2. Vitamin C
Safe and effective, vitamin C provides a long list of benefits, including protection against cardiovascular disease, eye disease, deficiencies of the immune system, and even aging skin. "Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health," says researcher Mark Moyad, M.D., MPH, of the University of Michigan. "The more we study vitamin C, the better our understanding of how diverse it is in protecting our health, from cardiovascular, cancer, stroke, eye health, and cancer," he told WebMD.
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that vitamin C might protect against stroke and heart attack as well as help prevent atherosclerosis, and recent research by the Linus Pauling Institute found evidence that vitamin C helps prevent heart disease and cancer. Other studies have found the vitamin lowers the risk of diabetes.
According to some experts, ascorbate is the most absorbable form of vitamin C, and they recommend either calcium or magnesium ascorbate forms.
The RDA for vitamin C is 60 mg daily, but many experts advise taking more. "The ideal dosage may be higher than the recommended dietary allowance," Moyad said. He suggests taking 500 milligrams each day in addition to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables. Those high in vitamin C include sweet red peppers, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, cantalope, spinach, and citrus.
