delicious fresh navel oranges

Vitamin C and Heart Disease

A meta-analysis published in the "European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation" in 2008 found that dietary vitamin C is beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. This analysis looked at 15 studies spanning 374,488 subjects. Those subjects with the highest levels of dietary vitamin C also had the lowest incidence of heart disease. Vitamin C supplementation, however, was not linked to a lower risk of heart disease. This study emphasizes the importance of getting your vitamin C from dietary sources such as navel oranges. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C helps to improve the function of your blood vessels as well as reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Both of these actions lead to a reduction in the development of heart disease.

Vitamin C and Cancer

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent cancer. Cancer can begin as unstable free-radical cells that damage other healthy cells. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning that it stops the free radicals from causing damage. According to the National Cancer Institute, antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C might slow or prevent the development of cancer.

Recommendations

Recommendations for vitamin C vary by age, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health. From birth to 6 months old, you need 40 mg per day, but recommendations increase to 50 mg per day from 6 months to 1 year. Children 1 to 3 years old need 15 mg each day, and those from 4 to 8 should get 25 mg per day. Adolescents between 9 and 13 should take 45 mg per day. From 14 years on, recommendations vary by gender. A female between 14 and 18 needs 65 mg daily, while a male needs 75 mg per day. From 19 up, females need 75 mg daily and males need 90 mg per day. Smokers should get an additional 35 mg each day of vitamin C in their diets to counteract the effects of smoking.