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Santé Magazine
Salute Magazine
The human body is very complex; a network of components all working together in unison. That is, until something goes awry. One of our bodily components is collagen. Collagen is a fibrous structural protein and is the main component of bones, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, fascia, and teeth. It also provides strength and support to the muscles.
Tough bundles of collagen called collagen fibers are a major component of the extracellular matrix that supports most tissues and gives cells structure from the outside. Collagen is found inside certain cells. It is also present in the cornea and the lens of the eye.
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is essential for the synthesis of collagen. The body cannot properly synthesize collagen without sufficient amounts of vitamin C. Without collagen, connective tissue is weak and bone mineralization is defective.
The alarming statistics are that:
• Osteoarthritis affects 43 million Americans.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis attacks two million Americans, 75% of whom are women.
• 45 million Americans suffer daily aches and pains associated with joint inflammation and/or brittle bones.
• 55% of people in the United States aged 50 years or older have low bone mass and face an increased risk of developing osteoporosis and related fractures.
There is growing evidence that the synthesis, maintenance and repair of connective tissue, and bone aren’t optimized with an ordinary intake of essential vitamins and minerals. This is especially true for the elderly, where we see diseases such as arthritis and osteoarthritis running rampant. It is believed a compromised nutritional status due to poor diet, lowered nutrition absorption and altered metabolism could be partially to blame. Also, the older body, in the face of stress and aging, isn’t capable of manufacturing a sufficient supply of precursor molecules, which are readily made in a younger body.
A large study recently concluded that osteoarthritis sufferers with the highest intake of vitamin C had a reduced risk of cartilage loss and disease progression. Another study found that rheumatoid arthritis patients consistently showed low levels of vitamin C in their white blood cells.
Many reports show that vitamin C levels are closely related to bone mineral density (BMD). Vitamin C supplements, used long term, were associated with higher BMD in women who had never used estrogen in postmenopausal years.
A poll conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology revealed that three out of four periodontists recommend an increase in their patient’s intake of vitamin C to promote healthy gums. People who get too little vitamin C suffer a slightly higher incidence of gum disease. Vitamin C also appears to keep periodontal tissues healthy in smokers by maintaining and repairing connective tissue.
Environmental pollutants, sunlight, stress, smoking, and disease, deplete our bodies of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and increase its need in our diets. Given the typical diet and typical levels of stress today, supplementation of vitamin C is absolutely essential to optimize our health and vitality.
