Have you ever noticed that a cut apple darkens after a short time? Or that a copper coin turns green over time? Or that an iron nail rusts if you leave it in the open air? All these phenomena have something in common: they are examples of a process called oxidation. Oxidation occurs when molecules lose electrons and become unstable. This can affect the structure and function of cells and cause damage to the body.
However, there is a way to delay or prevent oxidation: antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that donate electrons to oxidized molecules and stabilize them. In this way, they protect cells from oxidative damage and maintain the body's health. One of the most important and well-known antioxidants is vitamin C.
Vitamin C was discovered more than 80 years ago, and since then its fundamental role in many vital processes has been demonstrated. Vitamin C is involved in the formation of collagen, a protein that gives firmness and elasticity to skin, bones, cartilage and blood vessels. Vitamin C is also involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, hormones, carnitine and other essential compounds. In addition, vitamin C strengthens and protects the immune system by stimulating the activity of antibodies and defensive cells, such as phagocytes and neutrophils.
Vitamin C, being an antioxidant, helps reduce free radical activity. Free radicals are by-products of normal metabolism that can damage cells and promote aging, degeneration and cancer. It is not surprising that vitamin C is used for the treatment of cancer. In high doses, vitamin C is sometimes administered intravenously as part of cancer treatment.
Vitamin C prevents free radical damage in the lungs and may help protect the central nervous system from such damage. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron. In this state, they are highly reactive and destructive to everything in their path. Although free radicals have been linked to many diseases, they are actually part of the body's chemistry.
As an antioxidant, vitamin C's primary role is to neutralize free radicals. Being water soluble, vitamin C can act both inside and outside of cells to fight free radical damage. Vitamin C is an excellent source of electrons; therefore, "it can donate electrons to free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide and quench their reactivity."
Versatile vitamin C also works together with glutathione peroxidase (an important free radical-fighting enzyme) to revitalize vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant. In addition to its work as a direct scavenger of free radicals in fluids, vitamin C also contributes to antioxidant activity in lipids.
However, optimal health requires a balance between free radical generation and antioxidant protection. One of the functions of vitamin C is to scavenge and neutralize these free radicals before they cause too much damage.
However, there is research showing that vitamin C can act as a pro-oxidant. That is, vitamin C, under certain conditions, may act in a manner contrary to its intended purpose. This has raised concern among thousands of people who supplement their diets with vitamin C... but that's another story.
These sources provided me with up-to-date and reliable information about vitamin C:
(1) Vitamin C: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/002404.htm.
(2) Vitamin C - Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/drugs-supplements-vitamin-c/art-20363932.
(3) Vitamin C - Data in Spanish - Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-DatosEnEspanol/.
(4) Vitamin C - Spanish Heart Foundation. https://fundaciondelcorazon.com/nutricion/nutrientes/814-vitamina-c.html.
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