Vitamin C - Does it really help against colds?

I'm sure that each of you had an incredible childhood. And I'm sure that every one of you thinks that a movie can be made on true events from your childhood. I belong to this group of people too.

But I'm also sure that absolutely every one of us, during childhood or even today, remembers his mother or grandmother or some other caring family member, chasing you around the house with lemons or pills of vitamin C. Why? Because you have a cold.

Why Vitamin C?

"To strengthen your immunity!"
"So you could get better!"
"Because it's healthy!"

Today I give you an excuse to go to that same caregiving family member and tell him that he/her is wrong.
Let's begin.

Vitamin C, or as chemists known it, ascorbic acid, is a very powerful thing. Some animals can synthesize this vitamin. People can not. So we need to get this vitamin from another source, like food or tablets.

Modern diet generally contains sufficient amounts of this vitamin. However, some poorly developed countries don't have a modern diet, so there may be a lack of vitamin c, more commonly known as scurvy.
In the past, this disease had devastating effects on the human population. People suffering from this disease had regular bruises on the body, nail destruction, hair loss and loss of teeth and some even died.

All this suggests that vitamin C has many roles in the body. Many.
It accelerates the synthesis of collagen in tissues, which means it keeps you from ageing. It neutralizes free radicals, which means it protects you from cancer. It helps the body resorb iron and protects you from anaemia.

There are many, many, many roles of vitamin C.

Strengthening the immune system is not one of them.

So, you can freely say to all your caring family members: "No, I will not be better because of vitamin C, stop you shoving me with lemons and pills."

So, what to take in case of a cold?
Zinc and selenium. These two metals have a proven role in strengthening the immune system. You can take them when you have a cold, or even better, before that, at the beginning of the flu season.

Like all tablets, they need time to work and since they don't have any toxic effects (unless you swallow them like M&Ms), you can freely take them preventively to strengthen your immunity.

The question remains whether you should take vitamin C.
Here comes the twist. You should. (Do you see what I did there? With the twist and all... :) )

Vitamin C should be taken from fresh, natural sources, such as lemons, or if you want a cheaper option, fresh bell peppers. Again, we are returning to the same question, why?

Although it does not affect the immunity, this vitamin will help you feel better. It will help with the fever, it will help with the inflammation and it will reduce the damage that the cold makes to the body.
In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables contain a bunch of other things that will help you to be hydrated, feel better and get over the illness ASAP.

So, eat lemons, but there is no need to drain 10 lemons into a cup of tea or to drink 5 tablets of vitamin C a day.

If you see any benefit from this post, please upvote, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact me :) .