The importance of vitamin C
The Importance of Vitamin C
You probably know vitamin C as the one in oranges — but there are plenty of ways to get it, so even if citrus isn't your thing, you've got options. It's one of the most important vitamins in the diet, with a genuine, regulator-recognised role in everything from immune function to collagen formation. Here's an honest look at what vitamin C does, how much you need, where to find it, and how it connects to collagen. For the wider picture on collagen, see our complete guide to liquid marine collagen.
What Vitamin C Does
Vitamin C is a genuine multitasker, and its benefits are well established enough to carry authorised UK health claims. It contributes to the normal function of the immune system, helps protect cells from oxidative stress, and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It also has a specific, important role in collagen formation — vitamin C is a required cofactor your body uses to make collagen for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage, blood vessels and gums. In other words, it's part of the scaffolding that holds you together, and it supports wound healing too.
What Happens If You Don't Get Enough
Because the body can't store much vitamin C, levels need topping up regularly. Falling short over time can affect the functions above. Severe, long-term deficiency leads to scurvy — but here's the honest context: scurvy is rare today, precisely because most people get enough vitamin C from a normal diet.
What Is Scurvy?
Scurvy is the result of prolonged vitamin C deficiency, typically over at least three months. It's uncommon, though smoking is a recognised risk factor. Symptoms can include tiredness, weakness and irritability, leg or joint pain, swollen or bleeding gums, and skin that bruises easily. Importantly, these symptoms overlap with many more common conditions — so they're a reason to see your GP for a proper diagnosis, not to self-diagnose scurvy.
How Much Do You Need, and Where to Get It
Adults need around 40mg of vitamin C a day in the UK, and a balanced diet comfortably covers it for most people. Good sources go well beyond oranges:
- Citrus fruits — oranges, lemons, grapefruit.
- Berries — strawberries and blackcurrants are particularly rich.
- Peppers — especially red and green bell peppers.
- Brassicas — broccoli and brussels sprouts.
- Potatoes — a surprisingly useful everyday source.
A quick correction to a common myth: carrots, while great for other nutrients, aren't a notable vitamin C source — so don't rely on them for it. Since vitamin C is water-soluble and not stored, spreading your intake across the day through varied fruit and veg is the simplest approach.
Vitamin C at a Glance
| Question | The answer |
|---|---|
| How much do adults need? | Around 40mg a day (UK) |
| Can the body store it? | No — a regular daily intake matters |
| Best sources? | Citrus, berries, peppers, broccoli, sprouts, potatoes |
| Why it's in a collagen supplement | It's a required cofactor for the body's own collagen formation |
| Deficiency? | Rare; severe long-term deficiency causes scurvy — see a GP |
Vitamin C and Collagen — a Natural Pairing
This is why vitamin C belongs in a collagen supplement. Your body can't produce collagen properly without vitamin C, so the two work hand in hand — which is exactly why Kollo includes vitamin C alongside its 10g of Naticol® marine collagen, plus vitamins B1, B5, B6 and B12 and the amino acid l-lysine. Food should always come first, but if you'd like a convenient daily top-up that pairs vitamin C with collagen in one sachet, an all-in-one supplement like Kollo is a practical option.
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Shop Now →The Bottom Line
Vitamin C is genuinely one of the most important nutrients in your diet — supporting immunity, cell protection, energy and, crucially, your body's own collagen formation. The best source is always a varied, fruit-and-veg-rich diet, which covers most people's needs and makes deficiency rare. Where a supplement helps is convenience and consistency, especially when it pairs vitamin C with collagen in one daily step.
If that appeals, Kollo combines vitamin C with 10g of marine collagen and four other vitamins in a single sachet. Our complete guide to liquid marine collagen has the detail, and if you take other supplements, our guide on whether you can take multivitamins with collagen together is a useful read. For women thinking about their wider routine in midlife, our women's wellness guide for over 40s ties it together.
Kollo Health was co-founded by Jenni Falconer - TV presenter, Smooth Radio breakfast host, ten-time London Marathon runner and host of the RunPod podcast. Read her story and why she created Kollo.
