How Effective Is Vitamin C for Fighting the Flu?

With the so-called “sniffle season” upon us, the rush to the pharmacy to stock up on Vitamin C, is in full swing. Whether you are looking to boost your immune system, or already trying to fight back against that cold that is threatening to drag you into bed, Vitamin C tablets seem to hold the most hope of getting through the winter months healthy.

But how effective is popping an over-the-counter vitamin? Does it prevent a cold, cure it, or neither? Here is your strategy to get through this winter in one piece.

What is the Role of Vitamin C in the Human Body?

The role of vitamin C in our bodies extends further than just its potential to boost the immune system and fight off infection. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, and assists in the absorption of iron from plant-based food sources. It also plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen, the protein responsible for skin, cartilage and blood vessel health. Further, it assists with wound healing.

Vitamin C, however, is most known for its immune system support role. The immune system is a complex system of cells, tissues and organ systems that work together to protect the body from disease. The role of vitamin C to support this system is extensive. Not only does it assist with the production of white blood cells, which are the “disease fighting” cells of your immune system, it also supports the effective functioning of these cells once produced.

Furthermore, its antioxidative role protects these cells from degradation by free radicals, and its role in collagen synthesis supports the skin, which is the first line of defense in your fight against disease. Obviously vitamin C plays an important role in supporting a healthy immune system. But is this a benefit that a high dose of a vitamin C supplement could improve even further?

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Is a Vitamin C Supplement Effective at Boosting Your Immune System?

While vitamin C undoubtedly plays an important role in boosting your white blood cells and reduces inflammation, a meta-analysis performed in 2013 showed that vitamin C did not actually prevent colds in the general population.

Its finding did however find it might decrease the severity or duration of a cold. These results were also more pronounced in active individuals, and during cold climates.

For the individual, as it turns out, the efficacy of vitamin C when taken in isolation, is unproven to have much effect, and is often overstated. When taken in combination with other nutrients, however, vitamin C might still hold out hope for those hoping to stay healthy this winter.

Strategies Required to Really Boost Your Immune System this Winter.

As it has become evident so far, vitamin C is not the be-all and end-all factor for supercharging your immune system, especially not in isolation.

This is due to the other nutrients required to assist with the functioning of vitamin C in building up the immune system, as well as lifestyle and other factors required to prevent immune breakdown in the first place.

To launch a successful immune response against colds and flu’s this winter, you will need a multifaceted approach, not just limited to nutrition. You require several key nutrients, apart from vitamin C to boost your immunity. This includes:

• Zinc - for further immune cell development,

• Vitamin D - to enhance your antiviral defense,

• Vitamin A - to maintain healthy mucous membranes, a key part of your immune system,

• Protein - the building blocks required to produce antibodies again a the infection,

• And Probiotics - to support a healthy gut microbiome.

Considering that immune building requires a multi-vitamin approach, one would imagine that a supplement combines all of these nutrients best in one easy-to-consume tablet. The question is, do we observe vitamins well enough from supplements in order for this effect to benefit our health?

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How Well is Vitamin C Absorbed From Supplements?

The mostly commonly used form of vitamin C in supplements, is ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is chemically identical to natural vitamin C found in food sources. One would assume that this replication of the original would ensure good absorption of the vitamin from supplements.

There are however other factors that make real-food vitamin C superior to its identical twin used in supplements. Studies have shown that optimal absorption of vitamin C requires other nutrients and factors, which often lack from supplemental sources.

These include bioflavonoids, other vitamins and electrolytes, healthy fats and even fibre. And supplements often lack most, if not all, of these. Food sources also include other chemical forms of the vitamin, making for a more extensive vitamin profile.

The additives and fillers containedr in supplements, as well as its coatings, hinder the body’s ability to optimally absorb the nutrients offered in the supplement. The synthetic nature of ascorbic acid also means that manufacturers could include a poor quality of the chemical, or that some of it might simplye degrade during the manufacturing process.

All of this considered, might make a supplemental vitamin C less favourable than what is found in natural sources. But are we even able to even consume enough vitamin C in our diets to make a significant impact on the health of our immune system?

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How Much Vitamin C Do You Really Need?

As it turns out, high doses of vitamin C is not required for us to reap its immune-boosting benefits. In fact, dosage of 1g per day and higher, has been shown to reduce absorption by up to 50% and the remaining vitamin is, sadly, excreted in the urine.

Also, considering the superior absorption of the vitamin from food and its bioavailability, a much lower dose of vitamin C is required than your supplements label would have you believe. In fact, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is only about 75mg per day for women, and 90mg per day for men.

Higher dosages of the vitamin puts you at a significantly increased risk of developing kidney stones, and might even cause some stomach upset. So what would a diet adequate in vitamin C look like?

Your whole food solution: The best defensive strategy in your arsenal.

Considering the multi-nutrient synergy required to gain the immune-boosting power of vitamin C, a diet rich in whole foods is the superior strategy for overall health this winter. Bioflavonoids, required for the enhanced absorption of vitamin C, are is found in many natural plant sources.

Plants are also high in fibre, further enhancing its effects. This also slows the excretion of vitamin C, which in turn gives the body more time to utilise the vitamin in the first place. The high quality of nutrients found in natural food-sources, also means that a few changes to your daily diet could significantly improve your defences against this winter’s colds and flu.

These are 4 changes you can make to your diet immediately, that would keep this winter’s threats away:

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables:

We have known for years that we should eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. These portions become more manageable if spread over the course of the day. Pro-tip: when in doubt, a portion is equal to a cup, or roughly the size of your fist when sliced.

2. Drink more water:

In winter, this one is a bigger challenge than usual. But water is required to help ease the bloating that could sometimes go hand-in-hand with increases in fibre. Increase your water intake to further assist with the boosting of your immune systems.

Pro-tip: Replace some of your coffee or tea with warm water. This makes your water easier to drink on a cold day, and warm water with its vasodilatory effects have been shown to improve your digestion.

3. Eat a variety of plants:

Different plant foods have different benefits. Include more variety in your diet in order to expand the nutrient profile of what you eat daily. Pro-tip: Aim for a colourful plate. This is a good indication of a variety of nutrients, whereas a plate of food that contains mostly browns and whites, is often lacking in nutrient diversity.

4. Cut out the sugar:

Sugar has been shown to damage our gut microbiome, and important and often overlooked aspect of our immune system. Pro-tip: Replace your after-dinner dessert with a portion of your favourite fruit and hit two birds with one stone.

And there you have it, your guide to combating a cold or the flu this winter.