Vitamin C Supplements

?Although people have used vitamin C as a remedy for the common cold for years now, new research shows that vitamin C supplements or even foods rich in vitamin-C will not actually reduce the risk of getting a cold for most people. Some nutritionists now say that treating a cold with vitamin C supplements is a waste of time and that a healthy diet will provide all the vitamin C a body actually needs and while it may be tempting to reach for vitamin C supplements, it’s a better choice to reach for a piece of fruit instead to deliver the most effective and rapid recovery from a common cold.
 
Even though popular vitamin c supplements like Airborne and Emergen-C do contain 1,000 mgs of vitamin C along with other vitamins and minerals in each dose, many health practitioners don’t recommend vitamin C in high doses and would prefer to see people get the vitamin C they need through the food they’re eating or through the use of multivitamins and not high-dose C supplements.
 
However, research has also shown that people who take vitamin C supplements regularly do sometimes have slightly shorter colds and milder symptoms when they do eventually get a cold, but the practice of using high-dose vitamin C supplements after cold symptoms have already begun does not appear to be helpful at all. Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that acts as an antioxidant, and helps protect cells from damage caused by free radical compounds formed when our bodies break down food or when we are exposed to smoke, radiation and air pollution. Vitamin C plays an essential role in the growth and repairs of tissues in all parts of the body, and also helps the immune system function more effectively.
 
Because the body cannot store vitamin C it is important to eat foods that contain it naturally like oranges and grapefruit. Other fruits with high amounts of vitamin C include cantaloupe, kiwi fruit, mangos, papayas, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and watermelons. In addition to fruits, some vegetables also have high amounts of vitamin C including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green and red peppers,  spinach, tomatoes and squash.
 
Cases of vitamin C deficiency are rare today because it can be prevented with just 10 mg of vitamin C a day, but taking more than 2,000 mg of extra C a day can cause diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps, and put stress on the kidneys as they work to excrete the excess vitamins. Today, most health practitioners simply recommend getting plenty of rest, fluids, and maintaining a healthy diet, as the most effective ways to prevent colds.