Vitamin C on the Go

By Amanda Tezyk, APRN, BSN, RN

Tired? Overwhelmed? Feeling sluggish? Haven’t fed your body the best “fuel” lately?
When you can’t get a dose of Vitamin Sea to reset your mind, a high dose IV of Vitamin C might be right kind of fuel your body is craving to get back on track.

High dose Vitamin C administered through IV will support your immune system, aids in iron absorption, and has antioxidant properties that help protect against damage from stress.

Vitamin C is an essential vitamin, meaning your body can’t produce it. Yet, it has many roles and has been linked to impressive health benefits. Vitamin C is water-soluble and found in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and spinach. While it’s true we should be eating our vitamin C from fresh foods, many people turn to supplements to meet their needs.

Here are 7 scientifically proven benefits of taking a vitamin C supplement.

1. May reduce your risk of chronic disease
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your body’s natural defenses. Antioxidants are molecules that boost the immune system. They protect cells from harmful molecules called free radicals. When free radicals accumulate, they can promote a state known as oxidative stress, which has been linked to many chronic diseases. Studies show that consuming more vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels and helps the body’s natural defenses fight inflammation.

2. May help manage high blood pressure
Approximately one-third of American adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure puts you at risk of heart disease. Vitamin C may help lower blood pressure in both those with and without high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure should not rely on vitamin C alone for treatment, but it can lower high blood pressure in the short term.

3. May lower your risk of heart disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Many factors increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, high triglyceride or LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Vitamin C may help reduce these risk factors, which may reduce heart disease risk.

While eating Vitamin C rich foods most likely means you follow a healthier lifestyle, adding at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily may reduce the risk of heart disease.

4. May reduce blood uric acid levels and help prevent gout attacks
Gout is a type of arthritis that affects approximately 4% of American adults. Gout is incredibly painful and involves inflammation of the joints, especially those of the big toes. People with gout experience swelling and sudden, severe attacks of pain. Gout symptoms appear when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is a waste product produced by the body. At high levels, it may crystallize and deposit in the joints. Several studies have shown that vitamin C may help reduce uric acid in the blood and, as a result, protect against gout attacks.

5. Helps prevent iron deficiency
Iron is an important nutrient that has a variety of functions in the body. Iron is essential for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. Vitamin C supplements can help improve the absorption of iron from the diet. Vitamin C assists in converting iron that is poorly absorbed, such as plant-based sources of iron, into a form that is easier to absorb. This is especially useful for people on a meat-free diet, as meat is a major source of iron.

6. Boosts immunity
One of the main reasons people take vitamin C supplements is to boost their immunity, as vitamin C is involved in many parts of the immune system. Vitamin C helps encourage the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infection. Vitamin C helps these white blood cells function more effectively while protecting them from damage by potentially harmful molecules, such as free radicals. Vitamin C is an essential part of the skin’s defense system. Vitamin C is actively transported to the skin, where it can act as an antioxidant and help strengthen the skin’s barriers.

Low vitamin C levels have been linked to poor health outcomes. For example, people who have pneumonia tend to have lower vitamin C levels, and vitamin C supplements have been known to shorten the recovery time of pneumonia patients.

7. Protects your memory and thinking as you age
Dementia is a broad term used to describe symptoms of poor thinking and memory. Studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves (altogether known as the central nervous system) can increase the risk of dementia. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Those with low levels of vitamin C have been linked to an impaired ability to think and remember People with dementia generally have lower blood levels of vitamin C. High vitamin C intake from food or supplements has been shown to have a protective effect on thinking and memory as we age. Vitamin C supplements may aid against conditions like dementia if you don’t get enough vitamin C from your diet.

To discuss how IV Cocktails can benefit you and your overall wellness, contact Amanda and Steven Tezyk at BR Rejuvenation and Hydration Therapy in Punta Gorda.

BR Rejuvenation and Hydration Therapy

239-980-4739

brrejuvenationandhydration.com
brrejuvenationandhydration@gmail.com