We Brits take our health and wellness seriously, so much so that a whopping £36 million a year is spent on vitamin C alone. So why do people rely so wholeheartedly on this specific vitamin? It seems the majority take it to support their immune system and rightly so.

Researchers have finally conceded that vitamin C can help to reduce the length and severity of the common cold even though it doesn’t necessarily stop you catching it.

What many people don’t realise is that vitamin C has a multitude of other functions in the body, so shouldn’t just be relegated to the back of the bathroom cabinet until winter arrives. According to a number of clinical, experimental and population studies, increasing vitamin C levels, can result in a whole range of health benefits.

These include enhancing wound repair, reducing cancer rates, increasing life expectancy, protecting against pollution and cigarette smoke, reducing the risks of cataracts and improving gum health.

Why it’s so important?

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin predominantly found in fruit and vegetables. It is frequently added to foods as a preservative and readily available in supplement form. The need for dietary sources of vitamin C is essential for humans as, unlike many of our animal friends, humans are unable to synthesize vitamin C within the body.

During times of stress and toxic overload animals like goats are capable of producing around 100,000mg vitamin C a day. Not surprisingly they rarely get ill!

For us to obtain this amount of vitamin C from the diet would entail eating about 1,400 oranges a day - an impossible task, but even supplementing with high doses of vitamin C brings its challenges. Tight regulation controls in the gut and kidneys mean absorption of standard oral vitamin C can reach saturation point at as little as 200mg. In fact the more we take in the less we absorb.

Thanks to incredible new liposomal technology, vitamin C is now available in a form that overcomes the usual digestive problems and can be delivered straight to the cells that need it.

Altrient C is one of the few liposomal vitamin C’s available in this country that can offer almost 10 times the bioavailability of standard oral supplements.

What does that mean? It means 98% of the good stuff gets absorbed into your bloodstream immediately!

Here are a few other great benefits of Vitamin C:

• It improves sperm quality

• Reduces exercise related muscle soreness

• Is involved in cardiac health

• Boosts collagen production

• Increases cognitive function

• Reduces the likelihood of cataracts

• Helps prevent gout through uric acid reduction

• Linked to diabetes prevention

• Helps the body adapt to stress

• Detoxifies harmful chemicals

And it can also…

Fight fatigue

Energy production is heavily dependent on several vitamins and minerals in particular vitamin C, which is an essential co-factor in the metabolic processes that produce energy from glucose. It is also essential for the absorption of Iron which we need to carry oxygen to our cells in order to produce energy. Low iron is a common cause of fatigue.

Brighten your day

Vitamin C shouldn’t be overlooked by sufferers of low mood. It’s found in high concentrations in the brain and plays a key role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine - both necessary for mood regulation. Studies have found a correlation with low levels of vitamin C and depression.

The significant health benefits of vitamin C can’t be ignored so make sure you up your intake every day - not just once a year!

Jacqueline Newson BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy

Abundance and Health