Vitamin C is a necessary nutrient

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. Unlike most mammals, humans do not have the ability to make their own vitamin C. Therefore, we must obtain vitamin C through our diet.

Function
Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, an important structural component of blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, and bone. Vitamin C is also a highly effective antioxidant. Even in small amounts vitamin C can protect indispensable molecules in the body, such as proteins, lipids (fats), carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from damage by free radicals and reactive oxygen species that can be generated during normal metabolism as well as through exposure to toxins and pollutants (e.g. smoking). Vitamin C may also be able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin E.

Deficiency leads to scurvy
Severe vitamin C deficiency has been known for many centuries as the potentially fatal disease, scurvy. By the late 1700′s the British navy was aware that scurvy could be cured by eating oranges or lemons, even though vitamin C would not be isolated until the early 1930′s. Symptoms of scurvy include bleeding and bruising easily, hair and tooth loss, joint pain and swelling.

Such symptoms appear to be related to the weakening of blood vessels, connective tissue, and bone, which contain collagen. Early symptoms of scurvy such as fatigue may result from diminished levels of carnitine, needed to derive energy from fat, or decreased synthesis of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (see Function). Scurvy is rare in developed countries because it can be prevented by as little as 10 mg of vitamin C daily (2). However, recent cases have occurred in children and the elderly on very restricted diets (4, 5).

Food Sources
Different fruits and vegetables vary in their vitamin C content, but five servings (2½ cups) of fruits and vegetables should average out to at least 200 mg of vitamin C. If you wish to check foods you eat frequently for their nutrient content, search the USDA Nutrient List for Vitamin C.

Supplements
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is available in many forms, but there is little scientific evidence that any one form is better absorbed or more effective than another.

Natural vs. synthetic vitamin C
According to Dr. Paulilng, natural and synthetic L-ascorbic acid are chemically identical and there are no known differences in their biological activities or bioavailability

Mineral ascorbates
Mineral salts of ascorbic acid are buffered and therefore, less acidic than ascorbic acid. Some people find them less irritating to the gastrointestinal tract than ascorbic acid. Sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate are the most common forms, although a number of other mineral ascorbates are available. Sodium ascorbate generally provides 131 mg of sodium per 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid, and pure calcium ascorbate provides 114 mg of calcium per 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
Bioflavonoids are a class of water-soluble plant pigments that are often found in vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Although many bioflavonoids are thought to function as antioxidants, there is little evidence that the bioflavonoids in most commercial preparations increase the bioavailability or efficacy of vitamin C.

Source:  Linus Pauling Institute

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