Vitamin C:
The Wonder Vitamin!

 Liah’s Notes:  Vitamin C has been a life-saver for me, as well as a “face-saver”. I know that it’s what kept me healthy through nine years of traveling to a different city every day – over 400 cities on four continents, multiple times!
          It protects against colds, flu, illnesses of every kind, including cancer. It also helps protect against stroke and heart problems, as well as helps skin to look younger!
          In 1981, when I was trying to help my mother fight cancer, I actually met Dr. Linus Pauling, the physician and researcher who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work in Vitamin C research. He gave me suggestions on how to assist my mother, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
          I take 1,000 – 3,000 mg of Ester C daily, depending on the amount of stress I am under, as well as whether I feel I need more protection from colds and flu. Take no more than 1,000 mg every 4 hours. Research indicates that you can absorb only about 750 mg at one time, so take it with meals 2 or three times a day. Please read the wonderful information below!

Vitamin C - Past to Present

Vitamin C has a long and colorful history. Before it was known by its current name, its importance was realized by people of many cultures. In the 1750’s, Dr. James Lind demonstrated the importance of citrus fruit in preventing scurvy among sailors and led to the nickname "limeys" for British mariners. Perhaps less well-known is that the name 'ascorbic acid' comes from similar roots, 'antiscorbutic', being the technical term for antiscurvy.

The fact that we have to take vitamin C at all seems to be a sort of biological accident, probably a genetic mutation, which happened hundreds of thousands of years ago. Virtually all animals can produce ascorbate from glucose in their liver through a step-wise biochemical chain of reactions, each mediated by a specific enzyme. In humans, the last enzyme in the series is missing, and it is the loss of this unit that accounts for the vast majority of people in the world being short of acceptable amounts of vitamin C for optimal health and longevity.

Some scientists estimate that without the genetic defect, the human adult would manufacture 10.000 to 20,000 milligrams of ascorbate daily and three to five times that amount during stress. While vitamin C is plentiful throughout the plant kingdom, in light of the fact that most people are deficient in it is evidence that few people consume a well-balanced diet. Those who wish to supplement their daily intake now have a new option - esterfied vitamin C.

Vitamin C Facts
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), a water soluble vitamin, is a potent antioxidant and studies suggest that this nutrient may prevent premature death from heart disease and cancer. Vitamin C was originally revealed for its anti-scurvy properties but the focus nowadays is more on its potential cell protection properties. Besides its antioxidant benefits, Vitamin C plays a primary role in collagen formation which is essential for the growth and repair of tissue cells, gums, blood vessels, bones, and teeth. Smokers and older people have a greater need for this vitamin.

How Vitamin C Works
Vitamin C strengthens the capillaries and cell walls and is essential for collagen formation. It functions in protein synthesis by changing the charge of iron so that it can be absorbed, and it works as an antioxidant. Vitamin C functions in the construction of protein from amino acids. Its collagen benefits, which bind together the cells of connective tissue, help to promote healing, prevent bruising, and keep ligaments and tendons strong and healthy. Vitamin C is necessary for healthy bones, muscles, blood vessels, and cartilage. It's been known as the antioxidant's antioxidant, because it functions to protect both beta-carotene and Vitamin E from oxidation, too. Vitamin C blocks the formation of nitrosamines (cause of certain types of gastrointestinal cancers) from nitrates, which are commonly added to smoked and cured meat products.

Possible Benefits

• Protection against cancer and heart disease
• Strengthens immunity and may prevent colds or minimize them through its mild antihistamine effects
• Potent antioxidant and raises blood glutathione, another antioxidant produced by the body
• Helps prevent cataracts
• Increases iron absorption
• Acidifies urine to prevent some types of kidney and bladder infections (urinary tract infections)
• Helps treat asthma
• Promotes healthy gums
• Assists in lowering blood cholesterol
• Prevents many types of viral and bacterial infections
• Acts as a natural laxative
• Lowers blood clot incidences
• Reduces allergy-producing effects of many substances
• Prevents scurvy
• Extends life by enabling protein cells to hold together

Vitamin C - A Necessary Nutrient

Almost anyone can recite at least two or three good reasons to take vitamin C, and new discoveries are regularly announced. Its virtues have been extolled for decades and supplements from a few milligrams to mega-doses have been advocated for everything from the common cold to cancer. The clinical reports supporting the diverse claims of this healthful substance are growing at an astounding rate. Below are just a few of the more recent studies conducted on vitamin C.

Because the eye contains a very high concentration of vitamin C, studies were conducted to explore the possible link between cataract development and vitamin C deficiency. In a study involving 108 cataract patients, Dr. A. Ringvold and his colleagues found that the majority of the patients lacked adequate levels of vitamin C.

A study conducted at the University of Chile in Santiago demonstrated that by adding approximately 100 milligrams of vitamin C to the diet of 364 infants, their absorption of iron doubled.

The "British Journal of Clinical Practice" ran an editorial written by Dr. I. Haslock, who observed elderly patients with joint diseases also often suffered from vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C deficiency frequently leads to excess blood in the joints, which in turn leads to many forms of arthritis.

In a number of separate studies that included adults of all ages, smokers and nonsmokers, and males and females, researchers found that daily supplementation of vitamin C effectively lowered serum cholesterol by an average of 15 % over an average of 2 to 12 months.

Others studies on vitamin C have concluded that daily supplementation significantly boosts the immune system, helps prevent and fight various forms of cancer, and effectively diminishes the incidence of periodontal disease.

Esterified C: The New Wonder Vitamin?

Recently a new and different kind of vitamin C was discovered, called ‘Ester C’. The excitement over this discovery is that it offers all the benefits of the current forms of vitamin C, plus a few others of its own. Ester is a chemist’s word to describe a particular chemical bonding configuration Esterified vitamin C means that several ascorbic acid molecules have been linked together in a certain way to form one large molecule.

The advantages of the esterified form go far beyond simply bonding several ascorbic acid molecules together. While it is true that there are significant advantages in that alone, there are others. Nonester forms of vitamin C are quickly eliminated from the body. Supplements of vitamin C are quickly absorbed through the intestinal tract. Afterwards, excess quantities are rapidly eliminated, mostly through urination and a small amount through perspiration. Studies show that approximately 73 percent of ascorbic acid ingested is removed from the body in less than 24 hours. In contrast, only 5 percent of the ester form was eliminated during the same period. The rest was constantly being utilized for a variety of functions.

Many people who consume large doses of vitamin C complain about the uncomfortable effects of its acidity. Ascorbic acid at pH 2.4 is, in fact, quite a potent acid. Even buffered forms of vitamin C don’t always alleviate the problem. Esterified C, on the other hand, is pH neutral - neither acidic nor alkaline. Hence, it is the most agreeable form, particularly for those with sensitive digestive systems. And, because of the unique method that goes into creating esterified C, no chemicals are present which can lead to the production of unpleasant stomach gas.

The importance of calcium has long been established in bone building and bone maintenance. It is believed that long-term calcium shortages are responsible for the fact that, among post-meno-pausal women, one in four is afflicted with osteoporosis. Interestingly, vitamin C improves calcium absorption. In order to be properly absorbed, calcium must first be linked with an organic acid (such as ascorbic acid). It appears that this is the reason for the effectiveness of this duo. Therefore, there are compounded advantages to using a form of vitamin C in which the ascorbic acid is already naturally bonded (chelated) to calcium, as is the case of esterified C. In using calcium-bonded vitamin C, you maximize the benefits of both nutrients and, at the same time, improve the absorption of calcium. Esterified C is receiving world-wide recognition for its remarkable properties, and medical authorities are calling it the new "wonder vitamin".

Usage Guidelines
The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Vitamin C is 60 mg a day, but dosages up to 3000 mg are considered safe, and people who smoke, use oral contraceptives, or are under emotional and physical stress may need much more than the RDA. The side effects of taking too much Vitamin C may include loose stools, diarrhea, gas & bloating, which will discontinue when lowering the dose. Although the body protects itself by nonabsorption of high dosages of Vitamin C and excretion in the urine, high dosages may contribute to kidney stone formation and could precipitate abortion in pregnant women. A deficiency of Vitamin C can lead to scurvy, increased risk of heart attack, cataracts, and an abbreviated life span. Other symptoms include abnormal collagen formation leading to poor bone and teeth development, weak blood vessels, slow healing of wounds, small hemorrhages, blood clots, and black and blue marks under the skin.

Some Natural Sources
Kiwi fruit, orange, orange juice, cantaloupe, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, grapefruit, strawberries, watermelon, grape juice, raspberries, green peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, collard greens, potato, tomato, sweet potato, and red peppers.