3 Reasons Why Vitamin C Is So Important for Our Immune System

Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid. It is water soluble and any excess in the body is flushed out easily. It is such an important nutrient that the cells of many mammals produce it. That is not the case for humans, gorillas, guinea pigs, bats, and some other animals. Most people know that vitamin C is important to keeping our bodies healthy. Let's look at how vitamin C contributes to our immune system.

1. Neutralizes Free Radicals – Free radicals in our bodies are bad news and our bodies create them constantly. They damage the immune system, cause cells to mutate, and contribute to aging and many diseases, like cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and more. Free radicals are caused by toxins, pollutants, a poor digestive system, and disease. We can fight free radicals with antioxidants and vitamin C is one of the strongest biological antioxidants. It can even regenerate other antioxidants on the body, like vitamin E. So not only does it get rid of free radicals, it helps other antioxidants do the same thing repeatedly.

2. Strengthens the Body's Immune System – There are three important elements in the immune system: IgA, IgM, and C3. "Ig" is the abbreviation for immunoglobulin. These three immunoglobulins act like an army, protecting us from bacteria and viruses. IgA antibodies are located around openings in the body, like the moist surfaces of the mouth. They act like a first line of defense. IgM antibodies respond when the enemy enters our body and they can bring in reinforcements. Other components of the immune system are the complements. These complement aids in the destruction of antigens. C3 is one of the most important of the complements. Vitamin C has been shown to raise the concentration of these components in the blood stream. That means that vitamin C helps these three immunoglobulins increase their effectiveness.

3. Kills Viruses – Vitamin C has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment for viral infections. It can not only treat them but prevent them as well. Treatment can be oral supplementation or intravenous. It has been recommended that if you feel an illness beginning, you should take large doses of vitamin C. Several doses should be taken through the day since the body can not store it. Your body will flush out any that you do not use. Vitamin C will lessen the severity of a viral illness and shorten its length.

Source by Cynthia S Adams