Vitamin C for Flexibility Improvement
Vitamin C is a required cofactor for collagen crosslinking, so deficiency impairs connective tissue, but extra beyond sufficiency does not add flexibility.
Overview
Verdict
Necessary, not sufficient. Correct a deficiency and stop there.
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 50-500 mg daily, ideally with collagen before loading
- Expected timeframe
- 4-12 weeks
Protocol
- form
- Ascorbic acid, or buffered ascorbate if stomach upset occurs; the connective tissue protocols combine 50 mg of vitamin C with 15 g of gelatin or collagen
- duration
- 8-12 weeks alongside a stretching or mobility programme
- co factor
- Take with food; in the collagen synthesis protocols, take 30-60 minutes before loading the tissue. Evidence is mixed and indirect. Vitamin C is an obligatory cofactor for prolyl and lysyl hydroxylase, the enzymes that stabilise the collagen triple helix - without it collagen is defective, which is why scurvy causes tissue fragility. Work by Shaw and Baar showed vitamin C-enriched gelatin taken before intermittent loading increased collagen synthesis markers. No trial has measured range of motion or flexibility as an endpoint after vitamin C, so the connection to flexibility is inferred rather than demonstrated.
- titration
- Up to 1,000 mg/day in divided doses; the tolerable upper intake level is 2,000 mg/day
- starting dose
- 500 mg/day with food
Evidence
What the studies say
No studies are yet linked to both Vitamin C and Flexibility Improvement.
Safety
Caveats
Doses above 1 g may cause GI upset and raise oxalate stone risk in susceptible people.
Less likely to help if
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any supplement regimen.
Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.