jsf@rlgvax.UUCP (04/10/87)
I've been reading in various sports/fitness magazines that it is important to have a source of vitamin C with every meal, because vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron in your meal. Can some one explain how this works? It's seems to me that the vitamin C already in your body would have a greater effect then that in the meal. Is this just a way of assuring that you have enough vitamin C in general, and that is what helps with the iron? Thanks. -- Steve Fritzinger CCI-OSD Reston, Va. seismo!rlgvax!jsf "Just because I'm joking, it doesn't mean I'm wrong." - Me "Of course it's no guarantee you're right either." - Someone else
howard@cpocd2.UUCP (04/16/87)
In article <409@rlgvax.UUCP> jsf@rlgvax.UUCP (Steve Fritzinger) writes: >I've been reading in various sports/fitness magazines that it is important >to have a source of vitamin C with every meal, because vitamin C helps >your body absorb the iron in your meal. Can some one explain how this >works? In food, iron atoms typically occur in either the +2 (ferrous) or +3 (ferric) oxidation state. The ferrous form is easier to absorb. Vitamin C is a reducing agent, and can reduce ferric iron to ferrous iron (while itself getting oxidized). Thus vitamin C *IN* or *WITH* the food helps iron absorption, while ferric iron can destroy vitamin C. >It's seems to me that the vitamin C already in your body would >have a greater effect then that in the meal. No. The C in your body can't react with the iron until after it has been absorbed, which is (obviously!) too late to help with absorption. >Is this just a way of assuring that you have enough vitamin C in general, Not "just", but it will help that. >and that is what helps with the iron? No. -- Copyright (c) 1987 by Howard A. Landman. You may copy this material for any non-commercial purpose, or transmit this material to others and charge for such transmission, as long as this notice is retained and you place no additional restrictions on retransmission of the material by the recipients.