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Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid or ascorbate is water soluble, which means they are not stored by the body and each of us require a regular daily and consistent supply of it in our diet. However, the Vitamin C content is readily depleted in our foods as a result of food preparation and time itself. Vitamin C is a relatively fragile nutrient in that sense.

Bar a few exceptions, animals do make their own Vitamin C and to the equivalent of 3,000 to 16,000mg per day! We humans get our Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. Capsicum, guava, papaya, oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, broccoli and sprouts are good sources.

Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) has anti-oxidant properties. This makes it very important, because oxidation is one of the key-factors in disease in our bodies. Vitamin C is important also in aiding the absorption of iron and copper minerals. Ascorbic acid is important for our skin, muscles and bones as it helps produce collagen. (Collagen is important for our skin to look young and retain its elasticity.) It also helps prevent bruising and may contribute to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, because it keeps capillary and blood vessel walls strong. It is also a natural anti-histamine.

As an anti-oxidant, ascorbic acid (or ascorbate) helps boost the immune system by stimulating the formation of anti-bodies and fight damage to body cells. It therefore helps heal cuts and wounds and assists fighting infections. Vitamin C not only helps with the uptake of iron and copper, but also to keep it at safe levels. Vitamin C also scavenges the body for free radicals and works to protect Vitamins A and E from oxidation. Vitamin C works together with other anti-oxidants

A lack of vitamin C produces a raft of negative symptoms, including bleeding gums, loose teeth, poor digestion, hypoglycaemia, easy bruising and slow wound healing. Use of anti-biotics, aspirin, contraceptives, pain killers and steroids all inhibit the uptake of vitamin C in our body. Increased supplementation is recommended when these are required. To underline the need for supplementation during these periods of higher need; vitamin C is found in high concentrations in immune cells, and is consumed quickly during infections.

Recommended Dose

The Australian government’s recommended daily intakeof ascorbate for school-aged children is 35mg and for pre-teens and teenagers 40mg. Adults should take a minimum of 45mg per day, with 60mg for pregnant women and 85mg for breastfeeding women. In fact, with animals producing more than 10 times the recommended dose for a human adult, indicates that the recommended dose is a mere minimum to prevent scurvy. Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling thought as much too. The UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (2002) has suggested an ascorbic acid guidance level of 1,000mg per day, based on a lack of adverse effect level (LOAEL) of 3,000–4,000 mg/day from the study of Cameron & Campbell (1974).

No upper tolerable limit has been able to be established and thus no toxicity can be attributed to consuming too much natural Vitamin C. Some sources indicate that too much ascorbic acid taken on an empty stomach may cause diarrhoea, but this depends on the form that is taken in. It would suggest food based vitamin C should be considered over a synthetic form of ascorbic acid. Other stories attribute kidney stones to high levels of vitamin C intake, but this has not been scientifically indicated.

GNLD provides two Vitamin C supplement products. It does not use synthetic forms of ascorbic acid, but instead GNLD’s products contain ALL of the naturally occurring elements in whole citrus fruit. The exclusive blend of juice, protpectins, bioflavonoids, pulp – in fact the whole citrus – is called Neo-Plex. This natural concentration is part of both the Threshold Controlled* Vitamin C (455mg) for adults and the Neo-C Chewable C (230mg) for everyone. Both products are fully natural from organic sources. This makes them as bio-available as natural oranges. Neo-C contains the equivalent of 4 large oranges. Try them today.

*Threshold Controlled refers to a sustained release of nutrients over a period of 8 hours.

GNLD Vitamin C products contain NO artificial flavours or colours, NO artificial sweeteners and NO preservatives.

Information Sources

As the information above contains common facts that are well established however, we like to acknowledge that our information sources include:

• · The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, Patrick Holford, Crossing Press 2004
• · Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, Roberta Duyff, American Dietetic Association 2006
• · The NutriBase Nutrition Facts - Desk Reference, Cybersoft 2001
• · The Oxford concise Medical Dictionary (5^th edition)
• · Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia
• · Australian National Health and Medical Research Council: www.nhmrc.gov.au
• · Super Supplements, Dr. Bruce and Joan Dewe (December 2010 edition)

Vitamin C - Threshold Control (455mg) 200 Tablets Provides sustained release of more vitamin C than 8 small oranges over six hours or more. $49.98   0 votes

Vitamin C - Neo C Chewable (230mg) 250 tablets Delicious cherry-flavoured All-C is great for children or anyone who prefers chewable tablets. $63.14   0 votes

Aloe Vera Plus (Carbonated) 1 Litre The finest Aloe Vera juice with GNLD’s special 3x Herbal Tea Blend, important electrolytes, and vitamin C. $33.22   0 votes