods, but also to many cosmetic products, particularly skin creams marketed as “anti-aging.” It is too early to tell if these products are effective, though some users feel they are quite

Scurvy (a vitamin C deficiency) had plagued the world for multiple centuries until actions were finally taken in attempt to find an antidote. Scurvy is a disease which results from insufficient intake of vitamin C and leads to the spots on the skin, spongy gums and bleeding from almost all mucous membranes. Vitamin C deficiency and scurvy was hastened in the age of sail because of the rigorous working conditions for sailors. The diet of sailors during the age of sail was obviously the main factor in the plight of scurvy. As Vitamin C cannot be produced internally by humans, it must be ingested through the diet. By examining the history of vitamin C, one can fully appreciate the advances made in its research. Surprisingly, vitamin C’s importance

During the 18th and 19th centuries, at the time where ships would transporting goods and the navy would patrol the area, many of which are called “Limeys”. Although, the Navy Sailors often fell down with a symptom called scurvy that would cause their gums to bleed, fatigue, rashes, muscle weakness, and depression. In order to counteract this testament, these sailors would put lime into their rum (alcohol) to keep themselves healthy throughout their long voyage(Source A and B). Now, what makes vitamin c so important that it should be used in diets? Maintaining a lead to a prevention of many types of illness and can be easily found in vegetables and fruits that contain citric such as broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, watermelon, lime, etc (Source

In her piece, Chaplin explicitly discusses the issue of scurvy in relation to circumnavigation, ranging from the 1500s to the beginning of the 1800s, with the assistance of direct accounts, narratives, medical statistics, and European literature. Generally, throughout the 3 centuries, sailors and captains believed that scurvy (also known as sea-sickness) could be cured solely through direct contact

Vitamin C is very essential to our bodies. Vitamin C helps the body to maintain its collective tissues. This also includes our bones, blood vessels, and skin. Vitamin C is scientifically known as L-ascorbic acid. The vitamin is a water-soluble vitamin that can be found in several fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C can also be found as a dietary supplement. It is essential for our bodies to have some source of vitamin C intake. “Vitamin C is required for the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters; vitamin C is also involved in protein metabolism. Collagen is an essential component of connective tissue, which plays a vital role in wound healing. Vitamin C is also an important physiological antioxidant [3] and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants within the body, including alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E).” (1) The overall body intake for vitamin C runs to a high of 2g. Lower amounts of vitamin C can be found in areas such as eyes, pituitary gland, and

Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is needed for growth and maintenance of healthy tissues, especially skin, blood vessels, bones, gums, teeth. Vitamin C aids in resistance against infection and healing of wounds. It also helps the body absorb iron from food. Vitamin C can be found in green vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes and citrus fruits such as oranges and lemon. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy, iron deficiency and poor wound healing. A healthy diet

Thank you for sharing that information. As we go through these winter months, it is helpful to be informed about the misconception of Vitamin C. I was one of those believers that Vitamin C is a preventative method for riding the common cold. Social media also plays a part in this misconception. I recall seeing several commercials and advertisement where vitamin C tablets or cough drops aided in treating the common cold. It is very important to research misconceptions such as this one before becoming a believer.

“A recent study published in Seminars in Preventive and Alternative Medicine that looked at over 100 studies over 10 years revealed a growing list of benefits of vitamin C” (Kathleen M. Zelman, 2010).

We live in a society in which we are in a state of constant fear of diseases. From when we are young we are taught repeatedly to wash our hands before every meal and to eat an apple daily. Moreover, we are catechized on a regular basis to bundle up so we do not catch a cold or pneumonia. Likewise, our doctors advise us to visit them annually to make sure we don’t have deficiency related disorders such as scurvy or anemia. What if there is a vitamin that could aid in preventing the aforementioned illnesses? Would it not be worth a try? Consider this an introduction to vitamin C! Details on this “wonder vitamin” are elaborated in the subsequent paragraphs!