Do I Have a Vitamin C Deficiency?
We all know we need Vitamin C, but sometimes we just can’t get enough. It’s a powerful antioxidant, helping our bodies body defend against the harmful effects of free radicals and supporting overall good health. If you have any of the following symptoms, you may not be getting enough of this crucial vitamin.
Easy Bruising
When capillaries near the surface of the skin leak, bruises form. While some bruising is normal, unexplained or excessive marks may suggest weakened capillaries due to a lack of Vitamin C.
Dry, Splitting Nails or Hair
Just as healthy locks are usually a sign of a healthy diet, chronic bad hair days may suggest a dietary deficiency. Since hair is not an essential tissue, Vitamin C is conserved for more important tissues and organs first. If you don’t have enough Vitamin C, you won’t have enough left to fortify your hair.
Vitamin C also helps our bodies utilize iron. A lack of iron can lead to poor nail and hair health.
Wounds That Are Slow to Heal
If your scrapes or cuts seem slow to heal, it might be time to pay more attention to your diet. Collagen — the connective tissue that helps bind a healing wound — requires Vitamin C to form.
Bleeding, Inflamed or Swollen Gums
Low levels of Vitamin C are often linked to oral health issues, such as frequent mouth ulcers or irritated gums.
Rough, Dry, Irritated Skin
Low collagen levels due to insufficient Vitamin C intake can result in rough, dry skin. Low Vitamin C levels are also linked to skin conditions like keratosis pilaris — tiny, hard bumps on the legs, arms and face.
Unexplained Weight Gain
Insufficient Vitamin C in the bloodstream can cause increased body fat, particularly around the midsection.
Frequent Nosebleeds
Almost 100 percent of nosebleeds occur from capillaries located at the front of the nose. Since proper Vitamin C intake helps make these blood vessels less fragile, a lack of Vitamin C may lead to increased nosebleeds.
Worried you might not be getting enough Vitamin C? Check out these non-citrus surprising sources of vitamin C.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
What are the benefits of Liposomal Vitamin C?
Sure, Vitamin C helps to support a healthy immune system, but the benefits of Vitamin C are multifaceted. It’s a critical nutrient for healthy bones, skin, gums and even hair. Like many vitamins, Vitamin C is water soluble, which means that you must replenish the stores that are used or lost through your body’s natural processes. Much of the Vitamin C from standard pills and powders available in the drugstore encounter absorption barriers in the body and flush right out of your system. That’s why liposomal Vitamin C has become so popular; it delivers Vitamin C to your body in a protective casing that maximizes absorption.
The Importance of Vitamin C
Without vitamin C, your body would not be able to perform many of its most basic functions. Take collagen, which is essential for the health of your skin. Without Vitamin C, your body could not make it. It’s also important to keep your bones healthy and help you better absorb other vitamins and minerals, like iron.
How Liposomes Work for Vitamin Delivery
Liposomal vitamin C benefits the body by enabling better absorption. Liposomes are extremely small fatty particles that help to carry nutrients into the bloodstream and into your body’s cells. Liposomal vitamin C is created to work like a body cell as it moves through your system. The liposome is able to bypass the absorption barriers in your body, increasing the potential for delivering more vitamin C to your bloodstream and your body’s cells.
Boost the Effects of Liposomal Vitamin C
You can enhance liposomal vitamin C benefits by following a healthy diet that includes Vitamin C-rich foods. At this point, Vitamin C and citrus may as well be synonymous, but you can also find it in a variety of vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers and spinach if you prefer salad over sour.
As with any lifestyle change, you should always consult with your doctor before beginning a liposomal Vitamin C supplement regimen.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Side Effects of Vitamin B12
Your body relies on a specific balance of nutrients to perform vital processes, like cell renewal, that keep your body functioning at its best. While B12 is found in many common foods such as meat, eggs and fortified cereals, some of us may not be able to absorb enough of the nutrient for optimum functioning. When a B vitamin deficiency occurs, supplementation is an option for helping to ensure that you get enough of this nutrient each day.
Just be cognizant of the other elements of your diet and how they could interact with Vitamin B12 supplementation.
You Can Take Too Much Vitamin B12
Since Vitamin B is water-soluble, our bodies usually excrete excess amounts, making overdoses rare. If this occurs, the effects of a Vitamin B12 overdose can be unpleasant. Eye pain, abdominal discomfort and unusual fatigue are a few B12 side effects that indicate you may have taken too much. Severe side effects of a B12 overdose can include hives, increased sweating and an irregular heartbeat. If you have unusual symptoms after taking a vitamin, report the supplement you used to your physician.
Beware of Possible Medication Interactions
Tell your doctor about any supplements when you receive a new prescription, as several medications have adverse effects when taken with B12 supplements. Chemotherapy medications, long-term antibiotics and seizure preventatives can all increase your chances of experiencing B12 side effects. Certain over-the-counter medications, including pain relievers and stimulants, could interact with B12 supplements. Always use caution when starting a new supplementation routine and discuss your experiences with your doctor as needed.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
An Overview of B Complex Vitamins: Sources and Benefits
Eight different vitamins comprise the B complex, each serving important functions in our bodies. All the vitamins in the B complex are essential, meaning that our bodies can’t produce them. Fortunately, B vitamins are available in a plethora of delicious foods and supplements are easy to come by.
What Are the Different B Vitamins?
The eight main types of B vitamins include the following:
- Thiamin (B1)
- Riboflavin (B2)
- Niacin (B3)
- Pantothenic acid (B5)
- Pyridoxine (B6)
- Biotin (B7)
- Folic Acid (B9)
- Cobalamin (B12)
Typically, you can find at least one or more of the B complex vitamins in most foods, and a varied diet helps you ensure that you get each of the eight different types each day.
How Do They Work in My Body?
Each of the B complex vitamins serves a different role. For example, thiamin helps your body convert food into energy, and this B vitamin has been associated with promoting a more positive mindset. Currently, research is underway to understand the role that B complex vitamins play in the conversion process of turning homocysteine into methionine, which is one of the components your body uses to create protein. Your body also relies upon B complex vitamins to work with other nutrients such as vitamin C to support your eye, digestive and skin health.
What Are the Best Sources of B Complex Vitamins?
The ideal way to get the most B complex benefits is to include sources of these vitamins in your diet. Under most circumstances, eating a diet that includes a variety of meats, vegetables and fruits is enough for you to get the proper amounts of B vitamins each day. However, some factors can make you susceptible to developing a deficiency. If you have digestive disorders or drink alcohol regularly, you are at greater risk for developing a deficiency that requires supplementation. Since these vitamins are water soluble, your body’s stores may also run low if you hydrate excessively due to sports or other reasons. Milk, eggs, citrus fruits and lean meats are all excellent sources of B vitamins.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
B Complex Benefits: Skin, Hair and Overall Health
Beauty comes from within. Turns out that isn’t just a cliche. A balanced diet — rich in many vitamins — can help you achieve better skin, hair, and other beauty benefits. And when it comes to beauty benefits, think Vitamin B complex. It’s more than alliterative; this group of vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12) supports your body inside and out.
Vitamin B Complex Benefits
B complex benefits range from helping to combat the effects of stress to supporting healthy immune and nervous systems. Additional B complex benefits include:
- Promotes the normal growth and division of cells
- Helps maintain healthy muscle and skin tone
- Helps support the body’s metabolic rate
- Helps boost your mood
- Vitamin B12 has been found to help regulate pigment production in the skin (this can help prevent hyperpigmentation, which causes certain areas of the skin to darken)
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin) can help support healthy metabolism
- Vitamin B5 helps you digest fats and protein
- Vitamin B7 (Biotin) helps maintain strong hair
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) helps the body absorb iron (a mineral that is essential for strong, healthy nails)
- Helps convert carbohydrates into glucose (this translates into healthy energy levels)
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is an antioxidant
Issues Caused by a Deficiency in B Vitamins
While a diet rich in all forms of Vitamin B can help you look and feel better, a deficiency can have unpleasant consequences. Low Vitamin B levels can lead to stunted hair growth, slow cell division among hair follicles, and even hair loss.
A healthy diet can help ensure you are getting the right amount of B Vitamins, as can adding a Vitamin B Complex supplement. As with any supplement changes, it is always best to check with your physician first.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
How Can Vitamin C Improve Your Skin?
With all these serums on the market and the articles in beauty magazines, the message is clear: Vitamin C can benefit your skin. Here are five ways that Vitamin C — when taken orally — can support the look, feel, and overall health of your skin.
Vitamin C For Skin Care
Natural Sunscreen
Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant, which means it fights the effects of harmful free radicals that form when your skin is exposed to the sun. It also protects against the skin damage that can occur from ultraviolet radiation, including sunburns, pigmentations and redness. If you do get a sunburn, Vitamin C can accelerate the healing process.
Supports Prevention of Skin Discoloration
A study published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine journal determined that Vitamin C shields your DNA from everyday photochemical reactions that lead to skin discoloration and age spots. If you already have age spots, taking Vitamin C supplements and applying Vitamin C-infused skin creams could help diminish their appearance.
Essential for Collagen Production
Collagen is the main structural protein in the skin and other connective tissues. It helps your skin appear firm, smooth and vibrant. Vitamin C plays an essential role in the production of collagen, regulating its synthesis in your body. If you don’t consume enough Vitamin C, your body’s collagen levels will decrease, making your skin appear looser and more susceptible to wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Maintains Healthy Skin Texture
Collagen is an important structural component of the blood vessels that supply nutrients to your skin. Vitamin C also promotes the rapid renewal of skin cells, a process that helps your skin feel soft and smooth. Without Vitamin C, your skin would lack moisture and nutrients, causing it to become dull, rough and dry.
With the numerous beauty creams and serums lining the skincare aisles, there is a bit of a misconception that Vitamin C must be applied topically for skin support. The reality is that the aforementioned actions occur at a cellular level, meaning you can reap the skincare benefits by taking Vitamin C orally — through diet and supplements. You can get beauty from the inside out. So, before filling your medicine cabinet with expensive beauty products, try stocking your fridge with citrus, leafy green veggies, bell peppers, berries and some top-notch Vitamin C supplements.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Vitamin C Dosage: How Much Vitamin C Do You Need?
Did you know that humans are one of the few mammalian species on Earth whose bodies cannot produce Vitamin C? Lucky for us, and not the primates and guinea pigs who also do not make Vitamin C, we know we need to get this essential antioxidant through diet. What we often don’t know is how much we need each day. And that’s because there are just so many recommendations out there.
According to U.S. government guidelines, adult women should take 75 mg of Vitamin C each day, and adult men should take 90 mg. To complicate the matter, many experts recommend a Vitamin C dosage of between 200 mg and 1,000 mg daily, or even more, to achieve maximum benefits.
The goal of daily Vitamin C intake is to attain optimal saturation levels in the blood and tissues. However, measuring those levels can be complicated. Vitamin C is water soluble, which means that excess portions are flushed out in your urine. Different organs and bodily fluids have different Vitamin C retention capabilities. The adrenals, brain, eyeballs and prostate can retain high levels of Vitamin C, while blood plasma retains less. The problem is that medical professionals often use blood plasma to test the body’s overall Vitamin C levels, which can produce misleading results and differing opinions on daily intake requirements.
So how much vitamin c should you take each day? Authorities have varying opinions, but the majority seems to favor Vitamin C dosage in the range of 200mg to 500mg per day. They also suggest breaking up daily vitamin consumption into two or three doses. This allows your body to receive Vitamin C in waves, counteracting vitamin loss through the urine. There is also some consensus that older adults, smokers and lactating mothers should consume more vitamin C.
Vitamin C is safe to consume. Since it’s water soluble, you can’t overdose on it. Just watch out if you’re taking more than 2,000mg a day, as you may experience some uncomfortable digestion issues. If you experience an upset stomach or diarrhea, you should be able to find quick relief by lowering your Vitamin C intake.
No matter how much Vitamin C you decide is best for you, try to get it from a variety of sources throughout the day. Take a Vitamin C supplement with breakfast, enjoy some fresh berries at lunch and dark leafy green vegetables and maybe even another supplement at dinner. Remember that fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables contain the highest levels of Vitamin C.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Surprising Sources of Vitamin C
Our bodies rely on Vitamin C to perform so many important functions, functions, like neutralizing free radicals within our cells. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient. That means that, although our bodies require it to perform vital functions, our cells can’t produce it. A nutrient-dense diet is the most efficient to get Vitamin C, and it’s a lot tastier and more colorful than you think. After all, oranges aren’t the only source of Vitamin C…
Bell Peppers
A single cup of chopped bell peppers can provide your body with 100 mg of Vitamin C. Compare that to the approximately 70 mg of vitamin C from a medium-sized orange! One thing to note is that your choice of cooking method can affect the vitamin C content that you actually consume. Unlike vitamin C supplements that always deliver the same amount of milligrams, fresh produce can gain and lose milligrams through the cooking process.
Broccoli
A favorite among cruciferous vegetable enthusiasts, one serving of raw or steamed broccoli provides as much as 132 mg of Vitamin C.
Kiwi
A little but mighty fruit, Kiwi is rich in potassium, copper and Vitamin C. A serving of approximately two kiwi fruits will give you as much as 137 mg of Vitamin C, no cooking necessary.
Vitamin Supplements
Sometimes you just might not be able to get your hands on enough fruits and veggies to meet your body’s demands for Vitamin C. Lypo-Spheric™ Vitamin C supplements can deliver up to 200% more of this essential nutrient than previously thought possible with oral supplements. While eating Vitamin C-rich foods is always the tastier, more enjoyable option, supplements are a convenient way to keep your body fortified.
Between the citrus, berries, peppers and cruciferous vegetables, there’s a source of Vitamin C for every taste. Vitamin C supports the body in so many vital processes; make sure you’re getting enough through diet and supplements.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
1 Hickey S., Roberts H, Miller N, (2008), “Pharmacokinetics of oral vitamin C” Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine July 31.
Strive For Optimal Health With These Vitamin Combinations
Did you know that certain vitamins work together to create a synergistic effect that enhances your body’s ability to absorb and utilize nutrients to their fullest extent? As you work toward reaching optimal health, consider combining these vitamins and minerals to get the most out of your healthy diet and supplementation regimen.
Black Pepper and Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is known for its effect on metabolism and energy. However, the process of extracting vitamin B12 from food can get complicated for your body. Your stomach secretes hydrochloric acid and the digestive enzyme pepsin to free the B12 from the food source. The B12 then combines with a special protein that protects it during the journey to the small intestine where it is finally absorbed. Black pepper contains piperine, a special alkaloid that helps your body absorb more of the B12 once it hits the intestine.
Iron and Vitamin C
Iron deficiency can lead to a variety of health issues, including anemia. Iron comes in heme and non-heme forms, and Vitamin C can increase your body’s absorption of non-heme iron. Heme iron, such as that found in meats, is more easily absorbed by your body than non-heme forms that come from plant-based foods. For this reason, many people prefer to take Vitamin C supplements, like our Lypo-Spheric™ Vitamin C, when they consume non-heme sources of iron.
Vitamin A and Iron
Vitamin A is known for helping cell reproduction, healthy vision and proper growth. You can get this fat-soluble vitamin as retinyl palmitate through your diet; most of it is stored in your liver until it is ready for use. Your body can also convert beta-carotene from fruits and vegetables into vitamin A. Supplementing with Vitamin A may also have a beneficial effect on iron deficiency, with a combination of supplemental Vitamin A and iron being more effective than either supplement by itself.
Knowing how to combine certain vitamins allows you to get the most nutrition from your diet. While all vitamins support the body’s ability to perform various important functions, it’s always nice to be as efficient as possible.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Signs You May Be Vitamin C Deficient
Vitamin C is one of the most important water-soluble vitamins that you should include in your daily diet. You can’t store vitamin C, so make sure you’re eating foods rich in Vitamin C every day. If you’re an adult, the FDA currently recommends at least 90 milligrams of vitamin C each day. Some studies, however, indicate optimum doses are much higher – closer to 1,000 milligrams a day. For doses that high, you need to take vitamin C supplements.
It’s tough to monitor micronutrient intake, so you may not even know you’re not getting enough Vitamin C on a daily basis. If you’re chronically low, your body will let you know with several symptoms of a Vitamin C deficiency.
Signs of Vitamin C Deficiency
- Minor bleeding, such as nose bleeds, or easy bruising.
- Dry, split hair due to inadequate collagen.
- Slow wound healing. Vitamin C promotes collagen development in scar tissue.
- Iron deficiency. Vitamin C promotes iron absorption, so low vitamin C and low iron levels often coexist.
- Fatigue and mood changes. Vitamin C affects energy production and helps stabilize your moods.
- Weight gain. You have less energy when vitamin C levels are low, so you are less likely to exercise regularly or vigorously.
- Swollen, bleeding gums. A symptom of scurvy, this occurs in advanced cases when you’ve been low on Vitamin C for at least six months.
Confirming a Deficiency
If you’re concerned that you’re Vitamin C deficient, you can get a blood test to measure the level of ascorbic acid in your blood. A level above 0.6 mg/dL indicates you’re getting enough Vitamin C. Levels of less than 0.3 mg/dL indicate a deficiency.
Vitamin C is readily available in many fruits and vegetables. While citrus may come to mind first, you can also find a high density of Vitamin C in strawberries, papaya, bell peppers, tomatoes and even cauliflower. And some of the most bioavailable Vitamin C supplements are just a click away.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
