why is no one talking about vitamin C & the gut?
Why is no one talking about vitamin C and its effect on gut health?
If you’ve ever taken too much vitamin C, you’ll likely know what happens next… In this blog post, I take a deeper dive into the effects that vitamin C has on your gut, specifically your gut microbiome.
Why is no one talking about Vitamin C and Gut Health?
When we have a “bad gut”, “upset tummy” or like the pepto ad sings: nausea, heartburn, upset stomach, diarrhea. But they missed a big one there: constipation. What if you can’t go or can’t fully go? Yeah, it’s okay to admit that it’s the worst. And taking something to help you move things along, can sometimes make things worse! Then you’re really stuck and not just your gut health suffers: your liver is sluggish, your skin breaks out, your brain is foggy, your mood is rotten and on and on and on.
I want to (re-)introduce you to the gut microbiome. And, if you’ve heard me chat about this before, hold tight - there’s always something new that I’ve gathered up and will share with you. And, if you’re new to what the gut microbiome is, why it’s so important to your overall health, I suggest you start with my masterclass. I talk about all things gut microbiome and how this second brain is connected to what we eat, how we digest and our mental state.
WATCH THE MASTERCLASS
Impacting gut health with vitamins
I’ve been reading a lot about vitamin C lately. We know it’s great for immunity and helps us to boost our collagen production (you can read more on that here), but could vitamin C have a direct impact on gut health? Well, we know that a high dose of vitamin C can often have people running to the bathroom. Sigh.
But what does modern research say?
Well, a pilot study conducted in 2021 looked at a small group of healthy humans that supplemented their daily routine with 1000 mg of Vitamin C for 2 weeks. Scientists then looked at their poop before and after. Fun. What they concluded was interesting. There was a definite shift in the gut microbiota variety and population. And what’s even more interesting is that these particular strains of bacteria that began to thrive after taking vitamin C are strongly associated with having anti-inflammatory properties and demonstrate evidence in improving gut health. Another reason to not go on a carnivore diet - you’d miss out on vitamin C!
We know that vitamin C has an antioxidant effects on the body. These anti-inflammatory bacteria strains that thrived on the additional vitamin C raises a few questions. Could vitamin C be more potent than we know when it comes to its effect on the microbes in our gut?
Should you supplement Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is readily absorbed in the small intestine where most vitamins are synthesized. I’m a strong advocate of seeking your nutrients from food first and foremost. Vitamin C helps your body absorb non-heme iron (from plant foods such as leafy greens, beans, lentils). Try not to overheat your vitamin C rich foods as it breaks down the vitamin. Use little water and opt for stir frying and blanching over broiling and boiling. Supplementing has its advantages and disadvantages. With inflation causing us to gasp in the checkout at the grocery store, I want to say you some money.
So, look for vitamin C rich foods as you shop. Try to source local and organic as much as possible, but augment your diet with fruits and vegetables from the frozen food aisle, or outside your growing area/season. Here’s a few favourite fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C:
Bell peppers
Strawberries
Citrus fruits
Tomatoes
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower)
White potatoes
“Where nutritional therapy is not the entire approach, complementing your health requirements with supplements can be an effective too to optimize your gut microbiome.”
But what if you suffer from leaky gut, dysbiosis in your gut microbiome is likely to occur and could lead to serious illness in your body: IBD, Type 2 diabetes, NAFLD, cardiovascular disease.
It’s at this point that a nutritionally therapeutic approach might work to shift your microbiome to a healthier, more balanced stated. Achieving balance in your gut microbiome is the key to healthy digestion and good overall health. If you’re ready to look after your holistic nutrition and achieve optimal health, feel free to book your free strategy call with me to learn more about how you can take the right steps forward. There’s zero obligation on your part. I’m here to help you help yourself find your very, very best self.
DISCLAIMER TIME
A few words of caution before self-prescribing mega doses of vitamin C. Always consult with your health professional or team of health care providers before starting any new supplement regime or dietary changes. Certain medications can interfere or interact with vitamin C supplementation. Certain medical conditions (e.g. kidney stones, gout) may be aggravated by vitamin C, patients should avoid dosing and monitor vitamin-C rich foods.
Supplementing with vitamin C should always begin with food first. Determining the dosage, timing, and type of vitamin C is between you and your trusted health professional. If you’d like to consult on a nutrition and supplement plan that works best for you, book your free strategy call today to discuss.
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Sources
(1) Otten, A. T., Bourgonje, A. R., Peters, V., Alizadeh, B. Z., Dijkstra, G., & Harmsen, H. J. M. (2021). Vitamin C supplementation in healthy individuals leads to shifts of bacterial populations in the gut-A pilot study. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 10(8), 1278. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10081278
(2) Hazan, S., Dave, S., Papoutsis, A. J., Deshpande, N., Howell, M. C., Jr, & Martin, L. M. (2022). Vitamin C improves gut Bifidobacteria in humans. Future Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2022-0209
(3) Chey, S. W., Chey, W. D., Jackson, K., & Eswaran, S. (2021). Exploratory comparative effectiveness trial of green kiwifruit, psyllium, or prunes in US patients with chronic constipation. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 116(6), 1304–1312. https://doi.org/10.14309/ajg.0000000000001149
(7) Carr, A., & Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and immune function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111211
