Vitamin E serves the body in protecting membranes from toxic oxygen damage (oxidation). In contrast, vitamin C serves to protect the aqueous - or watery - regions of the cells from oxidation. The membranes that are most sensitive are the membranes of nerves and therefore the main symptom of vitamin E deficiency is damage to the nervous system.

The RDA for vitamin C is 60 mg for a healthy adult. Pregnant women, smokers and heavy drinkers need more. All RDAs are calculated as the minimum levels required in order to prevent the occurrence of well-known vitamin deficiency symptoms.Since the idea of RDAs was generally accepted, much more has been learnt about the benefits of various vitamins, and doses well above RDA levels are commonly used to help prevent disease and boost the immune system, as shown above.

Vitamin C (AscH) reacts rapidly with many oxidants (oxidising radical), making it an outstanding donor antioxidant.