5 Benefits Of Vitamin C And When You Should Take It

by Skye Macfarlane on Jun 19, 2025 0 comments

When you were little, your parents might have made you a lemon and honey drink when you had a cold. That’s because citrus fruits, like lemons and oranges, are high in vitamin C. But what are the benefits of vitamin C? When should you take it? And what supplement option (if any) should you choose?

Your body's security system

Vitamin C is really like having a great security system for your house. You might not notice it working day to day, but it is constantly patrolling and fixing little issues before they become bigger ones. It keeps everything running smoothly.

Unlike other vitamins your body can store up (think fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A and D), vitamin C is water soluble. That means your body uses what it needs today and then flushes out the rest. Think of it a bit like your daily coffee habit, you need a regular top-up to keep things in optimal condition.

What are the benefits of vitamin C?

1. Immune system support

Your immune system is like a well-trained army, and you could think of vitamin C as the drill sergeant that keeps everyone on their toes, ready for action. It helps your white blood cells function more effectively and also works as an antioxidant. This protects your immune cells from damage when they go to battle.

2. Supports collagen production

Collagen could be thought of as the scaffolding that holds your body together. It is essential for your skin, joints, blood vessels and gums, and vitamin C is vital for collagen synthesis. So, without enough vitamin C, you can’t really fix, build or repair your literal body structure.

3. Helps with iron absorption

If you have ever had issues with low iron, you would remember that one of the most recommended ways of taking iron supplements is to take them with orange juice. This is because another benefit of vitamin C is that it acts like the helpful friend that introduces you to someone interesting at a party (if anyone goes to parties anymore?), as it helps the body absorb the iron from either plant, animal or supplemental sources more effectively.

4. Antioxidant protection

Your body faces daily oxidative stress from things like pollution, exercise, stress, diet, and environment. Another benefit of vitamin C is that it can help to neutralise these free radicals that can cause damage.

5. Wound healing and tissue repair

When you are injured or your body needs repairing, vitamin C is effectively the trusted tradesperson that you have on speed dial – it helps with healing cuts, bruises, tissue issues or maintenance. In times like these, you need to increase your vitamin C intake to help cover the extra work your body is doing.

Food sources of vitamin C

Before we talk about the benefits of vitamin C supplements, we should look at some real food sources of vitamin C:

The heavy hitters: Red capsicums, kiwifruit, blackcurrants and citrus fruits.

Surprising sources: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leafy greens like kale and spinach, chilis and parsley.

Fancy options: Cherries, camu camu, rosehips (we use these in our Daily Boost) and kakadu plums.

As with everything, having a varied diet of whole foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, will go a long way to helping with your vitamin C levels.

However, there may be some times when supplementation would be needed.

When should you take vitamin C?

Preventatively: Taking supplemental vitamin C preventatively at times like heading into winter, or when you are travelling or when you know you are going to be under more stress than usual would be a good idea.

In periods of high stress: Physical and emotional stress depletes your vitamin C stores faster than usual. Producing the stress hormones to react to the stress you are experiencing (like cortisol) requires vitamin C. Stress not only makes your body work overtime, it also diverts energy and resources away from supporting your body's function in all areas.

In particular, while your body is focusing on fighting the stress (which could just be work emails) it is not focusing on fighting any outside ‘threats’ like all the bugs going around. In short, when you are experiencing high or chronic stress, you need more support to keep going.

When you are sick: Your immune system uses vitamin C at a much more accelerated rate when you are sick or fighting off an illness. So, logically, you need to replace or supplement your stores to help your body fight and recover. Hence why vitamin C is probably the one thing people recognise and recommend taking when unwell.

🌿Related: 5 Natural Ways To Recover From The Flu

My honest take: If you can eat a rainbow of fresh produce daily, you are probably getting enough vitamin C for basic needs. But sometimes you simply don’t have the time or resources, especially if you are travelling, stressed or recovering from an illness. This is when you need supplementation.

Supplementation choices.

When looking for a vitamin C supplement, look for a powder. We prefer powders as they’re easier for the body to absorb, or you could look at liposomal sources.

Other options include daily support like our Daily Boost Tonic, which contains nettle, rosehips and kawakawa. Rosehips are not only naturally rich in vitamin C but provide antioxidant support, nettle and kawakawa provide mineral and tonic support, which is important post-virus or when you are run down or under stress. It makes an amazing hot or cold drink - or for the more time poor, take it straight.

Older Post

News

Recent Articles