Vitamin C, a water soluble vitamin, is found in many fruits and vegetables (Gropper & Smith, 2013). Because of its stability in acidic environments, citrus sources are always noted as being the highest in ascorbic acid (Gropper & Smith, 2013). Sodium-dependent vitamin C transporters carry ascorbic acid for absorption in the small intestine, and ascorbic acid is oppositely absorbed according to ingestions. For example, if a lot of vitamin C is consumed, less will be absorbed, but at low intakes, almost all of it will be absorbed (Gropper & Smith, 2013). Vitamin C is transported freely through the blood and remains stored highest in the adrenal gland, pituitary gland, eyes, brain, and white blood cells (Gropper & Smith, 2013). Vitamin C plays major roles in collagen synthesis, carnitine synthesis, neurotransmitter synthesis, tyrosine synthesis and catabolism, and antioxidant activity (Lukaski, 2004; Gropper & Smith, 2013). It is the antioxidant activity of vitamin C that makes it so interesting in relation to performance.
Just as Current Sports Medicine Reports (2012) states, the reactive oxygen species that become present in the body can cause muscle damage and immune distress (Braakhuis, 2012). Vitamin C, being an antioxidant, can reduce the effects reactive oxygen species play. However, when training, part of being able to build upon workouts is having that muscle damage, or catabolism, and when vitamin C comes into play, too much of it will prevent the muscular damage (Braakhuis, 2012). Braakhuis notes that vitamin C in doses higher than 1g/day can impair sports performance. The proposal made by this study is that consuming vitamin C through the normal diet is enough to reap the benefits of the antioxidant effects but not reduce any progress made by training (Braakhuis, 2012). Lukaski (2004) notes that athletes who take vitamin C in doses of 250-500mg have been shown to have better controlled body temperature when exposed to training in heat. Another benefit to athletes of vitamin C is decreased illnesses (Lukaski, 2004). When taken in doses of 600mg, vitamin C helps decrease the amount of upper respiratory tract infections observed in runners (Lukaski, 2004).
While deficiency in vitamin C is mainly referenced to pirates getting scurvy, there are still reported cases. Because of all of the roles vitamin C plays, the symptoms of scurvy are not kind. Broken blood vessels, hemorrhaging, joint pain, broken skin, tooth decay, gum disease, difficulty healing injuries, or as the more common mnemonic: the four H’s (hemorrhagic, hyperkeratosis, hypochondriasis, hematologic) (Gropper & Smith, 2012). For all of these reasons, vitamin C is a very important vitamin that should never be neglected.
Sources
Braakhuis, A.J. (2012). Effect of vitamin C supplements on physical performance. Current Sports Medicine, Reports, 11(4), 180-184. doi:10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825e19cd
Gropper, S.S., & Smith, J.L. (2013). Chapter 9: Water soluble vitamins. Advanced nutrition and human metabolism (6th ed.)(pp.310-318). Belmont, CA:Wadsworth Cengage Learning
Lukaski, H.C. (2004). Vitamin and mineral status: Effects on physical performance. Nutrition, 20, 632-644. Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/42498982/Lukaski_HC._Vitamin_and_mineral_status_e20160209-12150-san0z5.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1544665570&Signature=e2fV%2FUWhQC4aqZa%2B9OJqRPgsTeI%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DVitamin_and_mineral_status_effects_on_ph.pdf
Disclaimer
All programs and articles provided are intellectual property of James Shmagranoff. No copies or redistribution of these is allowed without express permission from James Shmagranoff. James Shmagranoff is not a doctor and nothing contained within this article is to be taken as medical advice. Always follow the directions of your medical practitioner.
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