Vitamin C Research Paper

Vitamin C Research Paper

Introduction

Vitamin C, like all other vitamins, is an organic compound. It is a water-soluble vitamin which is naturally occurring in some foods and added to others. Also known as L-ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is also available as a dietary supplement. Unlike other animals, humans are not able to synthesize Vitamin C endogenously, which is an essential dietary component. Being a water-soluble compound, it is not stored in the body. Humans need to incorporate it into their diet daily. Vitamin C is important in the body as it helps in various functions like the production of collagen, L- carnitine, and neurotransmitters. The vitamin also helps metabolize proteins. It also helps reduce the risk of cancer through its antioxidant activity.

The body absorbs almost all the Vitamin C that is taken in the diet, given that the person has a moderate daily intake of vitamins. According to the National Institutes of Health, the body absorbs approximately 70%-90% of vitamin C at a moderate intake of 30-180 mg daily. When the daily intake exceeds over 1,000 mg, the rate of absorption falls to under 50%. The absorption of vitamin C in the body takes place through diffusion as well as active transport. For the active transport to take place, Sodium-Ascorbate Co-Transporters (SVCTs) and Hexose transporters are needed (GLUTs).

Large sugar quantities in the intestines slow down the absorption of vitamin c as it is transported through the intestine by the use of glucose-sensitive and glucose insensitive mechanisms. SCVTs are responsible for the absorption and transportation of reduced form of Ascorbate across plasma membranes. GLUTs, on the other hand, are required for the absorption of the dehydroascorbic acid form of vitamin C.  Ascorbate is absorbed in a lower rate than dehydroascorbic acid. Vitamin c is excreted via urine in the form of ascorbic acid. However, in cases of low dietary intake, it is reabsorbed in the kidneys instead of excretion.

`               The daily recommended intake for Vitamin C varies with gender. In women, the daily dietary intake of Vitamin C should be 75 mg, while mane should take 90 mg of vitamin C daily. The recommended daily intake of vitamin c is, however, increased in pregnant women and lactating mothers. For pregnant women, RDA is 85 mg, while for breastfeeding women, it is 120mg. Also, people who smoke should take 35 mg more of vitamin C daily than those who do not. While it is possible to absorb enough amounts of vitamin c from foods, an active lifestyle makes it hard to do so, and dietary supplements are required to meet the recommended daily intake. This is especially so in pregnant and breastfeeding women.

It is usually very unlikely to overdose on vitamin C as one would need to take over 2000 mg of vitamin C within 24 hours to have an excess of vitamin C in the body. Common problems associated with excess vitamin C include nausea and diarrhea. A higher intake of vitamin C through supplements, not a diet, can result in kidney stones. It may also lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems in women who have reached menopause. To avoid these problems, it is important to talk to a doctor before taking supplements of vitamin c. High doses should be avoided, especially by people who have a blood disorder, recurrent kidney stones, and renal impairment.

There are two chemical forms of Vitamin C, both of which are absorbed by the body. Vitamin C occurs as either dehydroascorbic acid in its oxidized form and ascorbic acid in its reduced form. Sodium-Ascorbate Co- Transporters (SCTVTs) is responsible for the absorption of ascorbic acid. GLUTs are responsible for the absorption of dehydroascorbic acid. Dehydroascorbic acid is absorbed in the body at a higher rate than the reduced form of ascorbic acid. Studies have shown that the Ascorbate form is better than ascorbic acid in terms of how they are absorbed in the body. According to a research test, the concentration of Ascorbate in the body after a 24-hour dose was twice as much as that of ascorbic acid (Lee et al. 2018, pp 35-42). Therefore, the Ascorbate form is better absorbed and hence present in higher plasma levels than the ascorbic acid. Also, the Ascorbate form can also act as an antioxidant substrate without acid-induced gastric high acidity. This means that unlike ascorbic acid, Ascorbate is less likely to lead to gastric diseases in the body.

Vitamin C “physical vectors” include all the dietary supplements of vitamin C, such as tablets, drink mix packets, and tablets. Vitamin C supplements are also available in multivitamin and mineral formulations, as well as in crystalline powders and antioxidant formulations. The most commonly used vectors are pills (tablets and capsules). Vitamin C is incorporated in capsules and tablets in the form of a powder that is made into tablets or coated as capsules. Capsules are coated to ensure that only small amounts of vitamin C are gradually introduced into the body. The tablets and capsules are usually available at a different range of sizes. Contents of vitamin C in tablets and capsules range from 25 mg to 1500 mg per serving. The most common compounds found in vitamin supplements are ascorbic acid, sodium Ascorbate, and Calcium Ascorbate. Each capsule should contain 1,000 mg of vitamin C. They are average in size and generally easy to swallow. However, some consumers often find it hard to swallow.

Today, vitamin C indistinguishable from that occurring in nature is created on a huge modern scale. The ultimate crude material for the production of vitamin C is corn or wheat. This is changed over by means of starch to glucose by pro organizations, and afterward to sorbitol. We produce the unadulterated last items from sorbitol in an arrangement of biotechnical, substance handling, and refinement steps. Water-solvent vitamin C is presumably the most notable nutrient. Indeed, even before its discovery in 1932, doctors perceived that there must be a compound in natural citrus products forestalling scurvy. This ailment slaughtered upwards of 2,000,000 mariners somewhere in the range of 1500 and 1800 (Lim et al., 2016). Later, scientists found that man, different primates, and the guinea pig rely upon outside sources to cover their vitamin C necessities. Most different creatures can combine nutrient C from glucose and galactose in their bodies.

A definitive crude material for the creation of vitamin C is corn or wheat. This is changed over from starch to glucose by authority organizations, and afterward to sorbitol. The unadulterated last items are delivered from sorbitol in a progression of biotechnical, synthetic handling, and cleaning steps.” “Vitamin C, created by glucose, is framed by two distinct courses. The Reichstein procedure, created during the 1930s, utilizes a solitary pre-maturation followed by a tolerably substance course. The advanced two-advance maturation process, initially made in China during the 1960s, utilizes extra aging to supplant some portion of the later synthetic stages.

The two procedures yield about 60% vitamin C from the glucose feed. The readiness strategy and strategies for the assurance of vitamin C are spectrophotometric techniques and non-spectrophotometric strategies. For non-spectrophotometric strategies are, for example, elite fluid chromatography (HPLC), titration, enzymatic technique, and fluorometry. Direct spectrophotometry is also applied to decide the vitamin C content in soda pops, organic product juices, and cordials after rectification for foundation retention in the UV district.

The demand for vitamin C has increased with time due to more discoveries of its usefulness in managing various illnesses and improving people’s general health. High demand for vitamin C is also influenced by the fact that the body cannot store it, despite being a crucial part of its nutritional requirements. For this reason, people need to include the vitamin in their daily diets, creating a high demand for vitamin C. Additionally, people’s lifestyles have changed so much over time, and with lifestyle changes, comes changes in nutritional demand. Such lifestyles include increased smoking habits, where smokers need a lot more vitamin C supply in their diet, increasing the demand.

Also, a lot of infants are today fed evaporated or boiled milk, although it is not recommended because it leads to vitamin C deficiency. To prevent this, parents must provide dietary supplements to the children to ensure that they do not suffer vitamin C deficiency. The outbreak of the coronavirus early this year has seen the demand for Vitamin C supplements skyrocket. With the coronavirus outbreak, everyone has been looking for immunity boosters. For this reason, pharmacies are experiencing a very high demand for vitamin C pills.

While doctors have been advising people to avoid using most of the immune-boosting pills, people have resulted in vitamin C pills as they are less likely to cause any harmful effects unless taken in excess doses, which rarely happens. While there is no substantial evidence to prove that vitamin C helps relieve symptoms of the coronavirus, it plays a big role in boosting a person’s immunity. As it has been proven that people with high body immunity have higher chances of recovering from the virus, vitamin C may prove to be helpful, explaining the high demand.

There has been a critical increment popular for vitamin C and its subordinates in the previous two months. As the spread of COVID-19 outside China expanded, the interest for invulnerability bolster items – of which vitamin C is presumably the most notable – expanded drastically. Moreover, as ascorbic corrosive and its subsidiaries are generally utilized in staple items – going from bread, grains, and refreshments to newborn child recipe and nutrient enhancements – we have seen a solid spike sought after. This is because shoppers have expanded the acquisition of these things in numerous nations because of development limitations. Every one of these components consolidated has squeezed the market, which has caused a cost increment.

Also, a scope of organizations lately has been featuring the resistance impacts of vitamin C. As indicated by HTC Health, a UK-based mass wellbeing supplements provider for private mark, there is proof to show that high dosages of the nutrient can diminish the length of a cold by 8 percent in grown-ups and 14 percent in youngsters. The organization further expresses that vitamin C supports the creation of white platelets known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help ensure the body against disease. The vitamin at that point enables these cells to work all the more successfully, just as shielding them from some hurtful atoms.

Brits are rushing to purchase vitamin C supplements in an urgent offer to shield themselves from the coronavirus. Organizations selling the enhancements state they’ve seen taking off interest for the nutrients, which have, for some time, been touted as an insusceptible framework promoter. Healthspan, situated in the UK, uncovered its deals had significantly increased in the previous week alone, while high road retailer Superdrug has seen a ‘noteworthy ascent’ in sales (Macdiarmid et al., 2018). Social media has been overwhelmed with presents empowering others on taking vitamin C, some of the time surpassing suggested sums at perilous levels. Specialists in New York and China are trialing the impacts of incredibly high portions of the nutrient. However, the sums created in supplements can’t treat any sickness. Individuals ought not to take a lot of vitamin C since it can cause looseness of the bowels, heaving, spasms, and migraines.

Reflection

In the quest to understand the role of vitamin c (ascorbic acid), the research progress has proven to be relatively slow, especially in contrast to human health. The phenomenon mentioned above is predominantly due to various flawed approaches in the design of the study. These designs often lack a complete scope of appreciation of the biology and redox chemistry of ascorbic acid. In this study, we narrowed down our knowledge around the constraints of fundamental steps taken in the research of vitamin c. The main factors in human cell culture are the presence of culture media redox-active transition metal ions, high oxygen environment, and the usage of immortalized cell lines cultivated in supplemental ascorbic acid absence. Animal model researches have also proven to be limited due to the presence of endogenous ascorbic acid synthesis.

As much as the use of genetically manipulated rodents’ strains lacks the capacity of synthesis, there have been additional issues that the models do not sufficiently recapitulate vitamin c supplementation and deprivation effects, as seen in human beings. Another factor that greatly limits their impact and conclusions consist of various flaws in design studies endemic to controlled trials that are randomized and other human researches.  Evidence of anecdotal nature existent of negative and positive health effects related to vitamin c has not been substantiated even though they are widely accepted. Our further understanding of the probable roles in treating or preventing disease and human health promotion related to vitamin c can only get achieved with experimental detail and careful research design attention.

As an author, I intended to illustrate the importance of understanding vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of the most significant nutrients. Without vitamin C, human life would not be on this planet today. It does numerous positive things in the human body (Ou et al. 2019, p 146). It builds recuperation time from ailments, for example, colds. It assists with forestalling free extreme harm and collagen glycation, which causes the body to age a lot quicker than it typically should. It additionally assists with forestalling significant infections, similar to scurvy, which results from Vitamin C lack. Vitamin C is important for human life.  The research’s goal was to find specific importance supplements in a variety of vitamin c nourishments, commonly found in the eating regimen. People need a specific level of sugars, fats, and proteins for saving vitality. Before starting the study, look into what was required. The creators expressed that while it is outlandish for vitality to be made or pulverized, it can change the structure. Vitality can be found in starches, lipids, and proteins. Sugars, for example, starch and glucose, store vitality. Lipids (oils and fats) have twofold the vitality measure as starches, making them perfect for a jolt of energy.

Most of the contributions from answering the questions mainly involved information presentation in sensitizing people on vitamin c importance and effects of its absence. Insufficiencies of vitamins are related to mental diseases either by being the essential driver or an intensifying variable (Tu et al. 2017, pp 125-135). Mental side effects could likewise prompt poor sustenance. Vitamin lacks may assume a job in trading off patient recuperation.  An inquiry that is regularly posted to while accepting an infection is what is the quickest method to dispose of it? No human appreciates the nearness of a typical cold, regardless of increasingly extraordinary terms, such as this season’s cold virus. Rest and liquids are normally the primary response to relieving a typical virus. At that point, a medication that is ordered toward the side effects is gotten. Albeit, how would you accelerate the procedure? Many feel that the admission of enormous dosages of nutrient c can accelerate or conceivably dispose of the chilly all together.

Lastly, Vitamin C is fundamental to our bodies. Vitamin C causes the body to keep up its aggregate tissues. This likewise incorporates our bones, veins, and skin. Vitamin C is deductively known as L-ascorbic corrosive. The nutrient is a water-solvent nutrient that can be found in a few leafy foods. Vitamin C can likewise be found as a dietary enhancement. It is fundamental for our bodies to have some wellspring of vitamin C consumption. “Vitamin C is required for the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain synapses; Vitamin C is likewise engaged with protein digestion. Collagen is a fundamental segment of connective tissue, which assumes an indispensable job in wound mending. Vitamin C is likewise significant physiological cell reinforcement and has been appeared to recover different cancer prevention agents inside the body, including alpha-tocopherol (nutrient E).

Different examinations have recommended that vitamin C lessens blood pressure. It may increase prostaglandin F and nitric oxide amalgamation, representing its gainful activity in diabetes and hypertension. The associations of vitamin C with eicosanoids, nitric oxide, platelets, leukocytes, and endothelial cells, among different sorts of atoms and cells, may represent a portion of it until now unexplained useful activities. As proposed by Padayatty and Levine, more investigations should be directed to vitamin C’s activities in different tissues, including harmful ones (Levine et al. 201, pp 78-88). Until further examinations are finished, nonetheless, alert ought to be practiced in pushing its utilization as an anticancer compound.

While vitamin C has numerous experimentally demonstrated advantages, it likewise has numerous unwarranted cases bolstered by either frail proof or no proof by any stretch of the imagination.

Here are some doubtful cases about vitamin C:

• Forestalls the normal virus.

While vitamin C seems to lessen the seriousness of colds and recuperation time by 8% in grown-ups and 14% in kids, it doesn’t forestall them.

• Decreases malignant growth chance.

A bunch of studies has connected vitamin C admission to a lower danger of a few malignant growths. Be that as it may, most investigations have discovered that vitamin C doesn’t influence the danger of creating malignant growth.

• Secures against eye sickness.

Vitamin C has been connected to diminished dangers of eye infections like waterfalls and age-related macular degeneration. Be that as it may, vitamin C supplements have no impact or may even reason hurt.

• May treat lead poisonousness.

Even though individuals with lead poisonousness seem to have low vitamin C levels, there is no solid proof from human investigations that show vitamin C can treat lead harmfulness.

List of References

Lee, J.K., Jung, S.H., Lee, S.E., Han, J.H., Jo, E., Park, H.S., Heo, K.S., Kim, D., Park, J.S. and Myung, C.S., 2018. Alleviation of ascorbic acid-induced gastric high acidity by calcium ascorbate in vitro and in vivo. The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, 22(1), pp.35-42.

Levine, M., Padayatty, S. J., &Espey, M. G. (2011). Vitamin C: a concentration-function approach yields pharmacology and therapeutic discoveries. Advances in nutrition, 2(2), 78-88.

Ou, J. W., Lu, Y. M., Zhu, X. Y., & Pang, C. L. (2019).Oncothermia in Combination with Vitamin C Infusion for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: a Case Report. Journal of Nutritional Oncology, 4(3), 146.

Tu, H., Wang, Y., Li, H., Brinster, L. R., & Levine, M. (2017). Chemical transport knockout for oxidized vitamin C, dehydroascorbic acid, reveals its functions in vivo. EBioMedicine, 23, 125-135.

Lim, J.Y., Kim, D., Kim, B.R., Jun, J.S., Yeom, J.S., Park, J.S., Seo, J.H., Park, C.H., Woo, H.O., Youn, H.S. and Baik, S.C., 2016. Vitamin C induces apoptosis in AGS cells via the production of ROS of mitochondria. Oncology letters, 12(5), pp.4270-4276.

Macdiarmid, J.I., Clark, H., Whybrow, S., De Ruiter, H., and McNeill, G., 2018. Assessing national nutrition security: The UK reliance on imports to meet population energy and nutrient recommendations.PloS one, 13(2).