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# Vitamin C

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Vitamin C is a vitamin ("vita" in Latin is "Life" and "-amin" suffix is short form of "amine"). To be precise, Vitamin C should be called by its chemical name: [ascorbic acid]?. Ascorbic acid is water-soluble.

As a participant of hydroxylation?, Vitamin C is needed for the production of collagen in the [connective tissue]?. These fibres are ubiquitous throughout human body and all organs need these fibres for constant rebuilding of their structure. Some tissue?s have a greater percentage of fibres, they are :

- skin?
- [mucous membrane]?s
- teeth?
- bone?s

Lack of ascorbic acid in daily diet leads to avitaminosis? - a disease called scurvy? and characterized by :

- loose teeth
- superficial bleeding
- fragility of [blood vessel]?s
- poor healing
- compromised immunity?
- mild anaemia?

Daily dietary recommendations by different authorities say of 50-150 mg of ascorbic acid per day.
In case of disease highest doses rarely exceed 1000 mg (1g). High doses may result in diarrhoea
Recently "Nature?" reported carcinogenic and teratogenic effects of excessive doses of vitamin C.

Vitamin C is used to prevent scurvy?, help iron absorption and heal bruise?s. It is also useful as a concommitant medicine in cold?s, flu?, and other infection?s. Rationale for the use is that there is increased demand and ascorbic acid take part in regeneratory actions.

Foods with good sources of vitamin C are, limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruits, papaya, brocoli, brussel sprouts,blackberries, strawberries, cauliflower, spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and blueberries. An excess of vitamin C is excreted. Most animals can synthesize their own vitamin C, but some animals, including primates, guinea pigs, and humans cannot. Vitamin C was first isolated in 1928, and in 1932 it was found to cure scurvy?. Vitamin C is also used in the body for amino acid synthesis and to release hormones? from the [adrenal glands]?.

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Last edited August 9, 2001 12:01 pm (diff)
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