We’ve recently had reason to revisit Vitamin C supplementation in our home.

My son, Samuel, had eye surgery that went horribly wrong. He needed to heal FAST so that he could have a second, corrective surgery quickly.

Along with essential oils, antibiotic and pain drops from the doctor, I had him using large amounts of vitamin C. (which he thought was ludicrous until the doctor told him YES, the cornea LOVES Vitamin C!) . He healed extremely quickly and was able to stay on top of the pain and inflammation with this strategy.

Vitamin C is under-rated.

It’s so beneficial in reducing acute pain and inflammation. When I was working at the Chiropractic office, the doctor would instruct patients to take 10,000 – 15,000 mg upon injury. Then drop down to 5,000 mg after 48 hours. It works. It’s also safe. Because it is water soluble, the body disposes of any excess in the urine. If you’re taking too much, you may find that your bowels get loose and you can back off a bit.

The holistic recommendation, to maintain overall health, is currently 2,000 mg/ day for most adults.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is not produced by the body so it must be consumed daily.

Food sources are always the best way to get our nutrients but it’s often not possible to meet requirements through food alone.  Sources include kiwi, oranges, pineapple, papaya, broccoli, kale, green and red peppers, strawberries (in season), currants, and guava, to name a few.

Supplementation may be necessary. If so, check with your Natural Health Care Provider (Naturopath, Nutritionist, Chiropractor, Health Food Store) for a bioavailable form so that it will be easily absorbed. I prefer a capsule form as tablets can be hard to break down and contain fillers and sugars to make them taste good.

It helps the body to absorb iron more easily so if you’re taking iron supplements, have them with some Vitamin C to increase absorption.

Vitamin C supports a healthy immune response

Taking it this time of year when threats are high, is a great preventative strategy.

Large doses (orthomolecular doses) can be used as a preventative and as part of a treatment plan for cancer.

Vitamin C is  known to increase energy levels and is important in healing wounds and supporting healthy skin, therefore reducing wrinkles and other imperfections.

It’s a helpful nutrient to reduce the occurrence of gout.

It’s also protective of the cardiovascular system. It has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. Anytime that adrenaline is high, it signals the body to burn through Vitamin C stores, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease especially.  If you’re under stress, upping your Vitamin C intake is a great idea.

According to researcher Mark Moyad, MD, HPH, of the University of Michigan, “Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health.”

This is a low cost, low risk supplement to add to your daily regime. The downside of supplementation in large doses may increase the risk of kidney stones and may interfere with HRT. Check with your Health Care Provider and try to get as much from your foods as you can. When supplementing, choose a high quality supplement.