nutrition

{immune health, antioxidant, increases oxytocin release , collagen and more} What is Vitamin C? Vitamin D is an essential water soluble vitamin. Essential meaning your body can’t produce it. You need to obtain it through food and/or supplements. The name for Vitamin C is ascorbic acid. It is essential for collagen, carnitine and neurotransmitters biosynthesis. Ascorbic acid is easily absorbed but not stored in the body. It has to regularly supplemented through diet or tablets to maintain the ascorbic acid pool in the body. It is absorbed by the small intestine by means of active transport and simple diffusion. Vitamin C is widely distributed in all the body tissues. Its level is high in adrenal gland, pituitary gland, and retina. Its level decreases in kidneys and muscles. Whatever the body doesn’t use, is extrected via urine.   Required for: collagen formation carnitine biosynthesis catecholamine synthesis producing dopamine transforming cholesterol into bile acids inhibiting nitrosamine formation in the stomach. enhancing the absorption of iron preventing scurvy immune system defense wound repair and healing oxidation At risk of deficiency: the elderly smokers Taking medications such as aspirin, indomethacin, oral contraceptives, tetracyclines, and corticosteroids. Those who have renal failure due to filtration of water-soluble vitamin C during dialysis conditions like gingivitis, asthma, glaucoma, collagen disorders, heatstroke, arthritis, infections Deficiency signs: easy bruising fatigue and low mood keratosis pilaris (chicken skin) coiled/corkscrew body hairs spoon-shaped fingernails slow healing of wounds painful joints weak bones bleeding gums and tooth loss weak immune system iron deficiency anemia Did you know? Vitamin C acts a cofactor for oxytocin. It helps stimulate the secretion of oxytocin from the pituitary gland into your bloodstream. Oxytocin is what helps us feel affection and love. According to one study, Vitamin C supplementation effectively increased work motivation and attentional focus and contributed to better performance on cognitive tasks requiring sustained attention. DNA TESTING: he DNA Health Skin and DNA Core tests will tell you how well your body metabolises Vitamin C and the genetic variants you carry that use Vit C in oxidation, and collagen formation. Sources: https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-2-7 PMC4959991/ PMC8783887/ PMC6071228/