Vitamins are extremely necessary for our organism for normal functioning. Including vitamin C, it ascorbic acid is very important. In our article we will tell about its advantage, the reasons of a shortcoming and surplus and also we will give daily requirement depending on age.
Short characteristic and role in an organism
Ascorbic acid (in a popular speech — antiscorbutic vitamin) belongs to group of water-soluble vitamins, is powerful antioxidant, regulates oxidation-reduction processes, takes active part in production of collagen and procollagen, is necessary for exchange processes of folic acid and iron.
Thanks to its influence blood clotting indicator is regulated, the condition of capillaries is normalized. Besides, it possesses anti-inflammatory and antiallergic action.
Important! You should not use vitamin C next the heart as it increases acidity that can cause development of gastrointestinal diseases.
Antiscorbutic vitamin protects an organism from negative impacts and stresses. Besides, it promotes strengthening of reparative processes and increase in resistance to various infections.
Because of the water solubility it cannot collect in an organism therefore it is necessary to fill its stock constantly.
Standard daily rate of consumption
Depending on age, the human body needs different amount of ascorbic acid. Let's consider a daily dosage.
For babies
The standard daily rate for chest children aged up to 5 months is 30 mg. From half a year it is possible to increase a dosage to 35 mg a day.
For children
For girls and boys aged from 1 year up to 3 years the daily dosage makes 40 mg, from 4 years to 10-year age it is possible to increase norm to 45 mg, and from 10 to 11 years the child in day can give 50 mg.
For young men and girls
Both for young men, and for girls the day norm of antiscorbutic vitamin is 60 mg.
For adults
For adults the daily dose of ascorbic acid makes 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women.
For elderly
The standard daily rate of antiscorbutic vitamin for people is more senior than 50 years is 100 mg.
At cold
During a disease the immunity weakens therefore the human body needs the increased dosage. It is recommended to use 500-1000 mg every day depending on a condition of the patient.
For pregnant women
During pregnancy the daily dose increases as not only the woman, but also a fruit needs antiscorbutic vitamin. Every day about 200-400 mg of ascorbic acid are recommended to accept. In the period of a lactation the norm also should be increased.
We recommend to you to learn what vitamin complexes are necessary for future and feeding mothers.
For athletes
As athletes are exposed to big physical activities, the daily dose for them much more, than for the ordinary person, and makes 200-300 mg.
Where to look for vitamins: the products containing vitamin C
We bring to your attention the list of products with the largest content of antiscorbutic vitamin (on 100 g of a product):
- dogrose — 450-600 mg;
- the Bulgarian red pepper — 180-250 mg;
- blackcurrant — 180-200 mg;
- green pepper — 130-150 mg;
- spinach — 100-120 mg;
- kiwi — 80-90 mg;
- cauliflower — 70 mg;
- strawberry — 50-60 mg;
- orange — 50-60 mg;
- white cabbage — 45 mg;
- lemon — 40-45 mg;
- tangerines — 30-40 mg;
- apples — 15-20 mg.
We advise in more detail to learn what products (fruit and vegetables) contain most of all vitamin C.
As vitamin at culinary processing remains
Let's consider on the example of potatoes, fresh cabbage and sauerkraut what losses of vitamin C at different types of processing.
Potatoes:
- when cooking in uniforms if to immerse in cold water — 25%;
- at usual cooking if to immerse in cold water — 35%;
- at usual cooking if to immerse in the boiling water — 75%;
- if to cook in soup — 50%;
- if to extinguish — 80%;
- if to do puree — 72-88%.
Fresh cabbage:
- if to cook in soup — 20-50%;
- if to extinguish — 70%.
Sauerkraut:
- if to cook — 50%;
- if to extinguish — 20-65%.
Search of the help in drugstores
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to receive norm of antiscorbutic vitamin, necessary for an organism, from products. In that case special medicines which can be bought in drugstore come to the rescue.
The recommended medicines:
- Nikomed vitamin C;
- Asvitol;
- Vitrum plus vitamin C;
- Upsavit vitamin C.
Besides, in any drugstore you will be able to buy all the known ascorbic acid in the tablets packed in the form of big candy. Most often one tablet contains 25 mg of antiscorbutic vitamin. Advantage of this medicine consists in interesting packing and pleasant taste. They are to strawberry, crimson, orange and other tastes that very much is pleasant to children.
Whether you know? The organism of many animals, for example, of cats, is capable to synthesize independently vitamin C from glucose, unlike a human body which lost such ability and is forced to receive antiscorbutic vitamin or with acceptance of food, or at the use of medicines.
Possible problems: danger of a surplus of vitamin C
You should not think that the more you will use ascorbic acid, the better. The surplus of antiscorbutic vitamin can do harm.
Reasons
The committee of WHO entered the special concepts certainly admissible daily dose of vitamin C and conditionally admissible dose of vitamin C. The first is found at the rate of 2.5 mg on 1 kg of body weight, and the second — 7.5 mg on 1 kg of body weight.
Excess of conditionally admissible dose also is the reason of the gipervitaminoz arising in such situations:
- in the winter and in the spring to secure itself against diseases, people often without need exceed a dosage;
- the use of a large number of the products containing ascorbic acid;
- the use of too high doses for treatment of diseases.
Symptoms
Carry to the main symptoms of a surplus of ascorbic acid:
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- dizziness;
- allergic reactions on integuments;
- irritation of a stomach;
- decrease in concentration of B12 vitamin;
- damage of tooth enamel;
- increase in arterial blood pressure;
- deterioration in functioning of a pancreas.
Except possible similar effects, with extra care ascorbic acid should be accepted to the people having the diabetes having the increased blood clotting and tendency to formation of blood clots.
What should I do?
There are two types of overdose: chronic and single. At chronic it is recommended to drink a lot of water. Thanks to the arriving water, kidneys will be able quickly to bring substance out of an organism.
Important! Small children should give antiscorbutic vitamin gradually, since very small doses as it can cause allergic reactions.
The second look — single overdose. Most often occurs if the admissible dose is exceeded in 20 and more times. In that case it is necessary to start as soon as possible performance of certain actions that acid did not manage to be acquired, namely:
To execute cleaning of a stomach. For this purpose cause vomiting and drink a large amount of water. It will help to prevent dehydration, the stomach will be washed out, and acid will not get to blood. To accept activated carbon.
If you understood that you used too much ascorbic acid, it is necessary to exclude from a diet the products supporting her for a while.
In what danger of shortage of vitamin C
The lack of ascorbic acid of an organism can also lead to negative consequences.
Reasons
Carry to the main reasons for hypovitaminosis:
- improper feeding — insufficient amount of vegetables and fruit in the menu, their use after heat treatment;
- presence of gastrointestinal diseases — as a result of it is broken absorption of acid in intestines;
- metabolic disorder, violations of work of a thyroid gland — at the same time vitamins are strongly removed from an organism;
- the periods when the organism more than usual needs antiscorbutic vitamin — pregnancy, the lactation period, presence of infections, stresses.
Symptoms
Distinguish the following from the main symptoms of hypovitaminosis:
- quickly there comes the feeling of fatigue;
- significantly the working capacity decreases;
- often there are colds;
- headache;
- for all day strong irritability is felt;
- problems with a dream are noted;
- skin became pale;
- often aches muscles;
- at defeat of integuments bleeding increases.
Whether you know? Presently all animals, plants and people need vitamin C. There is only one exception — yeast: other form of antiscorbutic vitamin is necessary for them absolutely.
What should I do?
To fill concentration of vitamin C in an organism, use the following recommendations:
- include more fruit and vegetables in the diet;
- refuse addictions — smoking and consumption of alcoholic drinks;
- avoid stresses and overcoolings;
- you sleep not less than 8 hours;
- accept daily 100-200 mg of vitamin C.
Precautionary measures, or dangers of self-treatment and self-diagnostics
Not to do harm to the health, it is necessary to treat with extra care an antiscorbutic vitamin dosage. You should not exceed the recommended norm and if you have any diseases, it is worth consulting with the attending physician about whether you can accept any given dose.
Besides, it is impossible to be engaged in self-diagnostics at all and without the knowledge of the doctor to appoint to itself ascorbic acid. Remember that adoption of too large or small number can significantly do much harm to your health.
Useful vitamins
Except ascorbic acid, there are also other useful vitamins. Let's consider them.
Vitamin A
This vitamin belongs to group of fat-soluble. It is necessary for maintenance in the normal state of sight, for health of bones, integuments, hair and the correct functioning of the immune system. The standard daily rate for the adult is 900 mkg for men and 700 mkg for women.
Vitamin D
This vitamin promotes assimilation in an organism of magnesium and calcium, teeth, necessary for the correct development, and a bone tissue. Besides, it is necessary for normal functioning of nervous system. The standard daily rate for the adult is 5 mkg.
Vitamin E
Thanks to existence it in an organism, there is a regeneration of fabrics much quicker, blood circulation improves. Also it is used in therapy of many female diseases, improves a condition of skin and hair. The daily dose for adult women makes 8ME, for men — 10E.
We advise you in more detail to read in what food, these vitamins contain: vitamin A, vitamin D, also learn about advantage of vitamin E: for the person, hair, for women, at pregnancy and when planning conception and how to define its surplus.
So, ascorbic acid, as well as other vitamins, is very important for normal functioning of an organism. However it is necessary to watch to allowing a shortcoming or a surplus of these substances. They are capable to bring benefit only at the moderate use.