Vitamin C: Nootropic Spotlight

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About the Author

Ben was awarded a Master of Science in Regenerative Medicine from Imperial College London. He is currently completing a PhD at Imperial. 

 

Contents

• What is Vitamin C?
• Vitamin C Deficiency
• Vitamin C Benefits
• Vitamin C Mechanism of Action
• Vitamin C Side Effects

 

Vitamin C: A Health Guide to Safe and Effective Supplementation

 

 

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C was first stumbled upon in 1928 by Albert Szent-Györgyi, who wasn’t looking for it and simply gave it the name hexuronic acid¹. It was not until 1932 that two groups, one led by Szent-Györgyi and the other by Charles Glen King, isolated and identified vitamin C^2,3.

Though most commonly known as vitamin C, Szent decided to attribute the compound with the name ascorbic acid⁴. This owed to its role as a treatment for scurvy – an antiscorbutic – which had ravaged the world (particularly sailors) for centuries⁵.

An essential nutrient, humans must consume an adequate amount of vitamin C within their diet^5,6.

 

Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C deficiency primarily comes as a result of dietary issues, worsened by its poor storage within the body⁶. Inadequate intake of vitamin C could cause you to suffer with^5–7:

• Scurvy (swollen and bleeding gums, hair loss, skin problems)
  • Swollen, bleeding gums
  • Alopecia (hair loss)
  • Bruising
  • Poor wound healing
  • Joint pain
• Fatigue

 

 

Vitamin C Benefits

Perhaps one of the most talked about nutrients, vitamin C supplementation has been linked to a range of benefits:

• Brain booster: the highest concentration of vitamin C within the body is found within the brain, so it comes as no surprise that the nutrient is associated with improved cognitive function^8,9
• A keen antioxidant: one of four dietary antioxidants, vitamin C helps to protect cells of the body from free radicals, unstable atoms which can cause them damage^10–12
• Healthy bones: studies in humans have revealed that vitamin C is associated with healthier bones – greater mineral density and a reduced risk of fracturing¹³

 

Vitamin C Mechanism of Action

Vitamin C has an array of functions within the body. This is why it is so crucial, but also means it works in different ways; for example:

• Helping to speed up the conversion of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, to norepinephrine within your brain and throughout the nervous system. This is a key part of your ‘fight or flight’ response, a particularly good reason to keep your vitamin C levels up!^14,15
• Vitamin C acts as a scavenger of superoxide, a reactive oxygen species, in the neural tissues. Reactive oxygen species can damage cells and even cause them to be destroyed, but vitamin C provides protection to the cells of the nervous system by neutralising these harmful compounds^9,16
• Accelerating hydroxylation reactions, which are key in the synthesis of collagen. Type IV collagen, for one, is crucial to the structural integrity and functioning of our cells^11,17,18

 

Vitamin C Side Effects

Everything in moderation still applies to the helpful nutrients. Fortunately, side effects are only incurred when greatly exceeding the recommended daily intake, and they may include¹⁹:

• Stomach pain
• Flatulence
• Diarrhoea

  

Evidence

1. Szent-Györgyi A. Observations on the function of peroxidase systems and the chemistry of the adrenal cortex. Biochem J. 1928 Jan 1;22(6):1387–409.
2. King CG, Waugh WA. The Chemical Nature of Vitamin C. Science (80- ). 1932 Apr 1;75(1944):357–8.
3. Svirbely JL, Szent-Györgyi A. Hexuronic acid as the antiscorbutic factor [1]. Nature. 1932;129(3259):576.
4. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Vitamin C - Landmark - American Chemical Society [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jun 14]. Available from: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/szentgyorgyi.html
5. Nutr A, Carpenter KJ. The Discovery of Vitamin C. Ann Nutr Metab. 2012;61(3):259–64.
6. Maxfield L, Crane JS. Vitamin C Deficiency. Bioarchaeology Metab Bone Dis. 2022 May 8;41–74.
7. Vitamin C deficiency - Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment | BMJ Best Practice [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jun 14]. Available from: https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/632
8. Harrison FE, May JM. Vitamin C Function in the Brain: Vital Role of the Ascorbate Transporter (SVCT2). Free Radic Biol Med. 2009 Mar 3;46(6):719.
9. Travica N, Ried K, Sali A, Scholey A, Hudson I, Pipingas A. Vitamin C Status and Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Sep 1;9(9):1–21.
10. Wintergerst ES, Maggini S, Hornig DH. Immune-Enhancing Role of Vitamin C and Zinc and Effect on Clinical Conditions. Ann Nutr Metab. 2006 Feb;50(2):85–94.
11. Chambial S, Dwivedi S, Shukla KK, John PJ, Sharma P. Vitamin C in Disease Prevention and Cure: An Overview. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2013 Oct 1;28(4):314.
12. Carr AC, Frei B. Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jun 1;69(6):1086–107.
13. Chin K-Y, Ima-Nirwana S. Vitamin C and Bone Health: Evidence from Cell, Animal and Human Studies. Curr Drug Targets. 2018 Mar 20;19(5):439–50.
14. Naidu KA. Vitamin C in human health and disease is still a mystery ? An overview. Nutr J. 2003 Aug 21;2:7.
15. Paravati S, Rosani A, Warrington SJ. Physiology, Catecholamines. StatPearls. 2021 Oct 30;
16. Hediger MA. New view at C. Nat Med 2002 85. 2002;8(5):445–6.
17. May JM, Qu ZC. Transport and intracellular accumulation of vitamin C in endothelial cells: relevance to collagen synthesis. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2005 Feb 1;434(1):178–86.
18. Velez AMA, Howard MS. Collagen IV in Normal Skin and in Pathological Processes. N Am J Med Sci. 2012 Jan;4(1):1.
19. Vitamins and minerals - Vitamin A - NHS [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jun 14]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-a/