If you ask most doctors to describe the function of vitamin C in the body, they will say that it’s an antioxidant, or that it prevents scurvy. In fact, many in the medical establishment are of the opinion that unless the levels of vitamin C in the diet are severely deficient — that is, low enough to bring on scurvy — there is no real risk.
Government health agencies have set the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C at a mere 90 mg a day. But in the brain, vitamin C has many functions besides being an antioxidant — many of which are still undefined. (My special report "Key Vitamins that Save Your Heart, Prevent Cancer and Keep You Living Long" will give you more information on the importance of vitamins.)


For example, it is an important co-enzyme (an enzyme helper) involved in the synthesis of several neurotransmitters, such as the catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine). It also plays an important role in production of:
• Carnitine
• Cholesterol
• Amino acids
• Certain peptide hormones
Vitamin C also activates genes that regulate cell energy production, transport of iron, formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis), and overall cell survival. Furthermore, vitamin C is critical in forming collagen, which is the main component of the body’s connective tissue. Because of its ability to strengthen collagen, vitamin C may also help prevent brain hemorrhages, especially in newborns and the elderly. Collagen is also important for the formation of the lining (myelin sheath) around nerves.
The vitamin C level in the brain is four times higher than the blood, and during times of vitamin C deficiency, the brain holds onto its vitamin C very tightly. The brains of people with Alzheimer’s have deficient levels of vitamin C, and vitamin C has been shown to reverse certain types of memory loss in mouse models of Alzheimer's dementia.
There is no question that vitamin C plays a major role in protecting the brain from free radicals and lipid peroxidation products, and helps the body fight infections. In fact, in high doses it can perform miracles. Find more details on how to keep your brain healthy by reading my report "Save Your Brain."


Daily supplementation with highly absorbable, buffered or lipsomal vitamin C (1,000 mg three times a day, between meals) can protect against death following a flu infection, no matter how severe it is.
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