Get to know Vitamin C!

Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is a strong antioxidant that is needed in our body to maintain the general health and wellness of our body. However, the vitamin is not produced naturally in the human body hence daily dietary intake is essential!

Vitamin C is one of the natural remedies for the healing of cold and flu use dated back from the 1970s until today. Many young and old would ingest daily Vitamin C be it from dietary intake or supplementary intakes such as chewable or effervescent tablets. Most of us believe that taking Vitamin C everyday is essential to keep ourselves healthy.

Can Vitamin C really cure and prevent Cold?

Back in the 1970s, Linus Pauling has urged the public to take 3000mg  Vitamin C daily (more than 50 times the recommended intake). The "Linus Pauling effect" named after Linus Pauling where it had to lead to the sales and demand for Vitamin C have skyrocketed according to Vitamin manufacturers.

While Vitamin C has little evidence on effectively preventing one from catching a cold or curing one from the common cold. Some studies are suggestive that taking Vitamin C can help alleviate symptoms of common cold and may even shorten the duration of symptoms. Though, taking vitamin C after the presentation of cold symptoms might not be beneficial.

Should I still take Vitamin C for Cold?

Daily Vitamin C intake is still widely recommended by doctors and pharmacists in order to maintain the immunity of the body. A study took place in 2012, 1000mg of Vitamin C in combination with 10mg Zinc have presented to be better compared to vitamin C alone to battle the common cold. 

What is the Daily Requirement for Vitamin C?

Daily intake requirement of Vitamin C varies according to age and gender. Generally, adult men are 90mg per day while adult women are 75mg per day. 

Table 1: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements suggested the amount of daily intake of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is readily available in fruits!

Other than the supplements, fruits are naturally packed with Vitamin Cs. You will be surprised, oranges are not the ones with the highest content of Vitamin C!

• Guavas - Contains 228mg of Vitamin C per 100g, rich in antioxidant and lycopene
• Blackcurrant - 181mg of Vitamin C per 100g, rich in flavonoids known as anthocyanins
• Sweet Yellow peppers - 183mg per 100g containing highest Vitamin C content among all sweer peppers.
• Acerola Cherries - 822mg of Vitamin C per 49g, potent Vitamin C content and may accompanied with cancer-fighting properties.
• Oranges - 53mg of Vitamin C per 100g, a medium orange would provide 70mg of vitamin C 

References

1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/cold-and-flu/can-vitamin-c-prevent-a-cold#:~:text=The%20impact%20on%20colds&text=More%20encouraging%3A%20taking%20at%20least,one%20less%20day%20of%20illness.

2. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#h7

3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-c/faq-20058030#:~:text=For%20adults%2C%20the%20recommended%20daily,Diarrhea

4. https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/default.htm

5. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3