People tend to forget that a number of micronutrients like essential vitamins and minerals can also have a major role to play in your weight loss journey. One such micronutrient that can go a long way in helping you lose weight is vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid.
Vitamin C status is inversely related to body mass. Individuals with adequate vitamin C status oxidize 30% more fat during a moderate exercise bout than individuals with low vitamin C status; thus, vitamin C depleted individuals may be more resistant to fat mass loss.
Too little of Vitamin C can increase fat reserves and waist circumference. This is understandable as Vitamin C helps synthesise carnitine, which carries fat molecules for fat oxidation and energy generation,” says Coutinho. Sisodia recommends an intake of 40mg to 90mg daily for optimum benefits.
Vitamin C is another excellent mood and metabolism-boosting nutrient. As per some studies, Vitamin C can help to combat oxidative stress, which slows down the metabolic rate of the body.
B-complex vitamins: These help metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, activating stored energy instead of letting it turn to fat. Niacin, vitamin B-6, and iron: This impressive trio increases your body's production of the amino acid L-carnitine to help burn fat.
The upper limit for vitamin C in adults is 2,000 mg. Individuals with chronic liver disease, gout, or kidney disease are recommended to take no more than 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day. High vitamin C intakes have the potential to increase urinary oxalate and uric acid excretion.
Serious side effects from too much vitamin C are very rare, because the body cannot store the vitamin. However, amounts greater than 2,000 mg/day are not recommended. Doses this high can lead to stomach upset and diarrhea, and rarely, kidney stones.
Vitamin C does not directly lead to fat oxidation or loss of body fat. However, it is related to body weight and waist circumference. One study found that vitamin C and body mass are inversely related, meaning low plasma ascorbic acid concentrations are linked to high body mass index (BMI).
Lemon. One of the best dietary sources of vitamin C is lemon, which can be consumed along with warm water and honey early in the morning to target belly fat. A 100-gm of lemon pulp contains 53mg of vitamin C (as per the USDA data).
The recommended daily amount for vitamin C is 75 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 90 mg a day for men. During pregnancy, 120 mg a day are recommended. The upper limit for all adults is 2,000 mg a day.
People with sickle cell anemia, as well as people with a metabolic disorder called G6PD, can potentially have serious side-effects from taking high levels of vitamin C. Thalassemia and Hemochromatosis patients could be negatively affected by increased iron absorption, which may occur from vitamin C supplementation.
What does the Department of Health and Social Care advise? You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin C supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful. Taking less than 1,000mg of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
Vitamin C is effectively an acid (it's sometimes known as ascorbic acid), so layering it with AHAs and BHAs like glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids is a big no-no.
The evening is not the best time because vitamin C is acidic and can cause problems when consumed on an empty stomach, especially in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease – of course the dosage matters.
The recommended vitamin C dosage per day for healthy women is 75 mg per day and for men it's 90 mg per day. For adults, the tolerable upper intake level (UL) — the highest daily intake likely to pose no risks — is 2,000 mg per day.
Topical vitamin C is a science-backed, dermatologist-favorite ingredient that may help slow early skin aging, prevent sun damage, and improve the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and acne.
Weight Gain
Early research has found a link between low levels of vitamin C and higher amounts of body fat, especially belly fat. This vitamin may also play a role in how well your body burns fat for energy.
Vitamin C supplementation is contraindicated in blood disorders like thalassemia, G6PD deficiency, sickle cell disease, and hemochromatosis. Avoid taking supplements immediately before or following angioplasty. Diabetic patients should take vitamin C supplements with care as it raises blood sugar levels.
Fat-burning ingredients like protein, spicy peppers and green tea have been proven to bump up metabolism. Eat some form of these foods, especially protein, at every meal. Protein is especially important: It takes more calories to digest than other foods and also helps the body build fat-burning lean muscle tissue.
Vitamin C
A vitamin that has the ability to slow down your metabolism, vitamin C can help you gain weight. It's a necessary vitamin to help protect your body, but also to help you gain some weight. While you can gain some weight from the slower metabolism, vitamin C can also help keep you from overeating.
1. Exercise: Vigorous exercise trims all your fat, including visceral fat. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days a week. Walking counts, as long as it's brisk enough that you work up a sweat and breathe harder, with your heart rate faster than usual.