Dr. Linda J. Dobberstein, DC, Board Certified in Clinical Nutrition
Vitamin C supports adrenal hormones, brain health, collagen production, and immune function throughout the body.
• It helps convert cholesterol to bile acids, supporting healthy metabolism and gallbladder function.
• Learn how much vitamin C you need each day
Vitamin C is a favorite go-to supplement for immune health, but it has so many other fundamental roles for your overall health. It is essential for adrenal gland function, collagen and skin, blood vessel elasticity, brain health, cholesterol, bile acid flow, and other metabolic benefits for your body. Discover the benefits of this “Jack of all trades” vitamin.
High Priority Needs for Vitamin C
The adrenal glands and brain have the highest priority for vitamin C as seen in a recent study. In the adrenal glands, vitamin C participates in the production of pregnenolone. This adrenal steroid hormone is metabolized from cholesterol into cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for your adrenal gland, stress tolerance, and functionalities.
In the brain, vitamin C plays an essential role in neurodevelopment during pregnancy and early life. It is also necessary for the synthesis of myelin and glial cells in all ages.
Vitamin C has numerous antioxidant benefits for cognitive and motor function and mitochondria recovery. It assists in regulating the expression of anti-inflammatory genes in the brain. Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant to protect the specialized fats/phospholipids in cell membranes in the brain and other tissues against lipid peroxidation.
Vitamin C is a cofactor for dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin production. It helps inhibit the activity of extracellular glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, that contributes to free radical production when brain health is stressed. Vitamin C also supports sleep regulatory mechanisms and quality.
Vitamin C Discovered for Cholesterol and Bile Acid Flow
Vitamin C is often forgotten about for the role it plays in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism. In the 1970’s, studies demonstrated that vitamin C is involved with bile acid synthesis. Specifically, vitamin C is required for activation of the “cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase”. This liver enzyme controls the rate of cholesterol metabolism into bile acids, like a conveyor belt pulling cholesterol from circulation and metabolically transforming it into bile acid.
With high levels of vitamin C in the liver, cholesterol is metabolized healthfully supporting bile acid flow in the gallbladder. When vitamin C levels decline, this enzyme activity slows down, which leads to cholesterol and bile sludge build up in the gallbladder.
Additional Functions of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is needed by other tissues in your body in response to repair and immune needs, oxidative stress, etc. Some additional essential roles include:
• It is a key element necessary for collagen synthesis supporting skin, musculoskeletal tissues, gastrointestinal and respiratory tissues
• Assists in the conversion of folic acid (non-active) into bioactive folinic acid, essential for red blood cell formation and proper size, as well as methylation, brain, cardiovascular health, and homocysteine metabolism..
• Promotes mitochondrial biogenesis by activating AMPK signaling mechanisms
• Essential for mitochondrial protection and energy production
• Liver metabolism and clearance of toxins
• Endothelial lining protection from oxidative stress and blood vessel elasticity
• Cofactor for methylation which involves DNA and the regulation of gene expression
• Cofactor for carnitine synthesis, which is essential for mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism/fat burning
• Aids in calming feelings of restless legs and itchiness due to its antioxidant activity, etc.
• Targets angiotensin-converting enzyme-1(ACE-1) production and supports eNOS for blood vessel dilation and blood flow
• Supports muscle energy, musculoskeletal and joint comfort, gingival health, and exercise tolerance
• Stimulates the production and function of various white blood cells while protecting them against oxidative stress
How Much Vitamin C Do You Need?
An estimated 10% of the Western world population is substantially lacking vitamin C. Even higher rates of inadequate vitamin C intake are seen in children, pregnant women, and smokers. Higher needs for vitamin C have been identified for heart health, blood flow, metabolism and weight, blood sugar, and fatty liver congestion.
Vitamin C requirements increase with diminished dietary intake, restrictive diets, compromised digestion, malabsorption and pancreatic insufficiency, alcohol use, eating disorders and diarrhea. The likelihood of lower vitamin C stores occurs with obesity, increased age, Western diet, pregnancy, metabolic dysfunction, estrogen treatment, and other factors.
The RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women, the minimal amount necessary to maintain vitamin C concentration in neutrophils, a type of white blood cell. This recommendation does not consider tissue needs for brain or adrenal health, increased oxidative stress, immune challenges, or repair needs.
Optimizing Your Vitamin C Intake
Rich sources of vitamin C include Kiwi Gold x1 (130 mg), strawberries 1 cup (85 mg), orange, navel (83 mg), orange juice, frozen 6 oz (68 mg), sweet red pepper raw ½ c (59 mg) with lesser amounts in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kiwi green, grapefruit, and very small amounts in potato, tomato, banana, apple, spinach, and others.
If you need a power boost for your vitamin C intake, consider:
Daily Protector Eye & Immune contains 200 mg vitamin C per capsule, along with other important antioxidants.
Wellness Resources Vitamin C provides 1,000 mg highly purified vitamin C ascorbic acid per capsule. Higher doses may be helpful for promoting bowel motility.
Buffered C Powder contains high purity vitamin C blended with calcium and magnesium, making it easy on the digestive tract. 60 scoops per bottle; each scoop contains 2,750 mg vitamin C.
Buffered Vitamin C is a great choice for those who have a sensitive stomach or those taking over 3,000 mg of vitamin C per day. Unlike other Buffered C supplements, ours is made without alcohol, using a unique water buffering process. The Buffered Vitamin C powder does not promote bowel motility as much as the ascorbic acid capsule option.
Humans do not make vitamin C, so getting it from the diet is essential. Modern agricultural practices of harvesting produce before its ripe and busy lifestyles often interfere with being able to obtain suitable dietary amounts for increased needs and protection. Vitamin C is indeed a powerhouse “Jack of all trades” vitamin and must be important part of anyone’s nutritional routine.
Additional Resources
Natural Adrenal Support for Stress Tolerance and Well-Being
A Guide to the Optimal Administration of Vitamin C
