Staying healthy, especially for kids, can be tough. Children are sent to school with cold symptoms that spread between shared pencils, playing tag at recess, and uncovered coughs and sneezes.
Preventive measures should be taken, such as proper hand washing and a good night's rest, but when that's not enough, a healthy dose of Vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid) can add a boost to one's body to help them fight off sickness.
The best part about Vitamin C is that it's found in so many foods, such as:
- plums
- acerola
- parsley
- bell peppers
- broccoli
- passion fruit
- banana
Too Little Vitamin C Can Lead to Scurvy and Cancer
For those who do not know exactly what scurvy is, it should be enough to inspire vitamin C intake to know what it causes. Scurvy results in:
- liver spots on the skin
- spongy gums
- bleeding from all mucous membranes
Smokers who do not get a proper amount of vitamin C are more likely to incur lung diseases such as emphysema and cancer.
Too Much Vitamin C Can Lead to Iron Overload
Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. If too much is taken in through supplements or C-rich foods then it is possible for people to take in too much. More commonly, though, too much Vitamin C causes indigestion and diarrhea.
While the latter may be more preferable to the former, it is best to steer clear from both.
Can Someone Die From Vitamin C?
For those who believe that too much of a good thing is a good thing have not overdosed on vitamin C.
While it would be difficult, there is a way for people to have too much. When taken orally, a potentially deadly dose would be about 1% of one's body weight, so if a person weighs 200 pounds, it would be a bad idea to drink a quart of pure ascorbic acid.
Additional Sources of Vitamin C
The richest sources for vitamin C are generally found in fruits and vegetables, but that is not to say that protein/vitamin B-rich foods aren't without it either. Vitamin C can also be found in:
- liver
- oysters
- cod roe
- fresh milk from humans, goats, and camels
With so many sources for vitamin C, it would be hard to go without. Luckily, it is a water soluble vitamin, as opposed to vitamins A and B, which are fat soluble. Otherwise, the commonality of this nutrient could prove harmful as it would place much work on the liver in order to filter it out of the body.
It is vitamin C's ability to be easily taken and passed that allows for people to go back to school and not have to worry about catching other people's colds as often. Without it, every district may have to resort to back-to-school breaks each year due to high levels of absenteeism.
Related Articles:
Rejuvenate Cartilage With Glucosamine
Healthy Babies and Less Stress With Vitamin B
Sources:
OregonState.edu. "Vitamin C." (accessed March 5, 2010).
nlm.nih.gov. "Vitamin C." (accessed March 6, 2010).
VitaminCFoundation.org. "Vitamin C." (accessed March 7, 2010).
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