Test Your Knowledge

Vitamin C is essential to keep the human body functioning. Among its many roles, it helps the body build and maintain tissues, allows communication between cells, and provides protection from harmful chemicals. Vitamin C is required to make collagen, a type of protein found in skin, bones, blood vessels, tendons and ligaments. In addition to collagen, vitamin C is involved in making hormones and neurotransmitters that allow cells to communicate with each other. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from the harmful effects of chemicals in the body called free radicals.

The human body cannot make vitamin C, so people must get it from foods. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C, especially citrus fruits, broccoli and bell peppers. Vitamin C is also available in supplements. These may be recommended for people who do not consume enough in the diet or as part of a medical treatment. Vitamin C supplements are often promoted to fight the common cold and to prevent or treat cancer, but research to date has shown they have little to no proven effectiveness.

Vitamin C deficiency is rare in the United States because a balanced diet meets the body’s needs. When it does occur, symptoms may first cause bleeding gums and small red spots under the skin. The deficiency can progress to scurvy and may cause hemorrhaging, skin damage and tooth loss. Without treatment, scurvy may lead to death from heart failure or internal bleeding.