Vitamin C and Immunity
There is no question that more vitamin C means better immune function. These are some of its key roles in boosting your immunity:
- Vitamin C is strongly anti-viral. Many viruses, such as flu and the common cold, do not necessarily enter the bloodstream; rather they spread in the mucus on the respiratory tract membranes. Vitamin C has proved successful against every virus tested so far, from HIV to the common cold.
It increases the production of T lymphocytes (important in the immune system).
- Vitamin C is needed for a special kind of cell division which results in a rapid increase of both B and T lymphocytes. The flu virus works by depressing this type of cell division.
- Infected cells with sufficient vitamin C produce more interferon. This blocks the synthesis of viral proteins, preventing the infected cells from being replicated.
Vitamin C can be either bacteriostatic or bactericidal (i.e. it can hinder the growth of or kill bacteria, depending on the bug).
- Production of a substance called C3 complement is improved with vitamin C, and this in turn triggers B lymphocytes to manufacture more antibodies or anti-toxins.
- It stimulates a substance called non-lysozyme anti-bacterial factor (NLAF), found in tears, which is of particular importance for people who often suffer from eye infections.
- Vitamin C helps the function of phagocytes, which are cells that gobble up bacteria and other ‘rubbish’. They can only work if they contain at least 2omcg of vitamin C per 100 million cells.
- Vitamin C detoxifies, partially at least, many bacterial toxins (which often cause all the unpleasant symptoms), depending on the bug.
- Apart from stimulating natural anti-bacterial factors in the body, vitamin C can also improve the performance of antibiotics.
- Mononuclear phagocytes, a special type of white blood cell, use vitamin C with hydrogen peroxide and some minerals, especially zinc compounds, to kill the invaders that they have captured. In people who are vitamin C deficient, bacteria can be engulfed but cannot be digested or destroyed. Research shows that zinc has a role to play in the prevention of colds, especially if sucked slowly with vitamin C.
Vitamin C also helps sore eyes and runny nose, as it is a natural antihistamine.
Although an ideal daily intake of vitamin C is 500-3000mg, for anyone fighting an infection or immune-related disease much larger amounts, up to 20,000mg a day, may be taken. The best way to do this is to buy pure ascorbic acid (vitamin C) powder, dissolve it in some juice and water, and drink it throughout the day, thereby keeping the body permanently saturated in this powerful immune-boosting nutrient. Some people prefer the more alkaline form of vitamin C, known as ascorbate (e.g. calcium ascorbate or magnesium ascorbate), as it is less acidic. Always remember to take it with a lot of fluid and to decrease the intake gradually when the infection has passed, rather than to stop suddenly. If you take too much vitamin C you’ll get loose bowels which is a sign that you should reduce the dose.
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