Putting the C into Cold Prevention

The common cold is more frequent during the winter months. According to the NHS website, ‘adults experience two to four colds a year on average, and children experience three to eight.’ Women get more colds than men, and there are over 200 different viruses that can cause the common cold, so most people will become infected again at a later stage. Vitamin C is known to be a potent immune boosting nutrient. It has been shown to inhibit viral replication and so may help to reduce the severity of the common cold…

A recent study of one hundred and sixty-eight volunteers, were randomized to receive a placebo or a vitamin C supplement, two tablets daily, over a 60-day period.  The results showed that vitamin C supplement may prevent the common cold and shorten the duration of symptoms. Volunteers were generally impressed by the protection afforded them during the winter months.

In most animals, the water soluble nutrient, ascorbic acid, is synthesised from glucose.  In humans a genetic lesion prevents us from making it ourselves, and diet is the sole source of this vitamin.

Dr. Anthony Verlangieri at the University of Mississippi used isolated cells in culture to model how vitamin C is utilized by various body tissues. They observed that exposing cells to calcium threonate increased the uptake of ascorbic acid by these cells (Fay & Verlangieri, 1991; Fay, 1992; Fay, Bush & Verlangieri, 1994).

Research has shown that supplementation with an Ester–C calcium ascorbate/threonate complex provides an effective way to build vitamin C reserves in the important immuno–competent cells of the blood; even when modest doses (one gram) of ascorbate are used (Hunt & Rice, 1995).

DURING TIMES OF CHEMICAL, EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS, VITAMIN C IS EXCRETED AT A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RATE.  THUS A HIGHER INTAKE OF VITAMIN C IS REQUIRED FOR IMMUNE PROTECTION WHEN THE BODY IS UNDER STRESS.

Viridian Nutrition’s Ester-C capsules provide a Highly effective, highly absorbable patented form of vitamin C. Ester-C is a neutral pH presentation of vitamin C, where the vitamin C is buffered to make it gentler on the stomach particularly where larger amounts are consumed. This is because a negative side-effect of continued large doses of usual forms of vitamin C is gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhoea. These effects are due in large part to the acidity of ascorbic acid itself. As a mineral ascorbate, Ester-C circumvents many of these problems because it has a neutral pH. At the same time, this new process introduces an important metabolite* of vitamin C, so it is present along with ascorbate when this supplement is taken. Ester-C is absorbed faster and retained for longer than regular vitamin C.

Viridian Nutrition’s Ester-C 550mg retails at £6.25 for 30 capsules and £16.55 for 90 capsules and is available from all good independent health stores nationwide. Become a fan of Viridian Nutrition on Facebook for regular updates and visit www.viridian-nutrition.com for details of your nearest specialist health store stockist.