The Reasons You Should Get Excellent Vita C Supplementation

By Lydia Greyson


Vitamin C supplements are generally low in cost and safe for most people unless taken in excessive amounts. They come in many forms, from powdered drink mixes to capsules and chewable tablets. Because the body quickly excretes excess vitamin C, most experts recommend that it be taken in two to three doses.

The best dietary source of vitamin C is fruits and vegetables, with the amount of vitamin C varying in each. Guavas provide a large 377 mg (over 600 percent of the RDA) per cup. Sliced fresh kiwis contain 164 mg per cup, while oranges and strawberries contain approximately 98 mg per cup. Large amounts of vitamin C are also found in papayas, red berries and currants.

Free radicals are formed by digestion and breaking down of food as well as the natural aging process. Additionally, accumulation of free radicals may be connected to the formation of cancers and other diseases. Scurvy is unusual in developed countries, although low levels of vitamin C in the body are common in almost all populations.

Experts have estimated that only about 10 to 20 percent of adults eat the recommended amounts fruits and vegetables-about nine to 10 servings each day-to obtain the needed vitamins. These high-nutrient foods also contain the most vitamin C when eaten raw. Growing and climate conditions, storage, transportation and cooking of these foods causes further depletion of the vitamin content.

Recommended daily amounts of vitamin C vary according to weight, age and sex. Infants under the age of 12 months require 40 to 50 mg each day, while children ages 1 through 3 require 15 mg; ages 4 through 8, 25 mg; and ages 9 through 13, 45 mg each day. Due to their rapid growth, adolescents require larger amounts, with girls ages 14 to 18 requiring 65 mg, and boys ages 14 through 18, 75 mg per day.




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