As humans we rely solely on the dietary intake for the maintenance of the body pool of Vitamin C. Foods high in Vitamin C include:
- Citrus fruits: organes, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels, Cabbage, Cauliflower
The absorption, disruption, metabolism and excretion of Vitamin C in humans is highly complex. Healthy individuals are able to obtain sufficient amounts of Vitamin C through diet, provided it contains high amounts of Vitamin C rich food sources. However those with certain health issues, and in people with very poor Vitamin C status, including smokers, the dietary intake may be insufficient to provide adequate amounts of Vitamin C. Active smoking typically depletes Vitamin C by 25%-50% compared to non smokers.
References:
Lykkesfeld, J. Tveden-Nyborg, P. (2019). ‘The Pharmacokinetics of Vitamin C’. Nutrients 11 (10)2412
Pullar, J. et al. (2017). ‘The roles of vitamin C in Skin health’. Nutrients 9 (8)866
