Vitamin C and Weight Loss – 30% More Fat Burned While Exercising

by James on March 30, 2009

in Men's Health,Vitamins and Supplements,Weight Loss

Low amounts of vitamin C correlates with increased body fat and waist measurements. Nutrition researchers at Arizona State University report that the amount of vitamin C in the blood is directly related to fat oxidation during both exercise and at rest.

The study shows that those who consume adequate quantities of vitamin C oxidize 30% more fat while doing normal exercises than individuals with an inadequate quantity of Vitamin C consumption.

The research however, does not imply that vitamin C can be considered the new remedy for obesity and the new means of causing weight loss. Rather, it establishes that consuming insufficient quantities of vitamin C is liable to hamper any efforts of weight loss.

Before beginning a controlled four-week diet, 20 obese men and women were randomized by gender and body weight into a Vitamin C group, taking a 500 mg vitamin C daily and a control group taking a placebo. All participants consumed a diet adjusted to promote slow weight loss. The diet contained 67% of the RDA for vitamin C.

At the beginning of the study, participants with the lowest blood concentrations of vitamin C exhibited a higher body fat mass and tended not to oxidize fat well compared to their less obese counterparts. As the participants moved through the four week diet, with a steady amount of vitamin C being consumed, blood vitamin C concentrations increased 30 percent in those taking vitamins and fell 27 percent in the control group whose only vitamin C intake was the 67 percent of the USRDA contained in the food. As vitamin C blood concentrations fell, so did the participants’ ability to oxidize fat.

Vitamin C is an essential cofactor for the biosynthesis of a small protein-like molecule known as carnitine. Carnitine functions to shuttle fat molecules to the site of fat oxidation in tissue cells. When cells do not have access to fat molecules, feelings of fatigue ensue since energy metabolism is affected. Moreover, fat tends to accumulate in tissues when carnitine concentrations are reduced.

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Holly Jahangiri November 19, 2008 at 1:46 pm

Interesting article! The whole “take Vitamin C to ward off colds” thing has never worked for me, but it does help to reduce bruising and this makes sense, too.

Did you know that red bell peppers are a fantastic source of vitamin C? Better, even, than oranges? (I know, no one wants to drink bell pepper juice in the morning with breakfast, but still…)

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techniqueal t. November 22, 2008 at 8:26 am

very informative post. i learned a lot.

you have a great blog and niche. keep it up! ^_^

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Thin lizzie November 30, 2008 at 12:03 am

That’s really cool info. I had no idea that vitamin c was so awesome!

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John November 14, 2011 at 12:48 am

I weight 405lbs a year and 8 moths ago… i took 1 vitamin C tablet 1,000mg every morning along with full glass of water.. I exercised 1 hour every day and counted calories and was able to lose 180lbs. It is a great help and I believe firmly that the Vitamin C helped speed my metabolism up to lose the weight.

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