Ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, is one of the most essential nutrients for our body, because of its several benefits. This HealthHearty article enlists the uses of this important nutrient, take a look.
Primarily, ascorbic acid is a sugar acid having antioxidant properties. Vitamin C is the most common form of Ascorbic acid we know. It appears in the form of light-yellow to white crystals and is water soluble. It is extremely important for maintaining good health and keeping infections at bay, by keeping the antibodies in order.
Uses
Doctors prescribe ascorbic acid for treating several conditions. Now, here we will consider this acid as vitamin C and see what are the miraculous uses of this nutrient.
Treatment of Scurvy
Mainly, ascorbic acid is prescribed by doctors for treating the deficiency of vitamin C. As a consequence, anything resulting because of its deficiency, can be prevented by taking ascorbic acid. Scurvy is one of the most commonly found health conditions that results due to lack of this acid.
Uses of vitamin C include, relief from the symptoms of scurvy, like, overall ‘sickly’ or feeling of being unwell, tiredness, bleeding into the skin, around bones and into joints, and from gums, muscle and joint pain and loose teeth.
Stronger Immune System
Uses of this acid also include an overall improvement and enhancement of health. As most of us might be knowing that Vitamin C helps strengthen our immune system, which helps us keep infections and conditions, like, common cold and cough at bay. So primarily, it is a fundamental nutrient essential for our health. Sometimes, the doctors might prescribe ascorbic acid powder to patients to deal with the deficiency of this vital nutrient.
Iron Absorption
Another important use of this acid is that, it helps in enhancing the function of iron absorption in the body. Furthermore, it also helps in treating a disease in newborns, called Tyrosinemia.
Uses During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
A pregnant woman can take ascorbic acid, however, only with the prescription from a doctor. At a fundamental level, if taken strictly as per prescription, the acid may not prove harmful for the baby. The idea is to keep the consumption below the prescribed levels. The doctors normally prescribe doses as per the FDA directions.
However, if high doses of the acid are consumed by a pregnant woman, studies have reported observance of conditional scurvy in infants after birth. In case of breast feeding, the point to remember here is that, ascorbic acid is excreted in breast milk. Although the impact of this acid through breast feeding is not clearly known, it is advisable, not to exceed the standard and permitted dosage of the acid, to avoid any side effects.
Ascorbic acid is supposed to be effective in dealing with high blood pressure, liver and kidney diseases, cancer, etc. It can be said that the uses of this nutrient, when it comes to health, are manifold, which encompass almost all the body systems.
