Your cart is currently empty
Vitamin C is one of the most amazing nutrients found in food on our planet. It not only literally keeps our bodies alive but allows us to thrive and give our cells protection and regeneration. Without adequate Vitamin C, you would actually die.
The way that Vitamin C works in the body is mainly as a cofactor, assisting the cells in things like connective tissue regeneration and repair, fat metabolism, and neurotransmitter production. It also functions as an antioxidant, which helps to clear out damaging free radicals which occur as a part of a cell’s existence, whether that is from exposure to toxins or just from regular metabolic activity.
Benefits of Vitamin C may include:
— Connective tissue functionality including skin, bones, joints and ligaments
— Assists with absorption of other compounds like iron
— Neutralizes damaging free radicals
— Supports a strong immune system
— Reverses harmful effects of oxidative stress
— Promotes eye health in the collagen tissues
— Supports nervous system function
— Supports the adrenal glands and hormonal balance
— Assists in the body’s creation of Vitamin E and glutathione, two other extremely important antioxidants
— Higher levels of Vitamin C are associated with higher levels of cognitive function
If the body does not have enough Vitamin C, this may result in:
— Collagen not working properly
— Enzymes in the body not working properly
— Bleeding and bruising easily
— Poor skin and hair health
— Anemic symptoms
— Constipation
In an ideal and somewhat romantic world, we would get as much Vitamin C as we need from the foods we eat. Indeed, if you are eating a lot of raw foods, especially fruit, you are intaking the foods with the highest amount of naturally occurring Vitamin C.
Sadly, the foods that are grown commercially by Big Agri for the most part are very lacking in nutrients. Over the last 100 or so years, the expedient commercial practices of not reinvesting back into the soil have allowed the foods to be grown without absorbing all of the minerals and compounds that would otherwise be found in nature. Also, produce is harvested early before the food takes in more nutrients from the soil as it fully ripens. The result is that food has shown declining levels of many kinds of nutrients, including Vitamin C. This has been documented in studies showing a dramatic decline of 30% over just a 22 year span of time (from 1975 to 1997) as the soil became more and more barren of nutrients. If that’s the case in just 22 short years, how much has it dropped in a century? It is difficult to quantify exactly, but one can imagine.
The other factor to consider is excessive oxidative stress, which can beg for additional antioxidant support that would come from a substance like Vitamin C. Thinking back to our ancestral scene, not only would we be consuming foods with robust levels of Vitamin C, but our lives would be fairly simple and straightforward. We would have to contend with life-threatening issues and adrenaline-producing situations, no doubt, but the tension of life would be a simpler one than it is today and our lifestyles in many ways would have been actually healthier than they are in the modern world.
So does an average human in developed society today actually endure more oxidative stress than our tropical ancestors — the origins of humans — who were seeding the entire species? It’s quite impossible to quantify exactly, but my estimation would be probably yes. The average person in today’s world undergoes a constant influx of bad food, unhealthy substances being consumed, low levels of exercise (affecting blood and oxygen circulation, lymph flow, hormone balance, mood, muscle strength and bone density), issues with poor weight management, constant repetitive psychological stress from an unfulfilling job or purpose, cryptic negative messaging from the media, chemicals being laden in all types of household products, poisons being polluted into the air, water, and food supply, microwave EMF radiation, and even more stressors to the bodily unit — they go on and on.
So, if we have evolved to exist in such a way that is counter to nature, should we evolve to eat differently than our ancestors? I personally have found myself seduced by the romantic notion that we can eat just as a prehistoric human would in nature in order to achieve the best and most ideal balance in terms of health and wellness. But over the years, I have evolved in my approach and I admit that — because of the issues with commercial food and because of the influx of massive amounts of stressors in our modern environment — I am willing and even practically desperate to look for modern solutions to solve modern problems.
With this thought in mind, I can justify supplementation with an isolated substance like Vitamin C in certain scenarios and depending on your specific needs. Taking this compound is not without its risks and potential downsides, which is why I have to ponder all of the aforementioned considerations to figure out if it would be worthwhile.
There are also ways to help mitigate some of the issues with taking an isolated vitamin like C. For example, I would never consume ascorbic acid in an isolated form (not bound to a food) due to risk of creating over-acidity. The preferred form of Vitamin C is sodium ascorbate, which is bound in a salt form and has been known to create fewer issues of discomfort and digestive concerns. While ascorbic acid is moderately acidic in terms of its pH and should be avoided, sodium ascorbate is actually mildly alkaline. Also, I would take Vitamin C in a powder form and never by itself — instead I would mix it in with a smoothie, dressing or dish, so that it gets absorbed at the same time as the food and this ideally creates an easier assimilation process for the body.
Too much Vitamin C can create imbalances in the body, such as excess iron absorption or a decrease in levels of copper, and so do understand it is serious business to start to play chemist with your body and it’s not a trivial undertaking. At the same time, when you don’t have enough Vitamin C in your body, you risk having an excessive amount of free radicals and oxidative damage inside your body, so there is risk on both sides. By the same token, inadequate levels of Vitamin C could lead to suboptimal absorption of iron, or excessive amounts of copper in the body.
It would be wise if at all possible to consult with a professional with the knowledge of Vitamin C who can assist you. If it’s medical advice you seek, consult with a medical professional. Just be aware that many people are not necessarily aware of the issues with the nutrient deficiencies in the food or the oxidative stress levels creating excess need for more antioxidants — most of the time, you will receive recommendations of something like 90 mg per day, or perhaps 500 mg per day on the high end.
The choice to supplement with Vitamin C or with how much does also depend on your specific needs. One person may absorb Vitamin C better than another, for example. Excessive Vitamin C gets filtered out through the kidneys and intestines. If Vitamin C goes unabsorbed, the unabsorbed Vitamin C can also act as a stimulant to the intestines and generally has a laxative-type effect as it passes through the gut due to its astringent nature.
When the amount is very excessive, it affects the bowels, creating loose stools or maybe even excessive and watery defecation. If this is happening, then you should know that the amount is beyond your body’s saturation point and more than you can absorb, and should consider reducing the dosage to the point where this is not happening.
In terms of dosage, you can find studies and documentation of practitioners showing much higher levels of success with patients supplementing at around 2,000 to 3,000 mg / day, or in some cases even more, with some individuals with much more advanced health issues responding well to 5,000 mg / day of Vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbate, at least for a period of time. This is above the conventional wisdom that claims the upper limits for safe consumption are 2,000 mg per day.
Vitamin C can be employed to target certain needs as there are numerous health problems that have been shown to be improved with the assistance of Vitamin C supplementation — at least from anecdotal, clinical reports from practitioners who have worked with thousands of patients.
Supplementation with Vitamin C can also be something that goes on for a specific limited amount of time at a higher level and then tapered down. For example, if somebody is also undergoing supplementation with iodine and other related nutrients, this person may very well experience uncomfortable symptoms of bromide and/or fluoride detoxification as these chemicals get dislodged and then reattached to certain body tissues while they make their way out of the bowels, kidneys and skin. This can cause oxidative stress to the body and adding supplementation of Vitamin C at higher daily doses such as 2,000 mg, 3,000 mg, or even 5,000 mg in some cases has been reported mitigate some of these problems. After several weeks or months, the body has been cleared out of bromide and is now more sufficient in iodine, and Vitamin C supplementation levels could then be reduced to 500 to 2,000 mg per day or at whatever level the individual is comfortable with.
Be careful and exercise caution as you interact with this powerful compound. Although many individuals have reported success using higher dosages, there is some risk of creating a healing crisis if you start off with too much, too fast. It would be far better to to start at the low end of the dosage range and slowly ramp up if needed to the level that works well for you.
Here is the form of Vitamin C that I find to be of high quality:
RapidRegeneration.com/VitaminCPowder
Vitamin C is one of those areas where I was concerned about sharing this information because it is controversial, potentially risky, and using this tool might be appropriate in some situations and not so in others. You have to use your own discernment and figure out how to think for yourself, and not just take information from an expert as gospel. Use this information, and use the many years of experience and dedication I have put into distilling these insights. But ultimately, figure out what works for you.
I wish you good luck and great health in whatever you choose to do!