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When you think of vitamin C, you might picture a refreshing glass of orange juice, a cozy day in bed, or the popular orange powder people turn to at the first sign of a cold.

While these associations aren’t wrong—after all, vitamin C is well known for its role in boosting immune health—this powerful nutrient has much more to offer.*

Vitamin C does more than just fortify your immune system. It also supports skin, joint, and eye health and contributes to a positive mood.*

Most importantly, it plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of one of your body’s most vital organs: your heart.*

This famous essential vitamin is full of surprises, and the way it supports your cardiovascular health will give you even more reason to love and appreciate it.* 

3 ways vitamin C helps keep your heart healthy

Vitamin C is involved in a few different aspects of your cardiovascular system, making sufficient intake of the vitamin key to a happy and healthy heart:* 

Vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis (which is why it’s loved by health and beauty experts everywhere). While it does wonders for skin, hair, and nail health, collagen is also necessary in other parts of your body—like your arteries.*

With adequate vitamin C intake, proper collagen production allows for flexible and healthy arteries, which are key to facilitating the dilation of vessels and healthy blood pressure.* 

The endothelium is a thin membrane made of endothelial cells that line the heart and blood vessels. Our bodies depend on the proper operation of the endothelium, as it regulates the passage of cells and substances from the blood to other tissue and controls constriction and dilation of the blood vessels.

In addition to aiding endothelial function, vitamin C also promotes antioxidant activity to protect this very active tissue.*

Free radicals target the endothelium, but vitamin C’s antioxidant actions help buffer against reactive oxidative species (ROS) and maintain oxidative balance for endothelial resilience and functioning.*

Lipid peroxidation is when free radicals oxidize unsaturated fats. It’s like targeted oxidative stress of healthy fats (i.e., that are found in cell membranes throughout your body, including your heart).

Why is this a bad thing? Well, unsaturated fats like omega-3s deliver a host of important cardiovascular functions, such as regulating healthy blood cholesterol levels, promoting anti-inflammatory actions, and stabilizing heart rhythms. 

In short, lipid peroxidation is something we don’t want. Thanks to its potent antioxidant properties, the multitalented powerhouse micronutrient vitamin C helps protect these essential fats3 from unruly free radicals.* 

The takeaway

From promoting healthy, glowing skin and delivering overall mood support to bolstering our immune and cardiovascular systems, vitamin C is a powerhouse nutrient with benefits across the whole body.*

Next time you think about vitamin C, take its wide range of benefits into consideration rather than attaching it to a singular identity. At the end of the day, vitamin C has multiple dimensions (just like the rest of us).

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.