Vitamin C Fights Weight Gain
Older adults
may be able to use vitamin C to fight a condition in their cells that leads
to lowered metabolism -- a major cause of weight gain.
University of
Colorado researchers have found that adults between 60 and 74 years old
who take vitamin C can boost their average metabolism by almost 100 calories
a day. It has long been known that vitamin C is an anti-oxidant, meaning
it fights the effects of oxygen-related free radicals in the body.
Free radicals
are a major cause of the cumulative tissue damage associated with aging.
They also tend to suppress the body's resting metabolism, reducing its
ability to burn of fat.
By fighting
free radicals, vitamin C helps older adults to maintain a healthier resting
metabolism rate, thereby fighting some of the weight gain associated with
aging.
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