Vitamin C is Important for Immunity, Not Just During a Pandemic

Tribunnews Reporter, Fitri Wulandari

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA – At time pandemic Covid-19Of course, the body needs food that has balanced nutrition.

One of a series of nutrients that the body must have to maintain immunity against Covid-19 is vitamin C.

Nutritionist and DPP Manager of the Indonesian Nutritionists Association (Persagi), Dr. Rita Ramayulis, DCN, M. Kes., said vitamin C is an essential nutrient that the body needs every day and of course must be obtained from the outside or the food consumed.

In addition to acting as an antioxidant and increasing the absorption of minerals such as calcium and iron, this vitamin has 5 specific roles that are very influential on immunity.

Also read: Vitamin C, an Important Nutrient During the Covid-19 Pandemic

“The first is to move white blood cells that help fight infection (neutrophils) to the infected tissue, so that the infection can be treated immediately. The second is to accelerate the production of cytokines as the main message material for the body, infected or not,” said Dr. Rita, in her release, Monday (18/10/2021).

Then the third is vitamin C plays a role in activating the work of white blood cells in eating bacteria or other antigens.

“The fourth and fifth are accelerating the increase in the number of B and T cells (immunoglobulins) which are in charge of remembering the structure of certain viruses. So basically, during a pandemic or not, vitamin C plays a role in the body’s defense,” explained Dr. Rita.

He also emphasized that under any conditions, the body must still have vitamin C sufficient to maintain immunity.

“We must not be in a state of deficiency vitamin C“said Dr. Rita.

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