Ascorbic acid is commonly called vitamin C, although theoretically not exactly the same as vitamin C, which is found in nature and also has ascorbic acid as part of it’s make up.
Vitamin C is found in nature in fruit and vegetables. Humans cannot produce or store it and so it must be obtained through diet and/or supplementation.
The supplement, L-Ascorbic Acid is produced in a laboratory through a two-stage fermentation of the original glucose extract. (corn/fruit). The final product is pure molecules of ascorbic acid, identical to ascorbic acid made by plants and animals, known as L-ascorbic acid, which we can then be effectively absorbed and safely utilised as it is water soluble.
It has strong anti-oxidant properties and is an agent in fighting various pathogens (viruses, bacterial etc) and in protecting against inflammatory conditions. (Also used in canning and preserving food to prevent oxidation/food going brown).
This is of particular importance presently with the Covid-19, due to ascorbic acid’s ability to counter free radicals released as a result of the virus, before they can trigger inflammation and a cytokine storm.
Oral ascorbic acid increases the bio availability of nitric oxide which plays a critical role in endothelial function (membrane lining of heart and blood vessels) and also in countering the free heme cells released through Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Macrophages depend on ascorbic acid to generate nitrogen oxide, which in turn is used by macrophages to generate oxidative bursts to kill pathogens and to also prevent inflammatory responses.
Ascorbic acid is also a chelating agent and plays a role in detoxifying our body system from heavy metals.
It also plays a key role in collagen formation in fibrous tissue, teeth, bones, connective tissue, skin and capillaries…Our skin epidermis is high in vitamin C and ascorbic acid can be added to face masks and creams to enhance its anti-wrinkle and anti-aging benefits to the skin.
Acute lack of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) causes scurvy and various other ailments, including poor healing and complications involving various body systems.
Conditions which might benefit from ascorbic acid supplementation are amongst others:
- Any stressful condition will utilise high levels of ascorbic acid and so require more.
- Viral and bacterial infections
- Inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, auto immune diseases (cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis etc.)
- Allergic reactions
- Chronic infection such as herpes, Guillain-Barre, scarlet fever, hepatitis
- Disorders of blood coagulation such as haemorrhage, strokes and vascular thrombosis.
- Healing after surgery
- Varicose veins
Doses: quarter teaspoon is 1,000mg ascorbic acid.
Doses vary according to one’s condition. As ascorbic acid is water soluble, it is generally safe to take until saturation point is achieved, which is manifest with diarrhoea.
It is recommended to take doses of 1,000mg at intervals throughout the day. 2,000mg (2g, if not sick) – 10,000mg (10g, if fighting an infection etc) per day.