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Many of us have heard of bioflavonoids and have perhaps even heard that they are essential to the proper absorption of vitamin C. But if you are like the majority of people, you may not know exactly what these are or what they do.

Bioflavonoids are not true vitamins in the strict sense, but are sometimes referred to as vitamin P. Bioflavonoids include a variety of differing substances such as citrin, eriodictyol, flavones, hesperetin, hesperidin, quercetin, quercetrin, and rutin. These substances cannot be produced in the human body and as such have to be consumed in the diet.

Bioflavonoids are often used in the treatment of athletic injuries because they have been shown to relieve pain, bruises and bumps. They can reduce localized leg pain and back pain as well as lessing the problems and symptoms associated with prolonged bleeding and low serum calcium.

Bioflavonoids in synergistic combination with vitamin C act to protect and preserve the capillary structures. Bioflavonoids also have an antibacterial effect. They can promote proper circulation, stimulate bile production, treat and prevent cataracts and lower cholesterol levels. When taken with vitamin C, these nutrients help reduce the symptoms of oral herpes.

Different individual bioflavonoids have different particular effects. Quercetin for instance, which is available in supplemental form, can help prevent and treat the symptoms associated with asthma.

There are a variety of sources for bioflavonoids. Some important foods to add to the diet include: peppers, buckwheat, black currants, and the white material just below the skin of citrus fruits. Other sources include: apricots, blackberries, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, oranges, plums, prunes, and rose hips. Herbs that can increase your intake of these nutrients also include chervil, elderberries, hawthorn berry, horsetail, rosehips and shepherd’s purse.

The importance of bioflavonoids is obvious. Adding the above foods to your diet will certainly help ensure that you receive adequate amounts of these important nutrients. Bioflavonoids can work best in combination with vitamin C, or in the case of Quercetin mentioned above, with vitamin C and bromelain (an enzyme found in pineapples).

Like any other important nutrient ensuring adequate intake of bioflavonoids from the diet alone can be difficult. If in doubt, search for a vitamin C supplement with bioflavonoids. Taking supplements can help make up for the difficulty many of us have in getting all of our nutrients from diet alone. Unless you are able to prepare all of your meals from scratch and to measure out your nutrients, chances are you are missing something. A good multivitamin at the very least, is one way to ensure that you are giving your body what it needs.