Advertisement
Vitamin C Promotes Optimal Cardiovascular Health In 3 Massive Ways*
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN is Vice President of Scientific Affairs at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor's degree in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia.
When you think of vitamin C, your mind may automatically conjure up images of a tall glass of OJ, a day off from work spent under the covers, or even the orange powder that everyone seems to take as soon as something starts going around. If this is the case, you're not way off base—all our lives, we've been taught to depend on vitamin C to support our immune health.*
But exclusively viewing vitamin C as synonymous with a healthy immune system neglects all of this mighty vitamin's other exceptional properties and functions. Vitamin C also promotes skin, joint, and eye health and even bolsters a healthy mood.* Plus, it's a vital component for one of the most important organs in your body: your heart.*
This famous essential vitamin is full of surprises, and the way it supports your cardiovascular health will give you even more reason to love and appreciate it.*
3 ways vitamin C helps keep your heart healthy.
Vitamin C is involved in a few different aspects of your cardiovascular system, making sufficient intake of the vitamin key to a happy and healthy heart:*
Promotes healthy blood pressure.
Research suggests vitamin C supplementation plays a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure1, thanks in part to the essential vitamin's vital role in collagen production.*
Vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis (which is why it's loved by health and beauty experts everywhere). While it does wonders for skin, hair, and nail health, collagen is also necessary in other parts of your body—like your arteries.* With adequate vitamin C intake, proper collagen production allows for flexible and healthy arteries, which are key to facilitating dilation of vessels and healthy blood pressure.*
Supports endothelial function.
The endothelium is a thin membrane made of endothelial cells that line the heart and blood vessels. Our bodies depend on the proper operation of the endothelium, as it regulates the passage of cells and substances from the blood to other tissue and controls constriction and dilation of the blood vessels.
According to a research review in the journal Atherosclerosis, vitamin C supplementation promotes the overall health and function of the endothelium2.*
In addition to aiding endothelial function, vitamin C also promotes antioxidant activity to protect this very active tissue.* Free radicals target the endothelium, but vitamin C's antioxidant actions help buffer against reactive oxidative species (ROS) and maintain oxidative balance for endothelial resilience and functioning.*
Protects against lipid peroxidation.
Lipid peroxidation is when free radicals oxidize unsaturated fats. It's like targeted oxidative stress of healthy fats (i.e., that are found in cell membranes throughout your body, including your heart). Why is this a bad thing? Well, unsaturated fats like omega-3s deliver a host of important cardiovascular functions, such as regulating healthy blood cholesterol levels, promoting anti-inflammatory actions, and stabilizing heart rhythms.
In short, lipid peroxidation is something we don't want. Thanks to its potent antioxidant properties, the multitalented powerhouse micronutrient vitamin C helps protect these essential fats3 from unruly free radicals.*
The takeaway.
Sufficient intake of vitamin C—from vitamin-C-rich foods and a high-quality vitamin C supplement like mbg's vitamin C potency+—helps keep your cardiovascular system in tiptop shape.* From promoting healthy, glowing skin and delivering overall mood support to bolstering our immune and cardiovascular systems, vitamin C is a powerhouse nutrient with benefits across the whole body.*
Next time you think about vitamin C, take its wide range of benefits into consideration rather than attaching it to a singular identity. At the end of the day, vitamin C has multiple dimensions (just like the rest of us).
Watch Next
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
What Is Meditation?
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
What Breathwork Can Address
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
Nutrition | Rich Roll
What to Eat Before a Workout
Nutrition | Rich Roll
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Nutrition | Sahara Rose
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
Love Languages
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Advertisement
What Men Are Getting Wrong About Mental Health, From A Psychologist
Stephen B. Poulter, PhD
Your Grandma's Go-To Supplement Is Once Again Popular (For A Good Reason)
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
What Men Are Getting Wrong About Mental Health, From A Psychologist
Stephen B. Poulter, PhD
Your Grandma's Go-To Supplement Is Once Again Popular (For A Good Reason)
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN