Effectiveness of Vitamin C during Covid-19

The present pandemic situation has been a constant source of stress and worries for several months now, with no possible end in sight.

With the rise in the number of cases and the extension of lockdown in several states, the stay-at-home ritual that you’ve so gotten used to is unlikely to get over any time sooner.

As health officials continue to fight against COVID-19 to bring the numbers down, it is now more than ever that the onus of building herd immunity has taken precedence over us.

Prioritising health and strengthening your body’s natural defences is the only way to ascertain your safety from COVID-19.

One simple and easy way to build immunity is to increase daily intake of Vitamin C, a supernutrient that plays an important role in performing a wide range of functions and mechanisms in your body. Let’s get a better understanding of how useful Vitamin C is for our overall health.

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is an ascorbic acid found naturally in food that is known to heal cuts, wounds and abrasions, fight infection, maintain healthy skin and bones, help in better iron absorption, burn fat more efficiently and also relieves stress by supporting our adrenals.

Even when taken in excess, Vitamin C does not cause any severe health problem as it is water-soluble by nature, which means it is drained off by the body and can’t be stored by the body for too long and therefore, a daily dosage is essential.

Daily value of Vitamin C has been recommended to be 65-90 mg per day for an average healthy individual. But breastfeeding women require an extra 30 mg and doses for smokers can go up to an additional 35 mg.

Also, if you’re someone suffering from cold and flu, your body would require more Vitamin C than normal to fight off infection. Therefore, it can be said that a daily dose of 1000 mg of Vitamin C is safe to keep common cold or flu-like symptoms at bay.

However, the upper limit for daily consumption of Vitamin C has been found to be 2000 mg by many independent research bodies. Consuming more than 2000 mg of Vitamin C per day can easily lead to diarrhoea as it can signal the body to pull water out of the cells and into your digestive tract.

How does Vitamin C boost immunity?

Vitamin C is responsible for both the production and function of white blood cells in the body. Our body has many different types of white blood cells, of which lymphocytes significantly help in improving immune response by fighting off microorganisms and foreign substances.

Daily intake of 1000 mg of Vitamin C has been seen to boost immunity, enhance performance and promote longevity of lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the body by improving the overall health of white blood cells. This is done by reducing the amount of oxidative stress (harmful chemicals) produced by WBCS while fighting off antigens.

Vitamin C is a potent form of antioxidant that increases our immunity in several ways. It reduces all kinds of inflammation in the body and keeps our skin healthy by improving the production of collagen.

Our skin and mucous membrane are the body’s first line of defence. Cuts or bruises can easily cause infections to get severe. Collagen is the key protein in the skin that is needed for proper wound healing. Thus, by producing collagen, Vitamin C helps the skin act as a functional barrier to keep harmful pathogens at bay.

Higher intakes of Vitamin C from both dietary and supplementary sources have been proven to have an inverse relation with coronary heart-related risk.

In further studies pertaining to cancer treatments, higher doses of IV (intravenous) Vitamin C has been shown to achieve low toxicity towards cancer-causing cells in patients.

Vitamin C and Covid-19

Evidence from case studies in humans suggests that high doses of IV Vitamin C can reduce inflammation caused by the H1N1 virus (Swine flu) or other viruses.

The Shanghai Medical Association has endorsed the use of higher doses of Vitamin C for the treatment of COVID patients, as per an article published in the Chinese Journal of Infection Diseases.

Vitamin C IV doses higher than daily value has been observed to improve lung function and keep patients off mechanical ventilators.

In a 2019 review, both oral and IV high dose Vitamin C has been seen to help patients reduce their stay time in ICUs by 8% and shorten the duration of mechanical ventilators by 18.2%.

Clinical trials have been assigned by researchers to study the effectiveness of IV Vitamin C on COVID-19 patients. It is been currently tested to see if it can improve lung function in patients.

However, it is to be noted that no evidence suggests higher consumption of oral Vitamin C to help with the disease. Anything more than 2000 mg can cause diarrhoea and nausea. Vitamin C is not yet a standard part of the treatment for COVID-19 since the study is on-going and evidence is lacking.

Sources of Vitamin C

Fruit (vitamin C / 100g)

• Guava (228 mg)
• Kiwi (93 mg)
• Strawberry (59 mg)
• Blackcurrants (181 mg)
• Lychee (72 mg)
• Orange (53 mg)
• Grapefruit (31 mg)
• Lemon (53 mg)
• Mango (36 mg)
• Lime (29 mg)
• Pineapple (48 mg)

Vegetable (vitamin C / 100g)

• Chilli (142 mg)
• Bell peppers (80 mg)
• Broccoli (89 mg)
• Brussels sprouts (85 mg)
• Kale (120 mg)
• Kohlrabi (62 mg)
• Cauliflower (48 mg)

Consuming five varied sources of fruits and vegetables can provide for 200 mg of Vitamin C per day.

Why go for Vitamin C supplements?

Due to the water-soluble nature prolonged exposure of raw cut fruits and vegetables can lead to loss of Vitamin C. It is also easily lost in cooking. Therefore, eating minimally cooked or raw fruits and vegetables is advisable.

If you’re someone who is prone to inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetable or struggles to eat a healthy diet, then you must go for supplements.

Vitamin C is required when our body is under attack by any kind of infection which results in the common cold or flu-like symptoms. Evidence from various studies has been proven to reduce the severity and duration of the common cold in affected individuals.

Recommended daily dosage for healthy adults is 65-90 mg per day, whereas 1000 mg is usually recommended for smokers and people suffering from the common cold.

Do note that the Upper Limit for (UL) for Vitamin C supplement is 2000 mg. If you’re planning to have it both from natural and supplemental sources, make sure to not exceed the UL. Excessive amounts can lead to diarrhoea.

Benefits of Plix Immune Booster

It is the easiest and most effective way to include Vitamin C in your daily lifestyle. The instant drop and frizz technique make it super convenient for you to consume it any time of the day.

However, we recommend having it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or 30 mins prior to meals or two hours after a meal.

Plix Vitamin C Immune Booster is free of allergens, sugar or artificial colours/ flavours. It is infused with bioflavonoids, the nutrients found in the rinds of citrus fruits that may improve the bioavailability of Vitamin C.

Consume 1-2 tablets daily to maintain optimum health.

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