What is Vitamin C, And Is It More Than a Vitamin?

By Arturo Galindo, Cert. Nutritional Therapist

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• What is Vitamin C?

To understand what is vitamin C and its value to the body will empower you to take control of your health. It will remove any fears you may have about vitamin C, how much you need, vitamin C safety, among others. 

Your body desperately needs enough vitamin C... enough to fight disease and stay healthy. 

Vitamin C has many health benefits, but these benefits are grossly underestimated. Why? Because vitamin C is more than a vitamin. It's a critical substance to the body that's involved in every body function. 

This is the reason why most people need vitamin C in larger amounts to prevent a vitamin C deficiency that can lead to other chronic conditions... such as allergies, infections, heart disease or cancer.

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is the most powerful antioxidant and enabler of electricity flow in the body. Vitamin C is separated from vitamin c food sources into a white crystalline powder.

Dehydration requires water. Poor electron flow within the body requires vitamin C.

Yes, our bodies have a physiological form of electricity, or energy. 

This flow of electricity happens when the cells in our bodies exchange electrons... and this form of energy affects all your body functions.

This means that vitamin C is critical to maintaining good health. Without ascorbic acid, life can’t exist.

So when asking what is vitamin C... it's important to understand that vitamin C is a critical part of life and evolution. 

Animals produce enough vitamin C, as needed

Most other animals and plants make vitamin C inside the body. They have an automatic mechanism to convert glucose, a type of sugar, into vitamin C. 

Now, glucose exists in all living organisms and is a primary source of energy.

But how is vitamin C made from glucose in other animals... and why is it that we can't do the same?

The process to convert glucose into ascorbic acid involves an enzyme or a catalyst. This enzyme triggers the conversion of glucose into ascorbic acid.  

Most animals and plants have this enzyme, but most people don't have it. This is the reason why you can't make vitamin C in the body. 

But there's one other interesting thing. When animals that produce vitamin C get sick or are under any type of stress, they make more vitamin C. 

The ability to make vitamin C as needed is an automatic protection mechanism. It helps these animals prevent and fight disease. 

Humans need enough vitamin C from supplements

Now that you understand what is vitamin C and why most people do not have the ability to produce vitamin C... you must get enough from vitamin C food sources and supplements.

You need enough vitamin C to prevent a vitamin C deficiency that can lead to other diseases. This includes allergies, infections, heart disease, and cancer.

Remember, animals make more vitamin C when sick or under stress.

This is also the reason why many vitamin C experts call vitamin C the “missing stress hormone” in humans.

Vitamin C stimulates the Flow of Electricity in the Body

Let's dig a little deeper on what is vitamin C and the many vitamin C benefits.

Vitamin C has many vitamin-like benefits to the body.

But the most important benefit is to stimulate the flow of electricity in the body.  The full and free exchange of electrons between cells.

But how is vitamin C able to do that?

Vitamin C has the ability to donate electrons to other cells... and also receive electrons from other cells. 

As the most potent antioxidant in the body, it can donate one electron to a free radical... and stop it from causing damage to the body, as a result of stress.  Free radicals cause aging and take part in the disease process.

As a potent disease weapon, vitamin C can also receive electrons from other cells and kill them... like cancer cells. 

More Vitamin C means better Electricity Flow in the Body, and Better Health

This physiological form of electricity in your body influences all your body functions... including your immune system.

Dr. Thomas Levy describes this in the following way:

• Health exists when electrons flow is full and free (high energy)
• Illness exists when electrons flow is poor (poor energy)
• Death occurs when electrons flow stops (no energy)

So what does this mean?.. and how does it help you understand what is vitamin C?

When you're sick or when the electrons flow in your body is poor, you need more vitamin C.  

This is because vitamin C increases the flow of electrons in the body. Vitamin C helps the body cells exchange electrons.

When your body has enough vitamin C, your body functions at its peak. This is because there is an optimal degree of electron exchange among cells. 

This is the reason why most people need more vitamin C. 

How Much Vitamin C You Need?

People have different bodies and are under different conditions of stress. Asking "How much vitamin C I need?" is like asking "How much water should I drink?"

The answer to both questions depends on your own body needs and many different factors. Every person will be different. 

The great news is that you can learn to identify what your body needs. Here's some additional information on what vitamin C does, what it did for my own body and what it can do for you.

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)

The vitamin C RDA values are very low.  But why? 

The main reason is the lack of understanding about what is vitamin C... but also the failure to recognize that each person is different and has different needs.

Also, there are other facts on vitamin C that can help provide answers to this question. 

Is Vitamin C More Than A Vitamin?

So what is vitamin C?  The evidence seems to show that vitamin C is much more than a simple vitamin. 

• It doesn't act in the same way as a typical micro-nutrient or vitamin
• It has a limited life within the body
• The body reserves are small and quickly depleted
• The body requires more when under stress
• Most other animals, except people, produce it in their bodies
• Dose and frequency are critical to get full benefits
• It is constantly required by the body in amounts much larger than trace amounts.

American Biochemist Irwin Stone called vitamin C  the “missing stress hormone” in humans...

By definition... hormones are chemical messengers that travel throughout the body coordinating complex processes.

This seems to me a more accurate description of the role of ascorbic acid or "vitamin C" in the body.

Why is Vitamin C a Vitamin?

The name "vitamin C" came long before scientists understood the ascorbic acid substance... it's properties and importance to all body functions.

To understand why this happened we need to understand the story of scurvy disease. The story of ascorbic acid is the story of scurvy and vitamins.

Can Vitamin C Heal Chronic Disease?

The health benefits of vitamin C have been grossly underestimated. 

• Thousands of scientific studies prove that vitamin C can heal the body... from many chronic diseases
• Many doctors have helped their patients recover from chronic disease using ascorbic acid
• Animal studies also have proved that ascorbate can heal and protect from disease

After learning what is vitamin C, do you think larger amounts of vitamin C can help you fight chronic disease... and stay healthy?  

You too can help your body heal from chronic disease using vitamin C...but only if you give your body enough ammunition to do that.  This ammunition is the right amount of vitamin C based on your own specific needs.

Here's our list of our family best vitamin C tips and FAQs for you.

What do you think? Let us know your comments in the section below.

 

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Sources

• NIH PubMed - Misleading Information on the Properties of Vitamin C

• NIH - Office of Dietary Supplements

• Hickey S., Roberts H. (2004) Ascorbate, The Science of Vitamin C

• Pauling, L. (1986) How To Live Longer And Feel Better

• Stone, I. (1972) The Healing Factor, Vitamin C Against Disease

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