Hello, this is Kwak Cheolie from Medicine Notes.!

How much do readers know about the functions of vitamin C?.

Vitamin C functions that keep appearing like an onion you keep peeling..

Vitamin C, which even has a deficiency syndrome..

Are you, who is contemplating whether to take it or not, ready to fall for the charm of vitamin C??

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<Why do we need to take vitamin C anyway??>

Most animals synthesize vitamin C in their bodies from glucose,,

but humans, monkeys, guinea pigs, and only a very limited number of animals cannot biosynthetically produce it,

so it must be supplied through meals or health supplements..

‘Are you thinking, 'I just need to eat my meals properly, why would I take nutritional supplements too?'?

Vitamin C is deficient in modern people who struggle to maintain a balanced diet, making deficiency easy,,

and since it is susceptible to heat and moisture, it is easily destroyed during cooking, making it difficult to obtain through cooked foods..

Furthermore, as a water-soluble vitamin,,

it does not accumulate in the body and after a certain period of time, is excreted,requiring consistent intake..

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<What are these onion-like functions of vitamin C??>

First, the 'functional information' displayed on health supplements recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety includes the following:!

Necessary for the formation and maintenance of connective tissue function
Necessary for iron absorption
Has antioxidant effects and is necessary for protecting cells from harmful oxygen

If you don't quite understand exactly how it works,..

I, Kwak Cheolie, will now explain the answer clearly.!

1. Necessary for the formation and maintenance of connective tissue function

The formation and maintenance of connective tissue is closely related to anti-scurvy action, which is

important for normal tooth and bone formation,,

bone damage recovery and wound healing,,

and collagen and cartilage formation..

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2. Necessary for iron absorption

If you want to consume iron, you've probably heard many times to eat oysters or beef..

However, the absorption of iron obtained from such foods requires some transformation,,

and it is vitamin C that provides this transformation role...!

(For reference, transformation here means reducing iron ions from a 3+ to a 2+ state in the small intestine..)

3. Has antioxidant effects and is necessary for protecting cells from harmful oxygen

By converting reactive oxygen species into forms with low or no cellular toxicity, it prevents DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen..

It not only prevents oxidative damage to DNA carcinogens, which is an important step in the carcinogenic process, but also repairs damaged DNA.,

DNA .

Isn't that amazing?..?

Vitamins that have antioxidant functions like this

have effects that suppress cancer development, prevent aging, and enhance immunity,,

and detailed functions of vitamin C for anti-cancer effects are covered in detail in another column, so interested readers are encouraged to read it.!

What we've covered so far are the functions listed in supplements..

Now, let's peel one more layer of the onion skin..

In addition to the functions listed in the functional information, vitamin C also

inhibits melanin pigment formation in melanocytes, has the effect of preventing age spots and freckles, contributes to
energy production through carnitine biosynthesis, and reduces vitamin E,
making it reusable.

📢A word from Kwak Cheolie, who fills your knowledge (fully!)

: Carnitine is an amino acid synthesized in the body that breaks down fatty acids to produce energy..

Therefore, if vitamin C is deficient, you can easily feel fatigue..

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These are the functions that Kwak Cheolie considers important..

Did your eyes water while peeling the onion, or did that onion seem sweet?.

Next is the deficiency syndrome...!

<Could I have vitamin C deficiency? Let's learn about the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency.>

Major symptoms include bleeding from gums or skin due to capillary fragility,,

developmental disorders of teeth or bones, joint pain, fatigue,,

petechial or macular subcutaneous hemorrhage, and significant delayed wound healing. .

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Early symptoms of scurvy include weakness and lethargy,and physical changes include,

petechiae, follicular keratosis, erythema, purpura, and skin or subcutaneous hemorrhage, depression, worsening of wounds, and hair damage.,

.

There is also infantile scurvy..

It occurs between 6 and 24 months of age (and rarely occurs even with breastfeeding),.),

with symptoms of irritability, loss of appetite, and leg pain appearing..

<Who would benefit from taking vitamin C??>

I, Kwak Cheolie, would like to recommend it to the following people:!

People with insufficient vitamin C intake from fruits and vegetables, etc.,
Those who need antioxidant management due to excessive exercise or want to protect their tired body from harmful oxygen,
Those with irregular eating habits and
those who need vitality in their daily life seem to benefit from taking it..

For readers who are patients,..!

vitamin C plays an important role in the immune system and is involved in chemical detoxification,

so the requirement increases during illness or when taking various medications.

Therefore, if you are a patient, I recommend consulting with your doctor and taking an appropriate amount..

✔️ Conclusion

1. As a water-soluble vitamin, consistent intake is necessary

2. Collagen (connective tissue) formation, iron absorption, antioxidant effects, prevention of age spots and freckles, and energy production

3. Deficiency can be confirmed through scurvy symptoms

✔️ References

1) Preventive Medicine, 10th Edition, Preventive Pharmacy Division, Korean Association of Pharmaceutical Education, Shin Il Books