Vitamin C: The Best-Kept Health and Beauty Secret

Chances are, if you are a woman over the age of thirty, you've heard of collagen, that wonderful property of smooth, younger looking skin we are all trying to achieve.

We're sold collagen in the dermatologist's office through injections and fillers, and in many over-the-counter creams, lotions and make-up products. But, collagen is more than a beauty secret for younger looking skin. It is also a vital component to our overall physical health and wellbeing.

What's more, that glass of orange juice you have in the morning, or the spinach salad you have for dinner at night, is an important part of the process as well. Vitamin C, abundant in both orange juice and green, leafy vegetables, is essential for the healthy formation of collagen. Collagen is essential for the formation of healthy connective tissue, which in turn, provides the basic framework for our entire body.

Without healthy connective tissue, every other tissue in our body is adversely affected. So, if you think that vitamin C is only good to help your body fight viruses and the common cold, think again. It could very well be Mother Nature's best kept health and beauty secret.

The Role of Vitamin C in Collagen and Connective Tissue

Collagen is a fibrous protein that is said to be the most important element of connective tissue. Collagen is so strong, in fact, that stress tests have revealed it to be stronger than steel fibers of equal size. Collagen accounts for approximately one-third of the total protein in the human body, and is integral in the formation of skin, cartilage, bones, ligaments, tendons and blood vessels.

Malformed collagen, known to be caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, is thought to be at the root of a myriad of ailments, including spinal malformations, degenerative disc disease, excessive bruising, joint pain, skin lesions and connective tissues tears.

So vital is the role of vitamin C in the formation of collagen and healthy connective tissue, that some health professionals believe even a marginal deficiency can result in serious health issues, many of which are misdiagnosed as something else.

Malformed collagen, known to be caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, is thought to be at the root of a myriad of ailments, including spinal malformations, degenerative disc disease, excessive bruising, joint pain, skin lesions and connective tissues tears.

So vital is the role of vitamin C in the formation of collagen and healthy connective tissue, that some health professionals believe even a marginal deficiency can result in serious health issues, many of which are misdiagnosed as something else.

Vitamin C, Scurvy and Arthritis

In a paper published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, William L. Elliot, a certified neuromuscular physical therapist, suggests that scurvy, a disease known to be the result of vitamin C deficiency, is still seen in Western culture today, and is often misdiagnosed as some form of arthritis.

Severe scurvy, which can cause debilitating fatigue, joint pain, gum and mouth disease, halitosis, tooth loss, anemia and skin lesions, is rare where there is a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables.

However, milder forms of scurvy, which mimic arthritis with fatigue and joint pain, can result with just a minor vitamin C deficiency in the diet, says Elliot, and is more common than unsuspecting health professionals realize.

In fact, also according to Elliot, so common are health issues related to vitamin C deficiency, that health professionals should routinely emphasize ample consumption in a healthy diet. Not only will it prove helpful in treating joint and connective tissue problems, but patients will also enjoy the already well documented benefits of vitamin C, such as anti-oxidant properties, protecting cells and tissues in the body, and boosting the effects of other vitamins, such as vitamin E.

Source:

MedlinePlus: Vitamin C