Vitamin C: The Avenger of the Immune System
Discovering the Amazing Immune Boosting Effects of Vitamin C
It was 2019 and a new plague was gripping the planet. What would the future be like? How would this affect my family and loved ones? These questions were especially concerning to me because my wife has an autoimmune disease: Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Thankfully, she had just experienced an amazing transformation. A few years earlier, she wasn’t able to stand without help and was missing out on our children's birthday parties because she couldn’t get out of bed. Now, she is playing tennis and hosting these birthday parties! Still, I didn’t want to take any chances - I needed to find a way to boost her immune system and protect her from this plague. That is when I discovered the amazing immune boosting effects of Vitamin C!
Our Immune System is Like a Fire
Our immune system is like a fire. Too much will burn everything down. Fires that aren’t completely put out can flare up at any time. But, a well controlled fire will keep you safe.
Think of it as an Avengers Movie
Vitamin C has a powerful effect on boosting and controlling the immune system. Your immune cells have weapons they use to defeat invaders. Some of these weapons are targeted, while others kill everything in sight. Think of it as an Avengers movie. When the bad guys show up, the Avengers can destroy the whole city in order to get rid of the invaders. Vitamin C is essential to produce the weapons your immune system needs to defeat the bad guys. Not only does it do this, but it also protects your non-immune cells from damage. Kind of like a force field around the city's buildings and cars.
Vitamin C also keeps the immune system from going overboard. Some people develop cytokine storms with more serious viral infections, meaning the immune system has gone berserk! It has pulled out the nuclear option and will destroy everything in its sight - even itself. Vitamin C calms and focuses the immune system so the storm stays contained and directed at the bad guys.
What Does This Mean When You Get Sick?
So, what does this mean when you get sick? Many studies have shown that Vitamin C shortens colds by several days. It has also been shown to reduce the severity of symptoms, so you don’t feel as bad when you’re under the weather. Vitamin C is also helpful for prevention. Thankfully, your body only needs about 200 mg a day on a regular basis to keep your immune system humming. Despite this data, Vitamin C is actually the 4th most common vitamin deficiency, with more than one in ten people showing a Vitamin C deficiency.
Vitamin C Deficiency
You are at high risk of Vitamin C deficiency if you are suffering from autoimmune disease or chronic illness, elderly, very young, pregnant, lactating, a smoker or exposed to secondhand smoke, have a poor diet, exposed to pollution, a nursing home resident, or have an eating disorder. That’s quite a list!
Vitamin C gets burned up as it is boosting the immune system and protecting our bodies. And unfortunately, our bodies don’t typically make Vitamin C on its own. One study showed that people need to take 6 grams of Vitamin C daily when sick to keep blood levels from declining.
Extreme heat or cold, and heavy exercise can also burn through your Vitamin C. Taking extra vitamin C in these conditions has been proven to prevent infections.
Bonus Benefits
Last but not least, Vitamin C is crucial for other aspects of your health including collagen production (to keep you young), mood, nerve growth, and regeneration of myelin.
If you want to boost your immune system, click on the link below to get started!
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