Table of contents:
- What is the function of vitamin C for the human body?
- What happens when your body is deficient in vitamin C?
- Can we detect vitamin C deficiency before the above symptoms appear?
Vitamin C or also known as ascorbic acid is an important substance for the body. Vitamin C is commonly found in fruits and vegetables, and is commonly added as a treatment for canker sores and ailments such as coughs and colds.
According to Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, an expert from the University of Michigan, the amount of vitamin C contained in the blood is also an indicator of whether a person is healthy or not. Lack of vitamin C can even cause various health problems.
What is the function of vitamin C for the human body?
Some experts call vitamin C the safest and most effective nutrient. It is called the safest because if you consume too much vitamin C, the excess will be excreted in the urine.
In addition, vitamin C is called the most effective because its effect is fast enough to support the various symptoms that arise due to vitamin C deficiency.
Vitamin C is usually used to help increase endurance. Thus, vitamin C also helps protect our bodies from various diseases, such as skin wrinkles, cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, eye health.
In addition, vitamin C is also used to help fight several infections such as gum disease.
Vitamin C can help increase the absorption of iron. Not surprisingly, vitamin C is often recommended for consumption with iron so that more iron can be absorbed.
What happens when your body is deficient in vitamin C?
If vitamin C is very important for the body, how do you know if your body is getting enough vitamin C? The following are signs your body is deficient in vitamin C.
- Skin bruises easily. Bruises are produced by breaking down tiny red blood vessels called capillaries at the edges of the skin. Lack of vitamin C can make capillaries weak and burst, causing bruising on the skin.
- The wound has been healing for a long time. Vitamin C is important for forming collagen in the skin. Collagen functions to close wounds in the wound healing process. Lack of vitamin C keeps your wound from healing after days.
- Bleeding gums or canker sores. Still about collagen, collagen serves to support the gums. Damaged gums mean the collagen is not good, possibly due to a lack of vitamin C.
- Dry hair and loss. Iron is needed to strengthen hair. Meanwhile, vitamin C is a vitamin that increases iron absorption, so a deficiency of vitamin C makes iron ineffective for the body to absorb.
- Dry and rough skin, sometimes reddish in color. Vitamin C plays a role in maintaining healthy skin against UV rays. It could be that dry, rough skin and redness are caused by sun exposure, and you don't have enough vitamin C in your body to fight it.
- Nosebleed. About 90% of the blood that comes out due to nosebleeds comes from the capillaries in the nose. Weak capillaries due to lack of vitamin C will cause blood to come out of the nose.
- Easily hurt. Vitamin C is needed by the body's defense system or immune system. A strong immune system can prevent various diseases. If you are deficient in vitamin C, your immune system will become weak and you will get sick easily.
Can we detect vitamin C deficiency before the above symptoms appear?
If you already know the importance of vitamin C for the body, of course you don't want to be deficient in vitamin C. Not only can it weaken the immune system, vitamin C deficiency has also been shown to cause many symptoms of disease.
Well, of course you don't want to find out that your body is deficient in new vitamin C after the symptoms of the disease appear. How to?
You can calculate your daily vitamin needs with Vitamin Meter. With its unique and easy-to-use appearance, you can find out how much vitamin C you are getting today, and whether it's enough or not.
Easy-to-understand indicators can also let you know how much each vitamin is deficient. Good luck!
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