Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that your body needs to process well. For women, the daily recommended dose is 75mg, while for men, it is 90mg. If you fail to get enough of it through natural resources, you can get it through a supplement. Since your body can not produce it on its own, you need to take it from external sources. You can get enough vitamin C from natural sources like fruits and vegetables.
If you fail to get the recommended amount of it through natural sources and supplements, eventually its deficiency will occur. Vitamin C deficiency can cause scurvy- a condition in which bleeding of gum occurs with fatigue, rashes, and bruising. Moreover, many other bodily functions are also affected like the synthesis of collagen, prevention of infections, maintenance, and repair of bones, teeth, and cartilage.
You can get vitamin C through fruits like oranges, kiwis, strawberries, and vegetables like lemons, spinach, broccoli, kale, and bell peppers. However, if you fail to meet the daily recommended amount, you must get it through a supplement.
People at Risk of a Vitamin C Deficiency:
Some people are at risk of developing vitamin C deficiency due to some factors. Some of those factors are as follows.
Smokers and Passive Smokers:
People who smoke are at risk of developing vitamin C deficiency due to oxidative stress. Also, those who are exposed to smoke may develop it. According to experts, people who smoke should consume more than 35mg of vitamin C as compared to non-smokers. It will help protect them from its deficiency and its consequences.
Infants Being Fed With Evaporated or Cow Milk:
Generally, people feed infants with breast milk or formula milk. Both contain vitamin C that gives an adequate amount of it to the children and keeps them healthy. However, for many reasons feeding evaporated or cow milk to infants is not suitable. One of those reasons is that it has a quite low concentration of vitamin C in it. Due to which it can predispose the children to vitamin C deficiency.
People Who Do Not Get Enough Nutrition:
One of the reasons for not getting enough nutrition is a lack of resources. Many people cannot afford to incorporate plenty of fruits and vegetables in their diet. Moreover, people who do not intake fruits and vegetables due to reasons like altered mental status, elderly, alcohol or drug abusers, children, or food faddists are also at risk of developing vitamin C deficiency.
Certain Diseases:
People who have certain health conditions cannot absorb vitamin C, or the need for it increases. It can occur in health conditions like colon cancer, cachexia due to cancer, end-stage renal diseases, and hemodialysis.
Daily Recommended Intake of Vitamin C:
The daily recommended intake of vitamin C for females is 75mg, whereas for males it is 90mg.
Kids who are aged between 1 to 3 years need 15mg of vitamin C per day. Kids aged between 4 to 8 need 25mg of vitamin C daily.
Adolescents having the ages of 9 to 13 years must get 45mg of ascorbic acid in a day.
Teenagers aged between 14 to 18 years need 65 to 75mg of vitamin C per day.
Pregnant women must consume 85mg of ascorbic acid daily. Breastfeeding women should get 120mg of vitamin C per day.
If you have any of the above-mentioned conditions, you must increase the vitamin C intake in your diet. Moreover, inform your healthcare provider about it.
Conclusion:
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that your body can neither produce nor store. It keeps the required amount and flushed out the excess of it. Therefore, you need to incorporate it into your daily routine. You must try your best to consume it through natural foods. But if you fail to meet its demands, take a supplement of vitamin C.
Conditions that can lead to vitamin C deficiency are smoking, exposure to second-hand smoke, infants who are fed with evaporated or cow milk, lack of nutrition, colon cancer, cachexia, end-stage renal disease, and hemodialysis. If you are at risk of developing vitamin C deficiency, you must incorporate vitamin C supplements into your diet.