Vitamin C, or ascorbate, is perhaps best known as a potent antioxidant. However, thinking of vitamin C as just another antioxidant vitamin fails to give it credit for being an essential, and ancient component of metabolism on Earth.

It is a nearly ubiquitous biological substance. Almost all living organisms produce it internally – an ability that was well developed prior to the very divergence of plant and animal lines. There are only a few exceptions, and humans are one of them. It is estimated that around 40 million years ago, our ancestors lost the ability to synthesize vitamin C due to the appearance of a genetic mutation. This mutation led to a defect in the final step of an enzymatic process that ultimately converts glucose to ascorbate.

Ascorbate is involved, directly or indirectly, in virtually all chemical reactions within the body. Life is not possible without it. Had our ancestors not been able to get adequate vitamin C from their foods, such a lethal mutation could never have survived. But it did survive, and remains with us today thanks to our past diet, which consisted primarily of fruits and other plant foods rich in vitamin C. Unfortunately, the typical diet of modern man is no longer based on raw, whole foods, which is one of the root causes of so many health problems today. The more removed from nature our lifestyles become, the more our health suffers.

Vitamin or missing metabolite?

A vitamin is typically thought of as a substance required in trace amounts that must be obtained from the diet to prevent, or reverse, nutritional deficiency. Classifying vitamin C as such isn’t entirely accurate. First, relatively large amounts are needed for optimal health – grams, not just milligrams. Second, it must now be consumed by humans to replace a missing liver metabolite that is vital to the biochemistry of life.

In light of this, it seems questionable to treat vitamin C as a mere vitamin when establishing public guidelines for its use. Nevertheless, it is treated as such. The RDA value is but a fraction of the quantity necessary to deliver optimum nutrition. Furthermore, it is inappropriate to recommend a single dose for everyone. The amount needed can vary greatly from one individual to the next – can vary, even, from day to day in a single person, depending upon that person’s state of health, stress level, and nutritional needs. At best, the RDA describes a bare minimum to prevent outright clinical deficiency, or scurvy.

Dynamic Flow

The dynamic flow model provides a framework for understanding the activity of vitamin C within living systems. Drs. Steve Hickey and Hilary Roberts describe it in detail in their book, Ascorbate: The Science of Vitamin C. The following is a review of their model and a discussion of its health implications.

The power of dynamic flow is that it describes the physiological condition that would be present if man was still able to synthesize ascorbate, in which case a steady flow of the substance would be continuously available to the tissues. This situation can be emulated in modern man through regular and generous consumption of vitamin C.

Following ingestion of this nutrient, absorption from the gut is not immediate, but occurs over a period of several hours. It is useful to think of the gut as a reservoir for vitamin C. This can be compared to piping that carries a water supply, if you like. Of course, if a water supply is to be useful, it has to remain full. Likewise, the presence of excess ascorbate in the gut establishes a reserve for the body to draw on. Under this condition, ascorbate is available as needed to serve on the front lines, intercepting free radicals so that cellular components are spared from oxidative damage.

Bear in mind that the body’s requirement will vary depending upon the level of free radical generation. Infections and disease processes increase the production of free radicals, leading to a heightened demand for vitamin C. As demand increases, the body will attempt to draw more from its reservoir by increasing the rate of absorption. If ascorbate is readily available, dynamic flow can be maintained. If demand exceeds supply, then antioxidant protective power is diminished, and the body’s ability to manage illness is compromised.

How much is enough to maintain dynamic flow?

Based upon available data, and their model, Drs. Hickey and Roberts predict that receiving around 3 grams per day will yield variable results. You could say that this amount represents the line between sub-optimal and optimal for the average individual. Accordingly, at least 3 grams should be consumed daily to ensure baseline protection, although more is likely necessary for maximum benefit.

Regardless of the overall amount, total daily consumption should not come all at once. A single megadose is not nearly as effective as multiple, divided doses. This is because vitamin C is both water-soluble and actively used by the body. Multiple doses, spread throughout the day, provide a surplus that can be drawn from as needed, whereas one large dose offers only limited coverage. The need for multiple dosing can be bypassed by adopting a whole foods diet. Such a diet offers extended coverage and can sustain healthy levels of vitamin C.

Conclusion

Vitamin C is part or our biochemistry, and is required in abundant amounts on a regular basis to maintain an optimal healing environment. A consistent supply effectively restores our lost ability to synthesize the substance. Natural vitamin C from fruits and vegetables is the best source of this nutrient, and is superior to supplement form.

The dynamic flow model is appropriately titled, describing the interplay between a constantly changing cellular environment and the free radical scavenging ability of ascorbate. It provides accurate guidelines for preventing disease and promoting health, while refuting scant milligram-dose recommendations. Frequency is as important as quantity when it comes to vitamin C intake. The key is to attain tissue levels that allow for dynamic flow, and keep those levels up with periodic dosing, or through healthy eating habits.

Like any good theory, the predictions of the dynamic flow model are consistent with research observations. In fact, Drs. Hickey and Roberts claim that an extensive literature search failed to produce any studies that would invalidate the model.

References:

Hickey, S. & Roberts, H. (2004). Ascorbate: The Science of Vitamin C. Lulu Press.

Stone, Irwin. “The Natural History of Ascorbic Acid,” Orthomolecular Psychiatry.

Linus Pauling Institute, “Vitamin C”

DoctorYourself.com, “Practical Notes on Vitamin C Therapy”

“Vitamin C.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia