Vitamin C is necessary for the production of collagen, as well as to protect other vitamins and fatty acids from oxidation. It is also an essential part of the treatment for iron deficiencies. Vitamin C also prevents and cures scurvy--and while you may not worry about that because you don't hear about any recent cases, the reason that you don't hear about cases is precisely because people are getting their vitamin C.

So why does the production of collagen matter? Collagen is one of the most abundant fibers in connective tissue. It's not just your skin that requires collagen to retain its elasticity. There are five types of collagen used in various parts of the body. Collagen can be found in the connective tissue the skin, tendons, and ligaments, among other parts of the body that make use of it. It is also found in the connective tissue of the body's internal organs, as well as in cartilage.

Vitamin C works by adding hydrogen and oxygen to two existing amino acids, proline and lysine. The cells can then produce a molecule called procollagen, which is later modified outside of the cell into collagen. Without vitamin C present in the body, the production of collagen is disrupted.

Taking Supplements to Get Vitamin C
Many people take supplements as a source of vitamins and minerals, especially those who know that they're not getting an ideally balanced diet. One problem, however, is that the body can only absorb a limited amount of nutrients in a given time. Some doctors and researchers claim that the body can absorb at most 100 milligrams per hour of vitamin C, meaning that the rest of any supplement would be wasted. As an alternative, you can purchase time release vitamin C supplements that regulate the amount of vitamin C that is available to the body at any given time. These supplements release their contents over a longer period of time so that more of the contents can be optimally absorbed by the body.