I. Discovery of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, because it has anti-scurvy effect and is a very important essential substance for human body. Vitamin C is the earliest discovered vitamin, and its discovery is regarded as an important milestone in the history of human biology.
According to recorded human history, vitamin C deficiency has caused human suffering and life-threatening for at least 3000 years. There are records of scurvy characterized by bleeding gums and skin in the deciphered ancient Egyptian characters, and there are similar records in the history of ancient Greece and Rome. In particular, the records of scurvy in thousands of expeditions and voyages in history are everywhere and continuous. /kloc-In the middle of 0/8th century, scurvy swept across Europe. The main symptoms of scurvy patients are swollen gums, bleeding easily infected, loose teeth, oral ulcers, swollen joints, a little bleeding under the skin, and sometimes bones become fragile and easy to fold. Many expeditionary soldiers and sailors suffered from this disease and died because they were not treated.
1747, Englishman James Linde discovered the method of treating scurvy with lemon. After nearly 200 years' efforts, scientists finally successfully isolated a crystalline substance from lemon juice in 1932, and proved that this substance has ascorbic acid activity in guinea pigs. This experiment marks the discovery of vitamin C and proves that scurvy has been caused by vitamin C deficiency for countless centuries. 1933, Swiss Rezstein successfully synthesized vitamin C. Vitamin C really entered the historical stage and became the messenger of human health.
Second, understand vitamin C.
From the initial confirmation that vitamins have the value of treating scurvy to today, with the deepening and expansion of biomedical research, the multiple functions and values of vitamin C and its close relationship with human health have been gradually highlighted and recognized. Today, it has the reputation of "the king of vitamins". Let's meet vitamin c:
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which is easily lost from the body. Among all vitamins, vitamin C is the most easily destroyed by oxidation. Vitamin C participates in many reactions in the body and plays an important role in biological oxidation and reduction and cell respiration. Compared with other vitamins and minerals, vitamin C consumes more functions of human body, such as stress, smoking, pollution, excessive drinking, taking medicine and dieting, so vitamin C is the most needed vitamin for human body every day. The basic requirement of human body for vitamin C is 60 mg per day.
Among common animals, other animals, such as cats and dogs, can synthesize a certain amount of vitamin C, except monkeys, which can not make vitamin C and supplement it by eating fruits, so we have never seen cats and dogs eat fruits. The human body cannot synthesize vitamin C, and it must be taken from food every day. People in China like to cook their dishes and not eat uncooked ones, but vitamin C has lost a lot (40% when the temperature exceeds 60℃, and 80% when it is 100℃). When I was traveling in America, I saw Americans eating vegetables raw with salad dressing like cows eating grass. This habit is very good.
Vitamin C mostly exists in fresh fruits and vegetables, especially celery, pepper, tomato, citrus, orange, kiwi fruit, cherry, lemon, bitter gourd and so on. After the food is thawed and boiled in water, vitamin C will be lost. Pay attention to the preservation of fruits and vegetables.
Third, the function and role of vitamin C.
(1) Prevention and treatment of scurvy
Due to the discovery of vitamin C, there are few examples of scurvy now.
(2) the production and maintenance of collagen
There are many places where the human body is elastic, including blood vessels, skin, intestines and so on. There is collagen, that is, collagen, where cells connect. Vitamin C is one of the most important raw materials of human collagen. Collagen equals cement for building houses. Without collagen, it is difficult to connect between cells, leading to cell variation and death.
For example, there is a large amount of collagen at the junction of teeth and mouth. Brushing teeth without vitamin C will lead to bleeding. Some people wake up from sleep with blood on their skin, which is because they oppress the capillaries of the skin when sleeping. Microvessels should be elastic. Without vitamin C, blood vessels will lose their elasticity and burst easily, leading to congestion. It's not a big problem that the microvessels of the skin are out of order. If there is something wrong with the artery of the heart, it is not a minor problem and will lead to death. The blood vessels in the brain are so small that they can only be seen with a microscope. If the capillaries in the brain rupture, it is easy to have a stroke, so vitamin C supplementation can prevent stroke. The skin also needs collagen, and applying cucumber to the face is to supplement the vitamin C of the skin.
(3) Anti-oxidation and anti-free radical
Now many scientific studies show that free radicals will oxidize cells in our body, which has a great relationship with human aging, cancer and pathological changes. Vitamin C has antioxidant and anti-free radical effects (see the section on free radicals for details).
(4) Secreting interferon to enhance immunity.
When the human body is infected by germs, an interferon will be produced in the body, which will hinder the reproduction of germs. The more interferon, the greater the resistance of bacteria, and the less reproduction. The degree of infection depends on the dosage of interferon. The richer vitamin C is, the more interferon is secreted, and the combat capability of antibodies and white blood cells against germs is greatly enhanced. When we catch a cold, our first feeling is hoarseness or sneezing. At this time, you consume a lot of vitamin C, which makes your body produce a lot of interferon. If you persist for a day or two, your immune system will defeat the germs.
(5) Promote the absorption of iron and calcium.
Without vitamin C, the absorption capacity of iron and calcium will be reduced.
(6) It has detoxification effect in the body.
Most of the detoxification capsules on the market excrete waste by accelerating the peristalsis of the human stomach. In fact, vitamin C really plays the role of detoxification. The human body will absorb toxins from food, and vitamin C can dissolve toxins. The processed salted fish and bacon contain nitrite or nitrosamine compounds. Without nitrite, food is perishable, but it is highly carcinogenic. Colon cancer is caused by nitrite or nitrosamine compounds in the intestine. Vitamin C can dissolve nitrite and nitrosamines. The intake of vitamin C in the body should first meet the normal operation of body tissues, and the extra part will play the role of dissolving intestinal endotoxin, thus playing the role of anti-oxidation, anti-free radicals and delaying aging. Under normal circumstances, taking more than 200mg of vitamin C will play the role of detoxification, and more than 500mg will play the role of anti-oxidation and anti-free radicals.
(7) It has antihistamine effect.
People's throat is inflamed, but throat inflammation is not all caused by bacteria and viruses, but by histamine produced by body tissues. Histamine can inflame a certain part of the body and send a signal of "illness" to people intuitively, just like a signal bomb before the war. After this signal is sent out, the white blood cells in the body will be concentrated in the part with the virus, which will fight against the virus, causing the body to be red and swollen, indicating that the body has immunity. These white blood cells should retreat after the battle, but some of these white blood cells in the human body only know how to send troops to fight and don't know how to retreat. The effect of this retreat depends on antihistamines. Everything in the world has yin and yang. If there is histamine, there is antihistamine, and vitamin C can help the body tissue to produce antihistamine, so some experts say that vitamin C can resist allergies. Of course, group B is also an important nutrient for anti-allergy.
(8) Protect vitamins E, B and A from oxidation.
Vitamin C is most easily oxidized, thus playing a role in protecting vitamins E, B and A from oxidation.