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Ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin essential to the human body and has many important physiological functions. The following is a detailed introduction for you:

I. Basic information

Chemical structure: The chemical structure of ascorbic acid is a polyhydroxy compound with an enediol structure. The enediol group in its molecule has a strong reducing property, which makes it extremely easy to be oxidized and is an important chemical basis for it to play an antioxidant role in the body. Moreover, this structural feature also determines its stability in different environments and its characteristics of interaction with other substances.

Solubility: As a water-soluble vitamin, it is easily soluble in water, which makes it convenient for the human body to be quickly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract after ingestion and enter the blood circulation to play a role. At the same time, excess ascorbic acid will be excreted from the body with urine and generally will not accumulate in large quantities in the body. However, excessive intake of supplements may also have some adverse effects.

II. Food sources

Fresh fruits:

Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are rich in ascorbic acid. For example, oranges contain about 33 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 grams, and lemons contain about 22 mg per 100 grams. They are not only sweet and sour, but also a good choice for people to supplement ascorbic acid on a daily basis.

Kiwi: Kiwi is known as the “king of vitamin C”. Its ascorbic acid content is quite high. Every 100 grams of kiwi pulp contains about 62 mg. Regular consumption of kiwi can provide the human body with sufficient ascorbic acid.

Strawberry: Every 100 grams of strawberry contains about 47 mg of ascorbic acid. Strawberries are bright in color and sweet in taste. They are also one of the favorite fruits rich in ascorbic acid.

Fresh vegetables:

Green pepper: Green pepper is a vegetable with a high content of ascorbic acid, with about 72 mg per 100 grams. Whether it is cooked or served cold, it is a good ingredient for supplementing ascorbic acid.

Broccoli: Broccoli is rich in nutrients, with about 51 mg per 100 grams of broccoli. It can provide ascorbic acid to the human body through a variety of cooking methods, such as stir-frying and blanching.

Spinach: Spinach contains about 32 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 grams. In addition to being rich in ascorbic acid, spinach also contains a variety of other beneficial nutrients, making it a healthy vegetable choice.

III. Physiological function

Antioxidant effect: Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant that can remove free radicals in the body, such as superoxide anion free radicals and hydroxyl free radicals. Free radicals are unstable substances with unpaired electrons produced by the human body during metabolism. They attack various biological macromolecules in cells, such as DNA, proteins, lipids, etc., causing cell damage, aging, and various diseases. Ascorbic acid reduces these free radicals by being oxidized itself, protecting cells from free radical damage and maintaining the normal structure and function of cells.

Participate in collagen synthesis: It plays a key role in the synthesis of collagen. Collagen is a very important protein in the human body. It is widely present in tissues such as skin, bones, tendons, and blood vessels, maintaining the structural integrity and elasticity of these tissues. Ascorbic acid participates in the hydroxylation reaction during collagen synthesis, allowing collagen molecules to correctly form a stable triple helix structure. When ascorbic acid is lacking, collagen synthesis is blocked, which can lead to rough skin, easy bruising, slow wound healing, and fragile bones.

Promote iron absorption: Ascorbic acid can reduce trivalent iron in food to divalent iron that is more easily absorbed by the human body, especially for iron in plant foods. This effect of promoting absorption is more obvious. For example, when eating vegetables such as spinach that are rich in iron but relatively poor in iron absorption, eating them with foods rich in ascorbic acid can greatly improve the efficiency of iron absorption and help prevent the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia.

Enhance immunity: It can promote the production and activity of white blood cells, which are an important part of the human immune system and are responsible for resisting the invasion of foreign pathogens. At the same time, ascorbic acid can also regulate the function of immune cells, improve the body’s immune response ability, help the body better cope with various diseases, and play an active role in preventing and resisting infectious diseases.

IV. Deficiency and excess manifestations

Deficiency manifestations:

Scurvy: This is the most typical disease of vitamin C deficiency. Early symptoms may include systemic symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and depression. Then skin petechiae and ecchymoses will appear, especially after the skin is slightly bumped or squeezed, it is easy to appear cyanotic ecchymoses, and the gums will become swollen and bleeding. In severe cases, the teeth may become loose and fall off, and there will be bleeding symptoms such as nose bleeding and hematuria, as well as joint pain, muscle weakness, etc. These symptoms will seriously affect physical health and normal life.

Decreased immunity: It is easy to be infected by various pathogens, and the frequency of infectious diseases such as colds and flu increases. The recovery time after illness is also relatively long. This is because the body lacks ascorbic acid, the function of immune cells cannot be normal, and it cannot effectively resist the invasion of external pathogens.

Others: Wounds may also heal slowly, which is related to the lack of ascorbic acid affecting collagen synthesis, making it difficult for damaged tissues to repair normally; at the same time, the skin will become rough, dry, and lack elasticity, affecting beauty and skin health.

Overdose manifestations: Although ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and is relatively safe, long-term excessive use of high-dose supplements (adults take more than 2000 mg per day) may also bring some adverse effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and other symptoms, and may also cause urinary stones, because excessive ascorbic acid will increase oxalic acid production after metabolism in the body, and the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation will increase. In addition, studies have shown that excessive ascorbic acid may interfere with the efficacy of some other drugs or biochemical test results.

V. Applicable population and recommended intake

Applicable population:

Smokers: The harmful substances in cigarette smoke will consume a large amount of ascorbic acid in the body. The ascorbic acid level in smokers is often lower than that in non-smokers, so smokers need to consume more ascorbic acid to maintain the body’s normal antioxidant defense ability. It is generally recommended to increase the recommended intake by about 35 mg compared to ordinary adults.

Pregnant women and lactating women: Their nutritional needs increase during special physiological periods. Ascorbic acid is important for the growth and development of the fetus and their own health. For example, it helps the normal development of fetal skin, bones and other tissues, and can also enhance the mother’s immunity. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure sufficient intake. The recommended daily intake for pregnant women is appropriately increased compared to that of ordinary adult women, and lactating women should pay more attention to supplementing enough ascorbic acid through diet and other means.

Elderly people: With the increase of age, the body’s absorption function and antioxidant capacity may decline. Appropriate supplementation of ascorbic acid can help improve immunity, prevent chronic diseases, and maintain the health of skin, bones and other tissues. It can be supplemented in appropriate amounts according to individual conditions.

Recommended intake: The recommended intake for people of different age groups and physiological states is different. The recommended daily intake for normal adult males is about 90 mg, and for adult women is about 75 mg. The recommended intake for pregnant women during pregnancy increases to about 85 mg, and for lactating women it is recommended to take about 120 mg per day. The recommended intake for children and adolescents will decrease or increase accordingly according to their age.

VI. Precautions

Drug interactions: Certain drugs may affect the absorption or metabolism of ascorbic acid. For example, oral contraceptives can accelerate the metabolism of ascorbic acid in the body, resulting in a relatively lower level of ascorbic acid in the body. Women who take oral contraceptives for a long time may need to increase their intake of ascorbic acid appropriately. In addition, ascorbic acid may also affect the efficacy of some drugs. For example, when high doses of ascorbic acid are used simultaneously with warfarin (an anticoagulant), it may enhance the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, when using such drugs, be careful to avoid taking them simultaneously with high doses of ascorbic acid, or adjust the dosage under the guidance of a doctor.

Influence of food cooking: Ascorbic acid is easily destroyed under high temperature, long cooking time and contact with alkaline substances. For example, long stewing of vegetables and adding alkali when cooking will cause a large loss of ascorbic acid in vegetables. Therefore, fast cooking methods should be used as much as possible when cooking, such as quick stir-frying, cold mixing, etc., to avoid adding alkali to ensure the effective intake of ascorbic acid in food.

In short, ascorbic acid plays an important role in many aspects of human health. People should ensure its normal intake through a balanced diet. If special groups need additional supplements, it is recommended to do so under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist.