Top Supplements You Should be Taking this Winter-

Winter is here and we all welcome the new year with great joy. However, with the change in weather people may be prone to a cough, cold, fever, throat infection, etc. To avoid this, let’s make a resolution to be fit and healthy. With the onset of New Year, let us promise ourselves to take a properly balanced diet, exercise and include supplements for the winter season.

Why Supplements are Essential?

Taking supplements has become an integral part of our lives. We cannot entirely rely on our diet for the supply of nutrients. Every one or two persons in a family, be it a child, young or old, is seen popping a multivitamin pill. This is because of today’s hectic lifestyle, disturbed environmental balance, processed foods, nutrient-depleted soils, environmental toxins etc. These factors have compelled us to take supplements in the form of vitamins, probiotics, etc.

People include dietary supplements in the form of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes,  herbs to promote a healthier lifestyle. The most trending supplement is multivitamins. To boost your nutritional content, here is a quick list of vitamins that are essential especially in winter :

1. Vitamin C
2. Vitamin D
3. Vitamin B
4. Zinc

We will discuss the importance of each one of these supplements in the coming series. Let us now discuss Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid with great antioxidant properties.

Vitamin C as a Supplement

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that cannot be stored in the body. Ideally, you should get all the required quantity of vitamin C from your daily diet. If the quantity is not enough, include it as a dietary supplement. An average individual aged 20 to 60 will need at least 40 mg of vitamin C. This value may be on the higher side in pregnant and lactating women. Deficiency of this vitamin may lead to scurvy, poor wound healing, joint pain, bleeding gums, anaemia, etc.  Let us try to gain more knowledge about the role of vitamin C in our body.

Importance of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a vital nutrient responsible for several bodily functions as listed below:

1. Fighting  infections
2. Speeding up wound healing
3. Production of collagen and neurotransmitters
4. Promoting better absorption of iron
5. Lowering the risk of cataracts
6. Helping in the treatment of cancer
7. Deterioration of kidneys, nerves, and eyes is reduced to a great extent especially in diabetic patients
8. Maintaining cardiovascular health
9. Maintaining cholesterol levels

Vitamin C has great antioxidant properties. It boosts your immunity level by almost 30% by helping white blood cells to function more effectively. It strengthens the defence system of your skin, relaxes the blood vessels, in turn, reducing the blood pressure levels. It helps in significantly reducing the bad LDL which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease. It aids in better absorption of iron thus reducing the risk of anaemia. It improves your memory thereby reducing the risk of dementia. It helps in repairing tissue and reducing the damage caused by inflammation.  It aids in the prevention of oxidation of other molecules or may regenerate other antioxidants in the body, especially during the treatment of cancer. The rate at which the growth of cancerous tissue occurs is reduced to a great extent by this vitamin. Production of collagen is an important function which helps in metabolizing proteins. However make sure you consult your doctor before taking this supplement as high dosage may lead to nausea, diarrhoea, gastrointestinal upset, kidney stones etc.

Hope you have understood that to achieve optimum health, there is no alternative but to include vitamin C as your winter supplement.