John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

Most households will have vitamin C in their medicine cupboards.

Vitamin C is the body's great general purpose antioxidant. It is the foot soldiers that help the elite special antioxidant forces to function properly. Like all antioxidants, vitamin C is able to switch between its oxidised form, where it loses an electron; to its reduced form, where it gains an electron.

This ability to add and lose electrons makes vitamin C play a critical role in the body. Its main role is to help the formation and structure of collagen. This is a protein widely distributed in connective tissue. Collagen is extremely important in forming the collagen webbing that gives structure to blood vessels. A low level of vitamin C is disastrous for those with circulatory disease and is often the cause of premature skin aging.

The recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamin C is a ridiculously low 60mg. This may prevent scurvy but is totally inadequate for optimum health. Collagen can only be properly formed with plenty of vitamin C. The result is strong yet supple blood vessels that allow unhindered blood flow, causing less stress to heart muscle and the smooth muscle that lines our blood vessels and glands.

Vitamin C's ability to share electrons maintains the stability of other antioxidants, especially our in-built antioxidant enzymes. Insufficient vitamin C not only removes one vital cell protector, it also disables these enzymes which are arguably the most important defences against free radical damage.

The big debate is whether vitamin C can help colds and flu. The answer is we really don't know but white blood cells called neutrophils have a high requirement for vitamin C, possibly to aid in fighting infections. I normally suggest doubling daily doses during illness. Vitamin C is needed to absorb non-meat iron and should always be taken with iron supplements.

A diet high in vitamin C rich fruits, berries and vegetables should provide 200-500mg of vitamin C daily. To this I recommend another 500-1000mg daily. When supplementing, I prefer the soluble powders combined with bioflavonoids so you can make up a drink then sip it during the day, thus spreading the dose. While my daily multi has enough vitamin C to prevent deficiency, I always recommend a little extra. This is one nutrient where a little more is always better than a little less. Give me a call if you need help. To join my weekly newsletter go to www.johnarts.co.nz and visit www.abundant.co.nz

John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health. To contact John phone (local) 578 9051 or 0800 423 559.