One message from current world events is clear: we need to take the best care we can of our health all the time in order to be ready for anything. Vitamin C and Zinc have certainly made headlines, but did you know they provide support for more than just your immune health? Find out more with results from these studies:

Increased Lifespan with Vitamin C

People in low- and middle-income countries often have low levels of vitamin C, which doctors believe may increase chances for disease. In what may be the first study of its kind, doctors measured vitamin C levels in 948 men and women, aged 53 to 84, in Linxian, China.

After an average of 16 years of follow-up, compared to those with the lowest levels, those with the highest levels of vitamin C were 25 percent less likely to have died from any cause. Good vitamin C levels reduced chances of dying from stroke or cancer by 28 percent, and by 35 percent for heart disease. Those with normal levels of vitamin C—at or above 28 micromoles per liter of blood—were 23 percent less likely to have died prematurely, and 38 percent less likely to have died from heart disease.

Reference: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health; 2018, 210809; Published Online

Vitamin C Reduces Colds

Earlier research found vitamin C boosted immunity to infection. In this review of nine cold studies, people that increased doses of vitamin C to therapeutic levels of 3,000 mg to 4,000 mg per day at the first signs of a cold saw duration shorten by about one-half day; the time confined indoors decline by about 10 hours; and relief from symptoms including chest pain, fever, and chills.

Based on these findings, doctors recommended a daily maintenance dose of vitamin C while healthy, and increasing the dose to therapeutic levels at the first signs of a cold.

Reference: BioMed Research; 2018, Article ID 1837634; Published Online

Astaxanthin, Tocotrienol, Zinc Increase Strength, Endurance

Muscles lose mass and strength with age. In this study, 42 people, aged 65 to 82, took a placebo or 12 mg of astaxanthin, 10 mg of tocotrienol vitamin E, plus 6 mg of zinc per day for four months. During the first three months, participants took an exercise training program lasting 40 to 60 minutes per day, three times per week.

Over the four-month study, while muscle strength did not improve for placebo, those in the supplement group saw a 14 percent increase in muscle strength. The supplement group also saw a 40 percent increase in endurance and an 8 percent increase in mobility.

Reference: Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle; 2018, 12318; Published Online

BetsyHealth Note: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before taking a supplement, especially if you have a medical condition (including being pregnant or a nursing mother) or take prescription or over-the-counter medications. For example, the vitamin C, zinc, astaxanthin and tocotrienol supplements thin blood.

Article copyright 2020 by Natural Insights for Well Being. All rights reserved. Used with permission.