Low Vitamin C Impairs Fat Loss

Research presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in 2006 evaluated the importance of vitamin C in fat loss. Researchers at Arizona State University studied 20 overweight subjects and followed them through a weight loss program. As the subjects lost weight, those people who were supplementing with 500 mg vitamin C daily enjoyed stable vitamin C levels while the other subjects levels dropped steadily. As vitamin C levels dropped so did the ability of the subjects body to burn fat through a process called oxidation.


It has been noted in previous research that subjects with higher blood vitamin C levels burn 30% more calories when they exercise than subjects with lower vitamin C levels. This connection may have to do with vitamin C's role in the production of l-carnitine, an import fat burning nutrient. When supplementing with vitamin C, I prefer to use food sources of vitamin C such as amla, acerola cherry powder, etc. As a supplement, I use a daily dose of food source vitamin C from a manufacturer called The Synergy Company.



(J Am Coll Nutr Johnston 24 (3): 158.)