It took nearly 300 years for doctors and scientists to figure out what was causing it. It was a disease that was so dreaded, it became an insulting adjective. And it took the lives of nearly 2 million seafarers between 1492 and the early 1800s.
You might even say that scurvy – a severe deficiency of vitamin C – was legendary, finding its way into famous literature like Moby Dick and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Everyone knew it was a danger for those who set out to sea.
But it wasn’t until the British physician, Sir Gilbert Blane, started requiring sailors to use lemon juice and fresh foods in 1779 that the menace of scurvy finally began to retreat.
By the time vitamin C was isolated in the 1930s, scurvy had long been a thing of the past. And since its discovery, science can barely keep up with the research uncovering all the vital functions it serves in the body.
What makes vitamin C so valuable? Considered the “grandfather” of antioxidants, vitamin C plays a dual role in your body. First, it functions as a powerful antioxidant. Second, it acts as an essential nutrient. Together, these two roles fuel many physiological processes:
- Supports collagen synthesis, an important structural component of your bones, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments and skin*
- Supports heart and vascular health*
- Supports healthy blood pressure levels already within the normal range*
- Supports immune system function*
- Acts as an essential cofactor in enzymatic reactions*
- Helps protect against damaging free radicals*
- Supports healthy metabolism*
- Helps maintain healthy bones and teeth*
- Aids in healthy eye support*
- Supports healthy hormone production*
- Helps your body absorb iron*
- Supports brain health by aiding the production of neurotransmitters*
- Boosts the actions of other antioxidants*
And those are only a few of the things for which your body depends on vitamin C. Vitamin C is a nutrient you want to ensure you get plenty of.