You might think you are getting all the vitamin C you need from your morning orange juice or grapefruit. Unfortunately, today's citrus -- ripened artificially in large warehouses and then stored and/or transported for long periods of time -- contains only a fraction of the vitamin C of yesterday's tree-ripened fruit.

This is an important vitamin because it is absolutely essential for the production, development and strength of collagen, which is the basis of all connective tissue in your body. Without healthy connective tissue production your body cannot grow and develop properly. Vitamin C is also critically important to healthy bone and tooth formation, it enhances the healing of fractures and wounds and is necessary for adrenal hormone production. It is believed to provide protection from many diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and cataracts. Vitamin C also increases the absorption of iron.

As well, vitamin C reduces infections and enhances your body's immune response during infection. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant, which means that it helps to prevent the damage to cell walls that is caused by oxidizing agents to which your body is exposed. Additionally, vitamin C protects you against heavy metal toxicity by keeping metals like lead and arsenic in solution, so they can be eliminated in your urine.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and therefore is not stored in the body. Daily intake is necessary. Many substances deplete vitamin C in our bodies. These include coffee, smoke, refined sugar, black tea, pesticides, exhaust fumes, x-rays, chemotherapy, aspirin and antibiotics. If you are exposed to noxious compounds at work, you are more likely to be vitamin C deficient. Some of the workers most at risk are: dry cleaners, beauticians, gas station attendants, tanning salon employees, miners, airline employees, and carpet and tile installers. Stress also causes loss of vitamin C in the urine.

If your nutritional score indicates a Vitamin C deficiency, the first thing to do is add more sources of vitamin C to your diet: rose hips, strawberries, citrus fruits, turnip, greens (beet, mustard and collard), raw parsley, broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, green peppers and papaya.

Many experts believe that everyone should supplement with vitamin C. It is such a powerful antioxidant that we can't afford even a small deficiency. 500 to 1000mg, in divided doses, is a good idea -- or more, especially if you are in a high risk environment. We have different levels of tolerance for vitamin C. If you are taking too much you will have diarrhea and possibly gas. Reduce the dose until the symptoms go away. As with any other supplement, you shouldn't take large doses unless it's recommended by your doctor.