Vitamin C Can Prevent Shortness Of Breath

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Photo credit: bigstock.com

It’s good to get the blood pumping on a regular basis. Cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of any health-conscious person’s lifestyle. But after a vigorous cardio session, many people find themselves suddenly out of breath and unable to get as much oxygen as they need.

Bronchoconstriction is a condition in which the respiratory system is sometimes unable to take in as much air as it normally does. This occurs in affected individuals after periods of intense physical activity. Around 90 percent of people with asthma are affected, and up to 10 percent of the non-asthmatic population experience it as well. Breathing difficulties of any kind can be quite frightening and debilitating, but there is now a new hope for people with bronchoconstriction, and it comes in the form of a cheap and readily available vitamin.

You might have heard of it – Good ol’ vitamin C.

 

Vitamin C’s Benefits for Athletes

Vitamin C is something a miracle substance. It’s an antioxidant that boosts the immune system and fights cell-damaging free radicals and infections.

Scientists and athletes alike have also known for some time about vitamin C’s ability to assist in post-workout recovery. This is due to the relationship between vitamin C and the so called “stress hormone” cortisol. This hormone gets a lot of negative press, but cortisol does play an essential role in regulating blood pressure and hunger signals, among other things. The problem is that chronically high levels of cortisol can keep your body in a catabolic state, especially after exercise. Catabolism is the process by which the body’s muscle tissues begin to break down. Vitamin C helps lower cortisol levels naturally, allowing for a faster and more complete recovery.

So while athletes have kept vitamin C in their toolkits for years, many people did not realize other potential benefits from this amazing chemical. Recent studies have indicated that vitamin C can be very effective against combating breathing difficulty in people suffering from constricted airways after exercise.

First, let’s explain exactly what causes bronchoconstriction so we see how vitamin C helps fix it.

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