While vitamin C is most famous and touted for pumping up the immune system, which is why people start reaching for it come cold and flu season, it is also believed to help prevent bone loss, maintain our vision, and promote better oral health. There is also growing evidence that vitamin C can be good for our skin as well.
If you have taken a stroll through the skin care section of a beauty store, or seen commercials for skin care products, you’ve undoubtedly seen the presence and benefits of collagen touted in them. Unlike fillers and injections of the past, this is a different type of collagen. Those who believe in collagen’s benefits say that it will keep your skin plumper while making lines less noticeable. As we age, the collagen in our bodies breaks down faster than it can naturally be replaced.
Vitamin C can help to spur on the collagen production in our bodies. The Mayo Clinic recommends 90 milligrams each day of vitamin C for men, and 75 milligrams each day for women. Exceeding that amount will most likely not be harmful, but it could possibly upset your stomach or digestive tract and cause heartburn.
The body does not produce vitamin C on its own, which is famously what caused sailors to suffer from scurvy on long sea voyages. Fortunately for us today, even at sea, it’s a simple matter of finding food sources or supplements to get enough. Citrus fruits are all rich in vitamin C, as are peppers, leafy greens, and many other fruits and vegetables.