How many times do you hear the phrase, “Remember to take your Vitamin C”, during cold & flu season? Probably quite a bit. While dietary sources of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables are part of a balanced western diet, what our bodies can actually absorb, nutrient-wise, from vitamin c-rich foods is largely considered insufficient - especially when we’re aiming for higher doses of this essential nutrient.
For those of us looking for larger doses of vitamin C, especially during winter months, the most efficient way to get these is by supplementation. What we’re concerned with today isn’t necessarily the purity of vitamin C sources, or the bioavailability of the supplements, but the efficiency of vitamin C as a powerful antioxidant when it comes to shortening the length of a common cold. Is battling a common cold with vitamin C a myth, or a powerful strategy that could help you rid yourself of a cold in no time? Let’s find out!
An Introduction to the Phenomenon: How Much Do We Know About Vitamin C?
Even though vitamins are absolutely necessary for the majority of physiological and biochemical bodily processes, some of them, including vitamin C, belong to the group of essential vitamins which the body cannot manufacture on its own. The term essentialcomes from the fact that it is essential for us to prioritize these nutrients in our diet, as it is our sole responsibility to keep their levels optimized.