The Importance of Vitamin C for Stress
Relaxation, Positive Thinking, and Vitamin C
According to the article in Psychology Today, “Vitamin C: Stress Buster,” people who have high levels of vitamin C in their blood do not go through the typical physical and mental reactions to psychological stress that those with low levels experience. Research conducted on both humans and animals has supported the claim that vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is very important for being able to handle and recover from stress. Why is this? What role does this vitamin play in the body that makes it helpful for dealing with not only physical challenges but also mental ones? How much vitamin C is needed to support psychological well-being?
Ascorbic Acid in the Body
Vitamin C plays a part in hundreds of functions in the body. It is necessary for collagen synthesis, for protecting the body from infection and the harmful effects of pollution, for healthy gums, and even for the production of oxytocin. What is the importance of vitamin C for handling stressful experiences? The role it plays in supporting the adrenal glands is a large part of why it is so necessary for stress management.
Stress drains the adrenals, triggering the release of adrenalin and nor-adrenalin, the ‘fight or flight’ hormones, from the adrenal medulla. When these hormones are released and no external expression is allowed, over time constant stress can lead to adrenal fatigue and nervous exhaustion. The adrenal cortex is responsible for the release of other hormones that help the body deal with changes and help to maintain balance, such as cortisol and corticosterone. By supporting adrenal gland function vitamin C facilitates balanced release of the anti-stress hormones, allowing for relative internal stability despite external (whether emotional, physical or mental) instability.
How Much to Combat Stress?
In 2000, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C was raised from 60 mg a day, the amount required to prevent scurvy, to 75 mg a day for women and 90 mg a day for men. Smokers and pregnant or breastfeeding women should consume closer to 125 mg a day. While this is enough to prevent signs of a deficiency, according to the Micronutrient Information Center of the Linus Pauling Institute, it is necessary to consume much more of this nutrient for the prevention of chronic disease. In the research conducted to find the positive effects of taking vitamin C for stress, it is likely that even higher amounts are required, about 1000 mg a day.
How to Get Enough in Your Diet
Relatively high amounts of vitamin C may be required to support the adrenal glands and to manage stress, but this is not a problem if you are
eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Berries, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables and bell peppers are all excellent sources. Herbal teas using rose hips, nettles, peppermint, oat straw, violet leaves, fenugreek and raspberry leaf will also supply not only high amounts of this vitamin, but they will also be easily absorbed by the body. There is nothing wrong with taking vitamin C supplements as well, although make a healthy diet your first source. Nutrients are much more easily absorbed by the body when they come from natural foods and herbs. If taking supplements use a natural, trusted source rather than a synthetic brand.
References
“Vitamin C: Stress Buster.” (Psychology Today, April 25, 2003). https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/vitamin-c-stress-buster
“Endocrinology Health Guide.” (University of Maryland Medical Center) https://www.umm.edu/endocrin/adrengl.htm
Linus Pauling Institute https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/
Balch, Phyllis A. “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.” Fourth Edition (Penguin Books, 2006).
photo by Becky Wetherington
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