Why 33 percent of Americans need more vitamin C

Today, I want to talk to you about a vitamin that’s an oldie-but-goodie. One that you still need to take every day, no matter how healthy you think your diet is: vitamin C.

A lot of people think they only need to double down on C during cold and flu season, but the fact is, a lot of people require a boost year-round. And if you struggle with metabolic syndrome, you might be one of them…

That’s because, according to the latest research, vitamin C plays a critical role in halting the antioxidant loss behind metabolic syndrome’s deadly downward spiral.

An antioxidant-depleting domino effect

Let’s start with a quick recap: A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome requires at least three of the following criteria: hypertension, elevated blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL (or “good” cholesterol), and abdominal obesity.

Not surprisingly, a lot of Americans fall into this category. In fact, more than a third of the entire population fits the bill.

But the conditions above are only what you see on the surface. It’s what happens behind the scenes that makes metabolic syndrome so lethal. And as with so many other diseases, this dangerous domino effect begins in your gut.

The same type of diet that paves the way to metabolic syndrome — that is, a diet packed with processed garbage and sugar — also contributes to imbalances in your microbiome (aka your gut). These imbalances make your gut more permeable — a condition referred to as leaky gut syndrome — allowing toxins to find their way into your bloodstream.

Of course, your immune cells hunt these foreign invaders down and prepare to attack them, which triggers inflammation and depletes your levels of vitamin C — one of your body’s most fundamental antioxidants.

In turn, this interferes with your ability to generate enough vitamin E, another critical antioxidant that protects your cells from free radical damage.

What you end up with is a vicious cycle of antioxidant depletion — one that triggers more inflammation while also impairing your body’s natural defenses against it.

If you have metabolic syndrome, you simply need more C

Needless to say, people with metabolic syndrome could eat the same amount of vitamin C as a healthy person… but they’d still have lower blood levels at the end of the day. Their needs are higher, plain and simple.

So naturally, this study recommends that people with metabolic syndrome eat up to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily, to guarantee the amount of fiber and vitamin C needed to keep gut bacteria and inflammation levels in check.

I’m sorry — but I just have to laugh. Because honestly… What kind of perfect world are these people living in?!

The typical American diet is packed with bad fats. (And not just trans fats and inflammatory processed oils, but also fats from animals raised on antibiotics and GMO corn.) And it’s brimming over with sugar and simple carbohydrates, too.

These dietary choices are exactly what’s triggering the problem in the first place…

It’s going to be hard enough to get people to eat two servings of veggies in a single day — let alone ten.

And guess what? These habits aren’t going to change overnight.

But you know what you can do? Supplement. It’s more simple and convenient — plus, you can achieve the very same benefits as you would from scarfing down all of those fruits and vegetables.

So how much should you take?

First off, you should ignore the federal guidelines, which only call for a measly 65 to 90 mg of vitamin C (and only 15 mg of vitamin E) daily. Quite frankly, I’m a little shocked that nobody bothered to consider that maybe, just maybe, this recommendation is way too low. (But I can’t say that I’m the least bit surprised…)

Based on the years of research I’ve been following, and from my personal experience in my medical practice, I’ve found that up to 3 grams of vitamin C and 800 IU of vitamin E have been the optimal daily dosages in getting my patients feeling great again.

And if you’re interested in other all-natural ways to prevent — or even reverse — metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, or even type 2 diabetes, I highly recommend taking a look at my Metabolic Repair Protocol. This online learning tool outlines all the day-to-day steps you should take to get control of your body again — including dietary, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations. To learn more about it, or to enroll today, simply click here.

Source:

“Metabolic syndrome patients need more vitamin C to break cycle of antioxidant depletion.” Oregon State University, 01/02/19. (today.oregonstate.edu/news/metabolic-syndrome-patients-need-more-vitamin-c-break-cycle-antioxidant-depletion