Vitamin C is a type of weak acid known as ascorbic acid or a salt ascorbate. The vitamin C that you see readily available is generally mixed with other ascorbic acids and chemicals. Most plants and animals have the capability of synthesizing their own vitamin C, apart form humans. Vitamin C is known for helping humans create a balanced nutritional body with a strong immune system. Lots of organizations nowadays that promotes the use of vitamin C recommends intakes that are well beyond the recommended daily allowance one usually is prone too. It is stated that those that are heavier need more vitamin C to compensate and make up the difference in comparison to a regular weight human being.

In the past, vitamin C was known for its preventative measures to combat scurvy. Scurvy was the disease that affected many sailors centuries ago. It became available in a pure form in the 1930s and practitioners started to do experiments with it to see what other things it could work for. It was this time that they discovered the real benefits of vitamin C. It is well known that vitamin C is a powerful anti-cold treatment that helps prevent it and also combat it should one fall victim to it.

It is stated that if vitamin C is given in a higher dose, it has a stronger effect. Saying that, studies have shown that it is still debatable whether or not a higher dose of the RDA does cause a greater positive effect. The science behinds it states that anything more than what is needed, will simply do nothing or perhaps cause other bad side effects. It is not to say that one should not eat fruits, vegetables and other foods that are good sources of vitamin C. it is simply a warning against excessive consumption that may hinder other processes of the body.

Iron absorption is helped by vitamin C and it has been proven to help the body's immune system. Large doses of vitamin C may cause unnecessary acid in the stomach and may cause things such as stomach burn or indigestion. Although this is not the case in every situation as many people that have taken vitamin C over the years regularly and in ample quantities, have reported no major bad side effects. It could be due to the fact that vitamin C has a very low toxicity and cannot be acidic enough to cause any harm to the body.

Nowadays it is very common to see vitamin C in other manufactured products. Apart from obvious capsules that are there for supplementary purposes, there exist many other products such as vitamin C enriched teas, medicines, juices and other foods. These are helpful because natural sources of vitamin C are crucial, but cooking it in any fashion destroys the goodness of it. It is therefore important that enriched foods exist so humans can still acquire their RDA of vitamin C.

Because this vitamin is cheap to harvest and is grown and cultivated all around the world, it is easy to see why it has become so popular. Used for medicinal, health and flavorful benefits, it shows how much it has become part of our lives. It is recommended to take a certain amount of vitamins and minerals everyday to help our immune system stay working at 100%. It is also advised not to overdose on certain vitamins and minerals as they may cause serious side effects and affect certain bodily processes.

If you are unsure about taking supplements, contact your doctor or pharmacist. He or she can advise you on the best plan of action and give you more information about specific vitamins and minerals. It is advised to seek consultation especially if you are pregnant or currently taking any medication as this can affect the intake of supplements. Go to a registered pharmacy and make sure you read all the instructions on dosage and follow them strictly. More information can be found on the Internet too.