The dangers of insufficient Vitamin C
Let's take a gander
It's that time of year when people are susceptible to illness due to a combination of vitamins C and D deficiency. Our focus is going to be vitamin C. Back in the day, sailors used to catch scurvy, which is due to a lack of vitamin C.
A new study has found that vitamin C could prevent the development of asthma in early childhood.
Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland have discovered that children who take a regular supplement of 1000 milligrams per day have a reduced risk for developing the disease. The results were published in Thorax.
Diagnosis and management of asthma in children is the focus of the research, which is based on data collected from more than 41,000 three-year-olds in Finland.
The cohort of participants was monitored over a period of six years when their health was assessed for asthma symptoms and diagnoses, and when they were prescribed medication or hospital care to manage it.
A total of 3184 children in the study had been diagnosed with asthma in that time, but a lower risk was found in children who took a supplement containing vitamin C.
The results show children taking supplements before they were three years old were at a 55% reduced risk of developing asthma when compared to those who did not take any.
In addition, the researchers say the odds of developing asthma decreased by 20% with every milligram of vitamin C consumed daily.
It is the first time that vitamins have been linked to asthma development in children.
The researchers hypothesize that vitamin C reduces inflammation in the airways, due to its antioxidant activity, protecting against respiratory problems later in life.
They say further research into how the immune system works at the early stages of development is needed before they can investigate whether vitamin C supplements could be used to prevent asthma in children.
Vitamin C has been linked to a number of health benefits but is most well-known for protecting against scurvy. It can be found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kiwi fruit, and oranges among other fruits and vegetables.
