Vitamin C - Antioxidant Nutrition
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) |
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Vitamin C Benefits |
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Acts as an antioxidant (reduces harm from damaging chemical processes in the body). Vitamin C functions as a potent antioxidant, generating interest in its potential to combat disease and retard the aging process. Essential for the production of collagen, the basic protein in bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. |
Recommended daily allowance (RDA) or dietary reference intake (DRI) |
The serum level of vitamin C peaks at an intake in the range of 150 mg per day.
The RDA, previously set at 60 mg per day for adults, has been revised upward to 90 mg per day as the importance of antioxidants to health has become increasingly clear. High doses of vitamin C are relatively innocuous, but toxic effects, particularly gastrointestinal discomfort, at doses in excess of 500 mg per day have been reported. Overt deficiency manifests as scurvy and occurs at an intake level of approximately 10 mg per day in adults. Paleolithic intake of vitamin C is estimated to have been slightly above 600 mg per day.
(Smokers need an additional 35 mg.) |
