plant-based vitamin C with bioflavonoids

3 Unexpected Benefits of Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids

Nature has the best recipes for nutrition. The vitamins and minerals we get from fruits and vegetables come packaged with other co-nutrients that work together in synergy to help maximize the benefits for your body. One great example is plant-based vitamin C. Wherever you find vitamin C in nature, you also find bioflavonoids. These active plant compounds work in partnership with vitamin C to enhance its effectiveness and deliver their own complementary health benefits. 

Like vitamin C, bioflavonoids are powerful antioxidants that help protect your cells from oxidative damage. Oxidative stress is caused by toxic free radicals in the body that can come from environmental toxins, unhealthy habits, stress, and natural metabolic processes. Damage from free radicals is thought to contribute to many of the symptoms of aging and disease progression. That’s why antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and E and other plant-based antioxidants are so important for your health.

Not only do bioflavonoids deliver their own antioxidant health benefits,1 they appear to help protect and increase the action of other antioxidants in the body.2 Studies suggest that bioflavonoids may improve the bioavailability of vitamin C 3,4 while working with it to neutralize free radicals and help regulate inflammation and immune responses.5 Their vitamin-like activity has even earned them the nickname “vitamin P.” Some researchers believe that some of the health benefits traditionally credited to vitamin C may actually be due to the combined action of vitamin C with bioflavonoids.11

Not just for immune support, vitamin C and bioflavonoids work together as an antioxidant power duo to help protect your health in multiple ways. Here are 3 unexpected benefits of vitamin C with bioflavonoids.

1. Heart Health

Oxidative stress contributes to heart health risks by oxidizing “bad” cholesterol and damaging arterial walls, leading to stiffer, narrower arteries that restrict circulation. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids can help protect against these effects by reducing oxidative stress and promoting healthier, more flexible blood vessels through collagen synthesis.6 Vitamin C is an important cofactor for making collagen, the protein that makes connective tissues strong and pliable, and bioflavonoids are thought to play a role by helping to protect collagen.7 Studies link higher intake of vitamin C and bioflavonoids with reduced risk of heart health problems.8,9,10

2. Eye Health

The eyes are regularly subjected to oxidative stress through UV light, causing damage to eye health over time. That’s why antioxidants are so important for protecting healthy vision, particularly as we age. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids help by reducing oxidative stress and maintaining healthy blood vessels and connective tissue in the eyes, including the delicate capillaries in the retina and the collagen found in the cornea.11 Vitamin C also assists with the absorption of lutein, a crucial antioxidant for eye health. Studies have linked higher intake of vitamin C and bioflavonoids with a reduced risk of age-related vision problems.12,13

3. Cognitive Health

Oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain are major contributing factors to neurodegenerative disorders. Antioxidants like vitamin C and bioflavonoids can help protect against the brain-aging effects of free radicals. Citrus bioflavonoids can cross the blood-brain barrier, and several studies suggest that they may have significant neuroprotective benefits.14,15 Another important factor for cognitive performance is healthy blood flow to the brain, and vitamin C and bioflavonoids support this as well by maintaining healthy blood vessels.2 A recent review of studies showed a significant link between higher blood levels of vitamin C and lower levels of cognitive impairment.16

At Naturelo, we’ve followed nature’s recipe by offering a plant-based Vitamin C supplement with citrus bioflavonoids, so you can get the full benefits of their natural synergy. Why argue with the intelligence of nature?

References:

1. Pandey, Kanti Bhooshan, and Syed Ibrahim Rizvi. “Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease.” Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity vol. 2,5 (2009): 270-8. doi:10.4161/oxim.2.5.9498

2.  Marcin, Ashley. “What You Should Know about Bioflavonoids.” Healthline, 2017.

3. Uchida E, Kondo Y, Amano A, et al. “Absorption and excretion of ascorbic acid alone and in acerola (Malpighia emarginata) juice: comparison in healthy Japanese subjects.” Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(11):1744-1747. doi:10.1248/bpb.34.1744

4. Vinson JA, Bose P. “Comparative bioavailability to humans of ascorbic acid alone or in a citrus extract.” Am J Clin Nutr. 1988;48(3):601-604. doi:10.1093/ajcn/48.3.601

5. Brewster, Rob. “Citrus Bioflavonoids: Synergy with Vitamin C & Beyond.” Nutraceuticals World, 2018.

6.  “Coronary Heart Disease.” Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University.

7. “Flavonoids”. University of Michigan Health.

8. Ashor, A. et al. “Effect of vitamin C on endothelial function in health and disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.” Atherosclerosis, VOLUME 235, ISSUE 1, P9-20, JULY 01, 2014.

9. Wang, Xia et al. “Systematic review with meta-analysis Flavonoid intake and risk of CVD : a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.” (2013).

10. Peterson, Julia J et al. “Associations between flavonoids and cardiovascular disease incidence or mortality in European and US populations.” Nutrition reviews vol. 70,9 (2012): 491-508. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2012.00508.x

11. Heiting, Gary. “Vitamin C and bioflavonoids: Powerful eye antioxidants.” All About Vision.

12. Gopinath, B, et al. “Dietary flavonoids and the prevalence and 15-y incidence of age-related macular degeneration.” Am J Clin Nutr. (2018 Aug 1) ;108(2):381-387.

13. Hanneken, A., et al. Flavonoids protect human retinal pigment epithelial cells from oxidative stress-induced death. Inv Ophthalmol Vis Sci. (2006) ;47:3164-77.

14. Hwang SL, Shih PH, Yen GC. “Neuroprotective effects of citrus flavonoids.” J Agric Food Chem. 2012;60(4):877-885. doi:10.1021/jf204452y

15. Roohbakhsh A, Parhiz H, Soltani F, Rezaee R, Iranshahi M. “Neuropharmacological properties and pharmacokinetics of the citrus flavonoids hesperidin and hesperetin--a mini-review.” Life Sci. 2014;113(1-2):1-6. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2014.07.029

16. Marano, H.E. “The Cognitive Benefits of Vitamin C.” Psychology Today, 2018.

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