Functions And Benefits Of Vitamin-C (Ascorbic Acid)
Functions : vitamin c involved in several physiological functions in the body
1.Enzyme function : vitamin plays a major role in the following of certain enzymes required for various metabolism
2.Vitamin c acts a powerful antioxidant
3.Synthesis of hormones: vitamin c provides stability to hormones such as thyrotropin releasing hormone oxytocin etc
4.Formation of collagen and inter cellular cement substance:the vitamin is required in the formation of collagen and in the formation of intercellular cement substance of capillaries,teeth,bones etc. these tissues are not formed when there is vitamin c deficiency.
5.Absorption of iron : A common feature of vitamin c deficiency is anemia.the antioxidant properties of vitamin c may stabilize folote in food in plasma .vitamin c required to promotes absorption of one form to iron .the amount of dietary vitamin c required to increase iron absorption exceeds 25 mg and it is dependent largely on the amount of inhibitors present in the meal
6.Reduced cancer risk:epidemiological studies indicate that diets with high vitamin c content have been associated with lower cancer risk,especially for cancers of the oral cavity ,oesophagus,stomach ,colon and
hung
7.Bone formation: vitamin c is vital for bone formation in vitamin c deficiency formation of bone matrix and ground substance is defective through calcification is unaffected.
8.Wound healing :vitamin c deficiency delays wound healing as collagen formation is affected and rapid wound healing requires the formation of strong connective tissue on the scar
9.Cholestrol metabolism: vitamin c play a protective role in the diseases resulting from atherosclerosis through effect on cholestrol metabolism.
Sources: food sources of vitamin c
Rich sources: Amla and guava
Good sources: drumstick leaves,other leafy vegetables and fruits such as berries, pine apple and tomatoes,kiwi fruits.mangoes,papaya,cabbage,broccoli,mustard greens,peppers.
retention of vitamin c : the vitamin c content of food is strongly influenced by season ,transport to market ,length of time on the self and in storage ,cooking practices and the chlorination of water used in cooking heating and exposure to copper or iron or to mildly alkaline conditions destroys the vitamin and too much water can leach it from the tissues during cooking ,balancing and lowering the ph helps to retain vitamin c whereas cutting or bruising the produce leads to loss of vitamin c.
Deficiency of vitamin c: severe vitamin c deficiency results in the development of scurvy .there are three manifestations of scury ,pain in the extremities and hemorrhagic manifestations precede oedema, ulcerations and ultimatly death. the disease occurs in the adults and infants.
In infantile scurvy,the changes are mainly at the sites of most active bone growth ,there is extreme pain on movement and the presence of swelling and hemorrhages of the gums surrounding erupting teeth.
Symptoms of scurvy in adults include:
1.General weakness: the first symptoms are weakness easy fatigue and restlessness. these are followed quickly by shortnes of breath ,pain in bones,joints and muscles of the extremities
2.Swollen and tender joints and hemorrhage in various tissues: hemorrhage occur deep in muscle may also occurs in joints,causing swelling and pain
3.Bleeding gums and loose teeth : as vitamin c defiency advances the gums becomes swollen blue red .they may be become infected by bacteria and the teeth loosen in the bone
0 Comments