Vitamin+C

 ** VITAMIN C ** ** Connie Choi (Block C) ** **What is Vitamin C?** Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is necessary in our human bodies to be healthy; unlike other mammals and plants, humans cannot store or produce vitamin C. The IUPAC name for vitamin C is 2-oxo-L-threo-hexono-1,4-lactone-2,3-enediol. The chemical formula for vitamin C is C6H8O6. Another name for vitamin C is ascorbic acid. structures of vitamin C

**How is Vitamin C made? ** Vitamin C can be obtained by eating foods that vitamin C can be derived from. Some excellent sources of vitamin C are oranges, lemons, brocolli, green pepper, grapefruit, cabbage, cauliflower, kiwis, or tomatoes. These are only a few listed. You can get the highest amount of vitamin C if you eat the fruits and vegetables raw or lightly cooked. Vitamin C can also be made synthetically through chemical processes. Chemicals like ascrobic acid, calcium, ascorbate, sodium ascorbate, or a combination of these forms are used to make synthetic vitamins. The process of making synthetic vitamin C's consists of 9 steps: Step 1: //Preliminary check// Vitamin manufacturers must have their ingredients tested or the ingredients must have a Certificate of Analysis to come with it to certify it is alright to consume. Step 2: //Pre-blending// Often when the raw ingredients have arrived, they have been finely granulated. If they aren't they are to be finely granulated through a mill and ground. Step 3: //Wet granulation// For vitamin tablets, particle size is extremely important in determining how well the formula will run through the machine. In this process, fine vitamin powder is mixed with a variety of cellulose particle, then wetted. Step 4: //weighing and mixing// The lab technicians confirmed that all the ingredients are distributed in the same proportion throughout the mix. After mixing, workers take the vitamin formula to either an encapsulating or a tablet-making machine. Step 5: //Encapsulating machine// The finished vitamin mixture can be compressed into tablets. Step 6: //Polishing and inspection// The capsules are run through a polishing machine. Then they are spread onto an inspection table with a belt of rotating rods so that all the sides of the vitamin are inspected. Step 7: //Tableting// The vitamins fills the die and enter a punch press. The tablets are then ejected onto a vibrating belt which vibrates any loose dust off the tablets. Step 8: //Coating// Tablets are placed in the coating pan where they get sprayed coating over them. Step 9: //Packaging// The capsules or tablets are then bottled, sealed, capped, labelled, and shrink-wrapped and are ready for distribution.

Vitamin C can benefit us in many ways. Vitamin C protects the body against oxidative stress and prevents scurvy disease. It can lower the risk of a stroke and can reduce dangerous blood levels of lead. It can aide in teeth and bone formation, bone fracture and wound healing also. Vitamin C can improve cholesterol and regulation of blood glucose levels. There are many more health benefits. **
 * How does vitamin C affect us?**
 * Though vitamin C is really good for you, however, there are risks of too much vitamin C. High doses of vitamin C can cause kidney stones, diarrhea, and nausea. A lack in vitamin C can cause scurvy, which causes muscle weakness, swollen and bleeding gums, loss of teeth, and bleeding under the skin, and as well as tiredness and depression.


 * Interesting facts!**
 * The body eliminates vitamin C in about 12 hours because vitamin C cannot be stored in our bodies.
 * The effect of vitamin C can be decreased by aspirin, tobacco, mineral oil, oral contraceptives, and salicylates.
 * In 1937 the Nobel Prize for chemistry was awarded to Walter Haworth for his work in determining the structure of ascorbic acid.
 * Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, the "glue" that strengthens many parts of the body, such as muscles ad blood vessels

[] [] [] [] [] [] [][]**
 * Sources: