When you read or hear the word malnourished, what image pops into your head? That of a tragically weak-looking, starving child, perhaps? Well, when you think about it, what malnourished actually means is when someone’s diet is deficient in specific nutrients so it damages their health and prevents their bodies from functioning properly. That means that, yes, potentially everyone on Earth can become malnourished – should they not ensure (or not be able to ensure) they have enough variety and nutrition in their food.

And one of the key nutrients every one of us should be getting from our diet is Vitamin C (or L-ascorbic acid), an essential antioxidant to be found in an array of different fruits and vegetables¹. Why is it so essential? Just look at the facts – Vitamin C…

• Supports growth and development of the body and aids damaged-tissue-repair^{2, 3}

• Aids collagen production, which critically contributes to healthy skin, blood vessels, cartilage, ligaments and tendons⁴

• Stimulates iron absorption and enhances the fight against cell-damaging free radicals⁵

• Promotes heart health⁶

• May reduce the risk of high blood pressure^{7, 8, 9}

Deficiency – and its dangers

To that end then, Vitamin C deficiency can be very bad news. Indeed, in one of the worse-case scenarios, it could lead to scurvy. No, scurvy isn’t just a pirate-derived slang term for a nautically-derived illness; it is a genuine disease. One that, thankfully, nowadays doesn’t occur that often in the Western world because few are heavily deficient in Vitamin C. Its symptoms, though, include the likes of fatigue, anaemia, scaly skin, easy bruising and gum disease⁷. Very unpleasant. As mentioned, in developed countries the chances of someone developing scurvy are low – but there is still a chance (vulnerable people in the United States are at risk even¹⁰); vigilance is important then, which means we must all ensure we’re getting enough Vitamin C. Deficiency can be caused by:

• Too little fruit and veg in your diet; evaporated or boiled cow’s milk for babies as opposed to breast milk

• Medical conditions such as digestive tract injuries/ inefficiencies, kidney disease, genetic diseases and certain kinds of cancer¹⁰

• Smoking – the tissue damage tobacco causes ensures the body requires more Vitamin C than normal, ensuring smokers/ those exposed to second-hand smoke probably need as much as 35g extra of Vitamin C each day¹⁰

Recommended daily intake

Speaking of recommended intake, according to the US Office of Dietary Supplements, that will vary based on your age – and your gender¹¹. However, the US Government guidelines for Vitamin C intake are surely far too low. Experts suggest that – as stated, dependant on their age, body weight and pre-existing conditions – individuals should be aiming to boost their daily levels of the vitamin to anything between 3g and 15g¹². For his part, Dr Linus Pauling, the early and great advocate of Vitamin C, recommended a daily allowance of up to 18g¹³. In short, we always need Vitamin C; whatever our age, gender or body weight.

Natural sources

As you may have guessed, it’s best to get your Vitamin C the traditional way – from organic, natural sources. At the high end of the scale then¹¹, we’re talking those colourful fruits and vegetables – the likes of red and yellow peppers, orange juice and oranges themselves, grapefruit juice, kiwifruit and green peppers. If these aren’t entirely your cup of tea then maybe more regular (certainly more traditional) fare in a British diet are also good¹⁴, such as strawberries, Brussels sprouts, tomato juice, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and baked potatoes.

Supplementation

But what if you’re the kind of person that, try as you might, has just never got on with fruit and veg? Well, in that case, you may consider Vitamin C supplements. Not only are all of the following available via The Finchley Clinic, they’re also especially recommended because they’re organically, naturally derived:

Buffered Vitamin C (from calcium ascorbate) powder (180g and 60g) – ideal for those suffering from poor digestion, this supplement’s gentle and non-acidic; plus, as it comes in powder form, it can be easily mixed into drinks

Fizzy C (20 tablets) – additive- and artificial flavouring-free, this is ideal for all ages, not least because each tablet’s naturally sweetened so tastes great

Immune+ (Vitamin C with zinc) – in easy-to-swallow tablet form, this supplement contains the powerful antioxidant that’s blackcurrant, as well as zinc, black elderberry (which offers additional immune support) and bilberry (which provides the Vitamin C); available in bottles of 180, 90 and 30 tablets

Tapioca Vitamin C (formerly Ultra Pure Vitamin C) (1,000mg; 90 capsules) – comprising 99.9% Vitamin C, this supplement’s derived from tapioca (cassava root) as opposed to corn, a food source that very few people are allergic to.

References:

1. ‘Vitamin C’. MedlinePlus. US National Library of Medicine, 9 Mar 2016. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
2. Zeratsky, K. ‘Too Much Vitamin C: Is It Harmful?’. MayoClinic.org. Mayo Clinic, 5 Feb 2015. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
3. ‘Wounds’. University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland, 5 Jan 2015. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
4. Boyera, N., Galey, I. and Bernard, B. A. (1998) ‘Effect of vitamin C and its derivatives on collagen synthesis and cross-linking by normal human fibroblasts’. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 20: 151–158. doi: 10.1046/j.1467-2494.1998.171747.x.
5. Lynch, S. R. and Cook, J. D. (1980) ‘INTERACTION OF VITAMIN C AND IRON’.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 355: 32–44. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1980.tb21325.x.
6. Osganian, S. K., Stampfer, M. J., Rimm, E. and Spiegelman, D. ‘Vitamin C and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women’. ACC Current Journal Review 12.5 (2003): 27. PubMed. Web.
7. ‘Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)’. University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland, 16 July 2013. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
8. Juraschek, S. P. et al. ‘Effects of Vitamin C Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials’. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 95.5 (2012): 1079–1088. PMC. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
9. Ness, A. R., Chee, D. and Elliott, P. ‘Vitamin C and Blood Pressure–an Overview’. J Hum Hypertens Journal of Human Hypertension 11.6 (1997): 343-50. PubMed. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
10. ‘Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Consumers’. National Institutes of Health. US Department of Health & Human Services, 17 Feb 2016. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
11. ‘Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals’. National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 11 Feb 2016. Web. 11 Mar 2016.
12. Stock, S. L. ‘”C” your way to good health’. The Association for Systematic Kinesiology Newsletter. Jan 1989.
13. Pauling, L. ‘My love affair with Vitamin C’. Profiles.nlm.nih.gov. Web. 2016.
14. Bobroff, L. B. and Valentin-Oquendo, I. ‘Facts About Vitamin C’. University of Florida IFAS Extension. University of Florida, n.d. Web. 11 Mar 2016.