What are the functions of vitamin C? Prevent respiratory tract infections and colds

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for the human body, but do you know what the functions of vitamin C are? If we only know the necessity of vitamin C, but don’t know what its functions are, and just supplement it casually in daily life, it will cause great harm to our health. We have to understand this knowledge.

Improving human immunity is also one of the functions of vitamin C. Vitamin C can help enhance the chemotaxis of neutrophils in the human body, increase the deformation energy of granulocytes in the human body, help kill bacteria and disinfect the human body, promote the production of lymphoblasts in the human body, and improve the body's recognition and killing of foreign and malignant cells. In addition, vitamin C participates in the synthesis of immunoglobulins, promotes the production of interferon, interferes with the transcription of viral messenger RNA, inhibits viral proliferation, and improves the body's disease resistance in many ways. Therefore, during the cold season, you can supplement vitamin C appropriately to prevent and treat respiratory infections and prevent colds.

Participates in the synthesis of collagen. The human body is composed of cells, and the connection between cells is connected by the intercellular matrix. The key component of the intercellular matrix is ​​collagen. Collagen accounts for 1/3 of the body's protein and is involved in the formation of connective tissue, which constitutes the body's support. Vitamin C plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen. If vitamin C is deficient, it will lead to cell connection disorders, micro-capillaries will easily rupture, and blood will flow into adjacent tissues. If this condition occurs on the skin, it will cause congestion and purpura; if it occurs in the body, it will cause pain and joint swelling; in severe cases, there may be bleeding in the stomach, intestines, nose, kidneys and under the periosteum, and even death, so it is called scurvy. The main component of the gum soft tissue that wraps each tooth is also collagen. When there is a lack of vitamin C, gum atrophy and bleeding are likely to occur. The skin will also become rough and lose elasticity due to the reduction of collagen (this is why vitamin C has the effect of beautifying the skin).

Antioxidant effect: free radicals produced by oxidative damage to the body can invade various human cells, invade DNA and cause cancer; invade blood vessels and accelerate arteriosclerosis; invade the lens of the eye and cause cataracts, etc. Therefore, anti-oxidation is an important measure for health preservation and disease prevention. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can protect other antioxidants, such as vitamins A and E, from oxidative damage; it can inhibit the generation of lipid peroxide free radicals, block lipid peroxidation, and prevent free radicals from harming the human body.

We may not know that vitamin C has many functions. In our daily diet, eating foods containing vitamin C can help us increase the cholesterol content in the body, promote the absorption of calcium and iron in the body, and also has detoxification and anti-cancer effects. We cannot be ignorant of this.