Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): What is it & benefits – with foods
Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients for the human body.
The body is unable to produce it, so we need to get our daily dose from an external source.
That is why it has become one of the most popular nutritional supplements in the world – not just among athletes!
But what is vitamin C, what are its benefits, what happens when you overdose on it or don’t take enough, and how much vitamin C per day is the recommended amount?
In the past, scurvy was common on ships, and nowadays we know that scurvy actually meant severe vitamin C deficiency.
This was due to the monotonous diet, as the crew did not consume any fruits or vegetables at all – only the durable foods, like canned food.
Symptoms included:
Fatigue
Sensitive joints and bones
Irritability
Slow wound healing
Hemorrhages under the skin and nails
Haemophilia
Tooth loss
Later some sailors noticed that various citrus fruits (e.g. lemons) and other foods high in vitamin C (e.g. sour cabbage) prevented the unknown disease.
It was first isolated by Albert Szent-Györgyi, a hungarian biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1937 because of his work.
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is an essential vitamin that our body cannot produce at all – however it is very important for it.
The 2 best sources are:
foods high in vitamin C
nutritional supplements
But what does vitamin C do?
First and foremost, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. In the cells –more precisely in the mitochondria– free radicals are formed during the energy-releasing process. The problem is, these radicals have a harmful effect on the human body.
Free radicals are neutralized by the body’s own antioxidants, but sadly in some situations (e.g. stress) they are unable to do so. This is when an antioxidant taken from an external source becomes very important.
It can also lower blood pressure, which affects a large percentage of adults.
It can also significantly reduces cardiovascular risks, which are currently the leading cause of death in the world.
Vitamin C significantly reduces the amount of uric acid, too.
It can also be associated with other minerals and trace elements, such as being able to reduce iron deficiency by helping the body absorb iron. It also plays an important role in collagen formation.
It also accelerates wound healing, which is very important for people who have had serious injuries or surgery.
Furthermore vitamin C is very important not only physically, but also mentally, as it is effective against dementia and memory impairment.
The list of vitamin C benefits is almost endless.
But be careful!
Along with many other vitamins, vitamin C is also sensitive to external stimuli such as heat.
Therefore, foods contain the most vitamin C when consumed in their raw state – without any cooking or steaming.
The best solution for the proper vitamin C intake is a balanced diet that also includes vegetables and fruits. This is important, because vitamin C deficiency can cause very serious problems in the functioning of the body.
But how much vitamin C per day is the recommended amount?
The recommended daily intake is 75 grams for women and 90 grams for men.
However, many take much more than the prescribed amount.
This may be justified in several cases:
For athletes
After surgery or injury
In case of illness, cold
What are the best sources of vitamin C?
Most vitamin C is found in raw vegetables and fruits in its natural form.
However, there is also a difference between vegetables and vegetables.
The best vitamin C rich foods are:
Sea buckthorn
Pepper
Sour cabbage
Spinach
Parsley
Broccoli
Pumpkin
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Tomato
Blueberry
Raspberry
Strawberry
Grapefruit
Orange
Mandarin
Lemon
It is often difficult to get enough vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, as today’s modern eating habits do not promote a vitamin C-rich diet.
This is where nutritional supplements come into play.
There are a lot of great products available, e.g. vitamin C tablets, capsules, powders, etc.
We recommend our best vitamin C supplement: Scitec Vita-c 1100 – or, if you are looking for a complex multivitamin solution, the Multi Pro Plus 30-pack multivitamin with 25 active ingredients.
But what happens in case of too much vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is excreted in the urine when an excessive amount enters the body.
Therefore, it is almost impossible to overdose on it with natural foods.
Artificial vitamin C sources and dietary supplements are dosed in such a way that they are safe to consume and do not cause an overdose if you follow the instructions for use.
Vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) is an essential vitamin and the body is unable to produce it.
It is one of the most important nutrients, its lack can lead to serious health risks.
Primarily try to consume it with a balanced, varied diet – but it can also be consumed with nutritional supplements.
Raw vegetables and fruits contain the largest amounts of it.
There are many benefits to consuming it, so you should strive to keep it available to your body at all times – not just in case of illness.
Home workout: What exercises should you do at home?
Many people think that there is no other place to build muscles but in a gym.
Actually, we are “breaking down” the muscles in the gym – and then we are “rebuilding” them with rest, nutrition and sleep at home.
But wouldn’t it be great if we could achieve all this in one place?
That is exactly what home workouts can do for you!
But who should train at home, what are the pros / cons of at home workouts, and how to get the best home workout plan?
The simplest answer: Yes, if you don’t want to go (yet) to the gym, a home workout can be great for you.
It’s worth taking a look at the root of this statement and figure out why you don’t want to.
There are several categories.
There is a popular misconception amongst beginners that they will be laughed at in the gym.
This thinking is completely wrong. Every bodybuilder remembers where they started, so they will show respect to beginners, not humiliation. If that’s why you don’t go to the gym as a beginner, it’s a good idea to reshape your thinking, because bodybuilders help each other rather than laugh at them.
On the other hand, if you want to develop proper movement coordination and some muscle first, while incorporating healthy lifestyle habits into your daily routine, you couldn’t find anything better than the home workout.
It is much less common to meet women in gyms than men.
One of the main reasons for this is that they don’t want to be “big”.
Oh, if it was that easy.
iIf someone goes to the gym regularly, she won’t become a two-door closet yet – it requires an extremely strict diet and very frequent, professional workouts. This is something that most people can’t afford, just those who are practicing the sport competitively, because this type of nutrition and exercise is extremely expensive and time consuming.
So if you don’t visit the gym because of this excuse, you’re wrong.
However, for a lot of women, a workout at home may be enough, especially for someone who wants to be tight, not thin.
The coronavirus epidemic has shown that we can be easily trapped between the 4 walls under extreme conditions.
But we don’t need an epidemic to have “extreme” situations.
Such circumstances may include:
little time
financial problems
workplace affairs
family changes
health issues
Then even those who otherwise spend most of their time in the gym can be trapped between the 4 walls.
So it is advisable to keep a workout equipment at home as well, as the above conditions can strike at any time.
But what exactly is this equipment?
It is a good idea to buy tools that:
are easy to store,
cost less than a full gym equipment,
allow you to properly train all muscle groups
The first and most important tool for this is weights.
The one-handed dumbbells are the best that meet the above conditions, but even a two-handed can be obtained. You will also need discs as each muscle group will need a different weight. At best, we will even improve, so after a while the base weight will not be enough.
Dumbbells are not expensive, but they are definitely not cheap either. They also take up quite a bit of space.
If you want an even cheaper and easier solution, we recommend the resistance band.
This simple tool can be used anywhere and anytime and is able to completely train any muscle - not to mention the price, which is also very friendly.
In addition to the equipment mentioned above, if you can still get an adjustable bench, and perhaps a non-slip mat, you’ve essentially reached not just the basic, but the advanced level equipment for the best home workout routine.
You can do whatever you want during your training - whether it’s watching a series or listening to music, it is your own fitness routine at home
You don’t have to wait for the equipment
You can wear whatever you want – or not wear anything
The “home workouts for men” are working too, because the home fitness programs are not only good for women
There is no traveling time
There is only a one-time cost of buying the equipment, no need to pay a gym ticket
Disadvantages of home exercises
You will often not be motivated to train at home
Limited resources available compared to the gym
There will be no other athletes around you who can motivate you
You can only get to a certain level at home, you will definitely need a gym for further development
There will be a lot of things that can distract you
In the beginning, it is hard to create a home fitness routine
Based on these, we recommend that you start your workouts at home - but if you feel a decrease in motivation or have reached the level that a workout at home can provide, step out of your comfort zone and start going to the gym.
Home training is recommended for both women and men, as well as beginners and advanced athletes.
It’s cheaper and easier with nutritional supplements, so take a look around Scitec's products.
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