MEDI C + CALC UNFLAVOURED 600 GRAM

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential water-soluble vitamin needed by the body for a wide range of important processes. These include supporting immune system activity and collagen synthesis. Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein and is a key component of blood vessels, joint tissue, and skin, where it provides structure, strength, and elasticity. Vitamin C and lysine work together to build collagen, strengthening and holding together the coronary cells (Sommer et al., 2007). Coronary arteries, closest to the heart, receive the most significant pressure. Without enough vitamin C, the collagen weakens. Healthy collagen also supports healthy teeth, gums, cartilage, bones, connective tissue, and wound healing.

There is some evidence that lysine modifies pathways that lead to vascular calcification, which is where plaques build up in arteries, affecting cardiovascular health (Shimomura et al., 2014). Vitamin C and lysine are also among several natural compounds seen to have anti-atherogenic effects on the smooth muscle cells in the walls of arteries (Ivanov et al., 2007).

Vitamin C’s antioxidant activity and role in creating healthy connective tissue also positively impacts the cardiovascular system. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 31 patients who received at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily had decreases in both mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure after a month (Hajjar et al., 2002). Conversely, vitamin C deficiency is related to lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), an inflammatory biomarker that predicts cardiovascular disease (Song & Kang, 2018).

Vitamin C helps maintain normal immune function by increasing T-lymphocyte activity, leukocyte mobility, and antibody and interferon production (Leibovitz & Siegel, 1981; Kasa, 1983). There is some evidence that taking 600–1000 mg of vitamin C per day for 3–8 weeks before intense physical exercise, such as a marathon, can significantly reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections (Moreira et al., 2007; Hemilä, 1996).

Low vitamin C status has been seen in cases of community-acquired pneumonia. A medical assessment of 50 people with community-acquired pneumonia classified 62% with hypovitaminosis C (plasma levels at 5–15 mg/L) and 22% as being vitamin C deficient. In comparison, healthy controls had a rate of 8% hypovitaminosis C and no deficiencies. Pneumonia patients were also found to have elevated levels of oxidative stress (Carr et al., 2020).

The body’s need for vitamin C increases during times of stress, such as intense physical activity, illness, antibiotic use, and exposure to pollutants. Multiple studies have found a correlation between low vitamin C levels and higher rates of oxidative stress, an underlying factor in many forms of illness. Specifically, low vitamin C levels and oxidative stress have been linked to impaired immunity and increased susceptibility to infection (Carr et al., 2020; Paschalis et al., 2016).

Lysine is an essential amino acid, meaning that it must be obtained through the diet or supplements as the body cannot manufacture it. As a major building block of many proteins in the body, including collagen and enzymes involved in immunity, lysine deficiency can quickly have serious consequences (Yamauchi & Sricholpech, 2012). In the 1980s, a wealth of studies examined the effects of lysine on the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) that causes cold sores. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 41 participants were given 1248 mg of lysine per day and experienced a decrease in the frequency and severity of cold sores; a lower dose of 624 mg did not prove effective (McCune et al., 1984).

Calcium is a major structural component of healthy bones and teeth and is needed for the contraction of muscles, including the heart and blood vessels, to maintain healthy blood pressure (McEvoy, 1998). Long-term calcium supplementation in postmenopausal women has been shown to reduce the incidence of spinal fracture by 30–35% and lower hip fracture rates by 25% (Kanis, 1999).

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