Did you eat vitamin C correctly?

The Story of Vitamin C

In 1734, on a ship bound for Greenland, a crew member fell seriously ill with scurvy. The accompanying crew abandoned him on a deserted island, and he ate wild grass to satisfy his hunger and some lemons. Surprisingly, the scurvy was cured without treatment. Due to a lack of fresh vegetables and fruits, many sailors lost their lives to scurvy during early sea travel. In 1932, British military doctors isolated crystalline vitamin C from lemon juice to combat scurvy. In 1933, Swiss scientists synthesized vitamin C.

The function of vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin required by the human body. It has many important functions and roles in the human body, such as synthesizing collagen, preventing arteriosclerosis, treating anemia, treating and preventing scurvy, etc. Recent studies have shown that ensuring sufficient dietary intake of vitamin C or maintaining normal vitamin C levels in the blood circulation can help reduce age-related muscle loss, lower the incidence of sarcopenia, and is closely related to maintaining skeletal muscle health. Supplementing with vitamin C also has a certain effect on improving skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical function, and may play a synergistic effect in the exercise strategies of sarcopenia patients. In addition, vitamin C is one of the important antioxidant nutrients during pregnancy, providing necessary material support during pregnancy. Vitamin C also plays an important role in promoting platelet aggregation and inhibiting platelet consumption. High dose vitamin C therapy is also one of the safe and effective anti-tumor treatment options [4].

So what foods and medications can vitamin C be combined with to supplement the body's necessary nutrients and increase its effectiveness, which has certain benefits for the body?

1. Calcium containing foods or medications: After taking vitamin C, an acidic environment conducive to calcium absorption can be formed in the stomach, and insoluble calcium complexes can be prevented from forming and precipitating in the stomach. And calcium is an important element that makes up bone, so combining it with vitamin C is beneficial for promoting calcium absorption;

2. Iron containing foods or drugs: Vitamin C is beneficial for the absorption of iron. As an antioxidant, when taken together with iron containing foods or drugs, vitamin C can promote the absorption of plant-based iron and inhibit pigmentation, prevent anemia, skin diseases, or scurvy;

3. Foods or medications containing vitamin E: Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that can achieve antioxidant effects, protect body tissues, make the skin elastic, and effectively prevent gum recession and bleeding. Eating vitamin C in combination with vitamin E can increase the efficacy of each other, help improve various chronic diseases, and also improve symptoms caused by vitamin deficiency, such as diarrhea, headache, urgency, frequency of urination, and vomiting. It is beneficial for gastric spasms or abnormal skin sensitivity;

4. Foods or drugs containing vitamin B: Both vitamin B and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins and essential nutrients for all human tissues, serving as the key to energy release from food. Vitamin B can produce the nutrients needed for blood, while vitamin C is beneficial for enhancing the human immune system. Taking both at the same time has better therapeutic effects;

5. Cold medicine: During a common cold, there is a decrease in the body's immune system, and vitamin C can prevent white blood cells from being damaged by auto oxidation, playing a role in strengthening the immune system. It is generally taken in combination with cold medicine, which is more conducive to the recovery of the cold. However, some people may experience nausea, vomiting, picky eating, and picky eating after taking excessive amounts of vitamin C drugs, which can also increase the burden on the urinary system and cause abnormal microcirculation. Therefore, medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor and should not be taken privately to avoid adverse effects on the body.

What foods cannot be consumed together with vitamin C?  

1. Seafood: Vitamin C cannot be eaten with seafood, such as shrimp, which contains substances that can react with vitamin C tablets, such as arsenic. Arsenic may react with vitamin C tablets to form toxic substances.

2. Pig liver: Vitamin C tablets cannot be consumed together with pig liver because copper ions in pig liver quickly oxidize vitamin C tablets to dehydroascorbic acid, causing them to lose their original function.

3. Milk: Due to the acidity and strong reducing properties of vitamin C tablets, they can destroy vitamin B12 in food and can complex with copper and zinc ions in food to hinder their absorption, leading to vitamin B12 or copper and zinc deficiency. Therefore, vitamin C cannot be eaten together with dairy products such as milk, goat milk, mare's milk, etc.

3. Alcoholic substances: They should not be consumed together with alcoholic foods as this is to supplement vitamins in the body. Alcohol intake can greatly affect the absorption of vitamin C in the gastrointestinal tract.

4. Eggs: Vitamin C is not recommended to be taken together with eggs as it can affect the nutrition and absorption of food.

Precautions for taking vitamin C

1. The main component of vitamin C tablets is vitamin C, which is an acidic substance. Taking them on an empty stomach may cause certain irritation to the gastrointestinal mucosa, leading to symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain in some people. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to take them on an empty stomach.

2. Eating vitamin C in the morning or evening can have a certain effect, and it is generally recommended to eat it after meals for better results. It can allow vitamin C to stay in the intestines for a long time, which is conducive to absorption and utilization, and can also reduce the stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract, relieve symptoms such as bloating and nausea.

3. If vitamin C tablets are used for simple supplementation, they can be taken once a day. After taking vitamin C tablets, vitamin C can be absorbed in the upper part of the small intestine. The absorption rate of the small intestine is about 30% when taken on an empty stomach, and about 50% when taken after a meal. To achieve a higher absorption rate, it is recommended to take them about half an hour after a meal.

3. People who take vitamin C tablets can drink water appropriately, which can promote the metabolism and absorption of drug components. Vitamin C itself is not resistant to high temperatures, so it should not be taken with overheated water as it may reduce its efficacy. It is recommended to swallow it with warm or cold water as much as possible.

4. Vitamin C tablets should not be taken for a long time, as they may cause side effects such as headaches, diarrhea, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, stomach spasms, oxalate stones, and other discomfort symptoms. If the drug's characteristics change, it is prohibited to continue taking it. It is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's instructions and take vitamin C tablets according to the regular course of treatment. If side effects occur, it is recommended to seek medical attention in a timely manner.

5. In addition to taking vitamin C tablets orally, in daily diet, it is recommended to eat more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins, such as oranges, kiwis, apples, etc., which can supplement the nutrients needed by the body.

6. Vitamin C chewable tablets are a type of vitamin medicine, mainly composed of vitamin C, which is an essential nutrient for the human body. They mainly have antioxidant and immune enhancing effects, and can supplement vitamin C for patients, prevent scurvy, and assist in the treatment of various acute and chronic infectious diseases as well as purpura.

7. It is recommended not to suddenly stop taking vitamin C after taking it for a period of time, as this can easily cause withdrawal symptoms, worsen symptoms, or relapse. The intake should be gradually reduced until it is stopped.

Tips 

Tip 1: In daily life, people like to judge the content of vitamin C based on the sweetness and sourness of the taste. Lemon is very important, is the content of vitamin C definitely very high there? According to the latest version of the "Chinese Food Composition Table", the vitamin C content per 100 grams of lemon is only 22 milligrams, while 100 grams of Chinese cabbage and orange contain 64 milligrams and 33 milligrams of vitamin C, respectively. However, the taste of Chinese cabbage and orange does not have citric acid. Therefore, the acidity of fruits is not determined by vitamin C, but by the organic acids in the fruit. Kiwi is more suitable for supplementing vitamin C. Eating two kiwis a day can almost meet the daily vitamin C needs of a healthy person.

Tip 2: Among primates such as monkeys, apes, and gorillas, their intelligence level is higher than other animals, and they mostly consume plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C in the mountains and forests. In 1960, American nutritionists Kulila and Katz also demonstrated that consuming large amounts of vitamin C alone can improve children's intelligence. Vitamin C neither directly forms brain tissue nor provides energy for brain activity. Its role is like ensuring the normal transportation of lubricating oil in an engine. With it, the brain function can be agile and flexible.