When vitamin C comes to mind, the mind automatically conjures up images of a glass of orange juice or a pack of vitamin pills, which many people are interested in taking to support immune health.
But, according to a report published by Mind Your Body Green, shortening the benefits of vitamin C exclusively as a synonym for boosting the immune system ignores all other exceptional properties and functions of this powerful vitamin.
Companies like SuperSmart also promote the benefits of Vitamin C and its contribution to a normal functioning immune system. Vitamin C also promotes healthy skin, joints and eyes, even boosts mood, and is a vital component of one of the body’s most important organs, the heart.
blood pressure
Vitamin C is full of surprises, especially the way it supports cardiovascular health.
3 ways to keep your heart healthy
Vitamin C is involved in several different aspects of the cardiovascular system, which makes adequate vitamin C intake key to a happy, healthy heart:
1. Promotes healthy blood pressure
Research suggests that vitamin C supplementation plays a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure, thanks in part to the vitamin’s essential vital role in collagen production.
Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis (which is why it’s loved by health and beauty experts everywhere). And while it does wonders for the health of skin, hair, and nails, collagen is also essential in other parts of the body — such as the arteries. With an adequate intake of vitamin C, collagen production allows for flexible and healthy arteries, which are essential for facilitating dilation of blood vessels and maintaining a healthy blood pressure level.
2. Supports the function of the lining of the heart
The endothelium is a thin membrane made of endothelial cells that line the heart and blood vessels. The human body depends on the proper functioning of the endothelium, which regulates the passage of cells and materials from the blood to other tissues and controls the constriction and dilation of blood vessels.
According to a research review in the journal Atherosclerosis, vitamin C supplementation promotes overall health and endothelial function. Vitamin C also enhances antioxidant activity to protect the highly active heart lining tissue. Free radicals target the endothelium, but the antioxidant Vitamin C helps protect against ROS and maintains redox balance for endothelial flexibility and function.
3. Protects from fatty oxidation
Lipid peroxidation occurs when free radicals oxidize unsaturated fats. It’s like targeted oxidative stress for healthy fats (ie found in cell membranes throughout the body, including the heart). Unsaturated fats like omega-3s provide a range of important cardiovascular functions, such as regulating blood cholesterol levels, promoting anti-inflammatory actions, and stabilizing the heart’s rhythm.
In short, lipid peroxidation is an undesirable component, so thanks to the powerful antioxidant properties of multifunctional vitamin C and micronutrients, beneficial essential lipids are protected from unbridled free radicals.