An A for Vitamin C



In one study German researchers subjected 120 people to a sure-fire stressor -- a public speaking task combined with mental math problems. Half of those studied were given 1,000 mg of vitamin C.


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Cortisol is the hormone, for example, that triggers the fight or flight response to stress that allows us to spring into action when we sense danger. But like many emergency-alert systems, the stress response comes at a considerable cost.


In the animal studies, vitamin C fed to rats undergoing stress prevented the expected increase in cortisol levels. In addition, it prevented the animals from exhibiting the known signs of physical and emotional stress, including loss of body weight.

Among animals that did not receive vitamin C, the level of stress hormones in the blood was three times greater.

The present recommended daily allowannce (RDA) for vitamin C for adults is 60 milligrams -- a far cry from the 1,000 mg found helpful in the stress study. But there's a growing belief that the RDA for vitamin C is vastly outdated.

The current RDA for vitamin C was set decades ago. It is based on the amount of the vitamin needed to ward off scurvy.



Vitamin C is abundant in fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables, most notably in citrus fruits and both red and green peppers. One eight-ounce glass of fresh orange juice provides 97 mg of the vitamin.

It's also found in papayas, cantaloupes, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus and parsley. You will not find vitamin C in animal food, and only a small amount in raw fish.


As the most commonly consumed nutrient supplement, vitamin C comes in many formulations. But the best may be a time-released preparation that works over the course of a day, as the vitamin works rapidly and is short-acting. Alternatively, smaller-dose vitamin C supplements can be taken at intervals throughout the day.

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