Vitamin C is also called Ascorbic acid, which is an important dietary antioxidant. It is required for collagen synthesis in the body. Traditional cooking method destroy it as vitamin C is very heat sensitive.
Actions of vitamin C include
1.Antioxidant activity.
2.Help the absorption of non heme iron .
3.Carnitine biosynthesis.
4.Required for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine.
5.Help the production of of peptide hormones.
6.Vitamin C is important for collagen synthesis .
7.It is a part of many drug-metabolizing enzyme systems.
Significance of vitamin C in the body
1. During stress and hospital admission and disease need of vitamin c increases. It may be due to decreased absorption or increased catabolism.
2. Need of vitamin c is increased during trauma and surgery for extra collagen synthesis.
3. Vitamin C supplementation (e.g., 1–2 g/d) may slightly reduce.
the symptoms and duration of common cold .
4.Vitamin C supplementation is also useful in Chédiak-Higashi syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta.
5. It is proposed that high dose of vitamin C intake will increase the anti oxidant property of body. So it will delay the development of degenerative disease such as cataract and atherosclerosis
6. High vitamin C will help to prevent certain cancers especially stomach cancer and esophageal cancers. It may be because vitamin C prevent the conversion of nitrites and secondary amines to carcinogenic nitrosamines..
7. Parenteral ascorbic acid is also tried in the treatment of advanced cancers.
8. Those people with past history of kidney stone and chronic kidney disease should not use high dose of vitamin C ,because in these patients.plasma Vitamin C can reach to levels above the normal range.
9. Absorption of Vitamin C enhances the non-haem iron absorption that is taken at the same time. Thus help to prevent iron deficiency anemia.
Clinical features of vitamin deficiency
Vitamin C deficiency produce the following clinical features
1. Scurvy.
2. Bleeding around the hair follicle (Perifollicular petechiae).
3. Bleeding gums-Swollen spongy gum with bleeding ,loosening of teeth.
4. Follicular hyperkeratosis ( Thickening of skin around the hair follicle )
5. Delayed wound healing.
6. Infection.
7. Anemia.
