Common questions about Vitamin C
From the desk of:
Dr. Anthony Balduzzi, Founder The Fit Father Project
Vitamin C is an incredibly common supplement; yet, there's still a lot people don't know about it. Here are the answers to some common questions I often get about Vitamin C.
What is Vitamin C and what are some of the benefits of taking it?
Vitamin C is a common anti-oxidant found in fruits and vegetables (particularly peppers, kiwis, citrus fruits, and broccoli). This is the most "commonly known" benefit of Vitamin C. Unfortunately, Vitamin C's immune-boosting power against the common cold is not as strong as most people think. Research suggests that Vitamin C, when supplemented consistently, decreases the duration and severity of colds by only 7-20% (
study). There are, however, other legitimate reasons to supplement with Vitamin C. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C reduces free-radical damage. Vitamin C also helps to lower blood pressure, improve the health of our arteries, and increases blood flow to the brain.
Do you need to take Vitamin C with food for it to absorb properly?
Vitamin C is water soluble, which means it doesn't
require dietary fat (i.e eating a meal) for absorption. You can take Vitamin C with or without food.
Does vitamin C interfere with absorption with other nutrients?
Vitamin C "plays well" with nearly all vitamins and minerals without significant interactions, except in one specific case. Iron.
Vitamin C increase's our body's absorption of iron as much as four-fold. For people who have a tendency to be more iron deficient (many vegetarians, vegans, and people with certain anemias), eating or supplementing adequate intake of Vitamin C can be a safe and effective strategy increase the body's iron stores. For those whose bodies store too much iron, supplementing with Vitamin C is likely something to avoid.
Does it matter what time of day you take Vitamin C? Do you have a recommendation for breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
For the purposes of using Vitamin C as an anti-oxidant and mild immune booster, Vitamin C can be taken at any time of day. It has no stimulating or sedative effects. There is, however, some compelling research that shows that taking Vitamin C
after your gym workouts can actually
negate the effectiveness of your workout entirely (study, study). I typically suggest people refrain from taking Vitamin C (or other anti-oxidant supplements) for at least 6 hours after a workout - if at all.
-Dr. A