What Supplements Do I Need To Take
No one can answer that aside from your doctor. To learn more about the various supplements that doctors commonly recommend, check out this article.
Get your doctors opinion based on your diet and supplement regimen. You dont want to increase your dose if it isnt appropriate. Further, supplementation is only part of the equation when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Go PRO today for access to workout plans, nutrition trackers, training logs, and more.
What Are The Symptoms Suggesting That I Have Taken Too Much Vitamin C
The really good news about taking too much vitamin C is that you will have the symptoms long before toxicity sets in. If you experience any of the following symptoms and you have been loading on vitamin C, then you should cut back on your dosage and talk to your doctor.
- Stomach cramps
- Vomiting
Typically, if you take a regular dose of vitamin C and you experience these symptoms, then it is because you are already getting enough vitamin C in your diet and you dont need supplements.
According to the Mayo Clinic, you should be getting enough vitamin C in your diet, making supplements unnecessary. You may want to consider keeping a food diary to see what kinds of vitamins you are getting from your diet.
Too Much Vitamin C May Cause Digestive Symptoms
The most common side effect of high vitamin C intake is digestive distress.
In general, these side effects do not occur from eating foods that contain vitamin C, but rather from taking the vitamin in supplement form.
Youre most likely to experience digestive symptoms if you consume more than 2,000 mg at once. Thus, a tolerable upper limit of 2,000 mg per day has been established (
Summary
Ingesting more than 2,000 mg of vitamin C per day may lead to gastrointestinal upset, including symptoms like diarrhea and nausea.
Vitamin C is known to enhance iron absorption.
It can bind to non-heme iron, which is found in plant foods. Non-heme iron is not absorbed by your body as efficiently as heme iron, the type of iron found in animal products .
Vitamin C binds with non-heme iron, making it much easier for your body to absorb. This is an important function, especially for individuals who get most of their iron from plant-based foods .
One study in adults found that iron absorption increased by 67% when they took 100 mg of vitamin C with a meal .
However, individuals with conditions that increase the risk of iron accumulation in the body, such as hemochromatosis, should be cautious with vitamin C supplements.
Under these circumstances, taking vitamin C in excess may lead to iron overload, which can cause serious damage to your heart, liver, pancreas, thyroid, and central nervous system .
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Effects Of Mega Doses Of Vitamin C
According to a study, researchers have treated cancer patients with high dosages of vitamin C, through IVC therapy . Scientists gave cancer patients up to 100g of vitamin C a day! Thats 100,000 mg. 100 times more vitamin C than a dosage of 1,000 mg or 100,000 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin C Thats a huge dose. So, what happened to these patients?
Regarding cancer, researchers observed:
- improvement in the quality of life,
- improved tolerance of conventional therapy,
- deterioration in clinical condition, in the absence of vitamin C dosage.
The side effects of mega dosages of vitamin C seem to be minimal, though. Patients experienced symptoms of Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This is a reaction of the body to endotoxins produced by the necrosis of harmful cells. Fever, chills, strong body odor, and pimples may be other side effects.
Dont forget that these side effects happened to cancer patients, after megadoses of vitamin C. Symptoms resolved after 2 to 3 hours, after injection with vitamin C.
On the other hand, therapy with high dosages of vitamin C may:
- stabilize cancer,
- have anti tumor activity in some cases,
- help patients regain strength, even walking again
How Much Vitamin C Is Too Much
Since vitamin C is water-soluble and your body excretes excess amounts of it within a few hours after you consume it, its quite difficult to consume too much.
In fact, it is nearly impossible for you to get too much vitamin C from your diet alone. In healthy people, any extra vitamin C consumed above the recommended daily amount simply gets flushed out of the body .
To put it in perspective, you would need to consume 29 oranges or 13 bell peppers before your intake reached the tolerable upper limit (
19 ).
All the adverse effects of vitamin C, including digestive distress and kidney stones, appear to occur when people take it in mega doses greater than 2,000 mg .
If you choose to take a vitamin C supplement, it is best to choose one that contains no more than 100% of your daily needs. Thats 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women .
Summary:
Its nearly impossible to consume too much vitamin C from food. However, if youre supplementing with this vitamin, you can minimize your risk of getting too much by taking no more than 90 mg per day if youre a man, or 75 mg per day if youre a woman.
Vitamin C is generally safe for most people.
This is especially true if you get it from foods, rather than supplements.
Individuals who take vitamin C in supplement form are at greater risk of consuming too much of it and experiencing side effects, the most common of which are digestive symptoms.
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What Is Vitamin C And What Is Its Role In Your Body
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that naturally occurs in foods.
It serves the following functions in the body:
- Produces collagen: Collagen is a protein that plays a vital role in the healing of wounds.
- Enhances iron absorption: Having an adequate amount of vitamin C in your diet ensures that iron from plant-based foods is absorbed well into the body.
- Antioxidant: Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and improve immunity. Free radicals are compounds that are formed out of the oxidation process, which causes various diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Vitamin C Bomb Smoothie: Drink To Your Health
Vitamin C Bomb Smoothies are probably the tastiest way to increase your daily intake of vitamins. I mean, without that nasty, vitamin-y after taste, that is. The United States Department of Agriculture is friend to very few chefs, and Im no exception. Personally, I think they involve themselves in too much of our day-to-day lives. However, I will, on occasion, check in to see what guidance theyre putting out as far as food is concerned. According to them, most of our meals should consist of fruits and vegetables. I dont disagree, but I am realistic about how much time I have to prep and prepare the needed amount. As a result, Ive taken to drinking my nutrients.
I developed the recipe for this vitamin C-packed wonder drink to get the most out of my fruits.
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You Could Suffer From Digestive Problems
Another likely symptom you’ll experience if you consume too much vitamin C is digestive distress. While you won’t get this issue from eating too many vitamin Crich foods, overdosing on the supplement is likely to cause diarrhea, nausea, and sometimes acid reflux.
To avoid an upset stomach, you shouldn’t take more than 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C supplements at once, as that’s been identified as the tolerable upper limit per day.
What Happens When You Have Too Much Vitamin C
There are a number of side effects that you might experience if you consume too much vitamin C. Most people dont do this by accident, but they may accidentally absorb too much of the vitamin through a combination of dietary choices and by consuming too many vitamin C supplements in rapid succession.
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Supplements: Check The Dose
Chances are, the unfortified foods you eat aren’t a problem. “It’s pretty hard to overdo it from food alone,” says Johanna Dwyer, RD, a senior research scientist with the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements.
So you’ll want to think about the supplements you take and fortified foods or drinks.
“Most people don’t realize there’s no real advantage to taking more than the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals, and they don’t recognize there may be disadvantages,” Dwyer says.
“If you’re taking a supplement, stick to one that’s no more than the daily value,” Dwyer says.
Talk with your doctor about any supplements you’re taking, including vitamins and minerals, and the dose you’re taking, too. That way, your doctor can help you keep doses in a safe range.
“If you’re taking a basic multivitamin, there’s no need to fear taking too much,” says Andrew Shao, PhD, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade group for the supplements industry.
“Most multivitamins have such a wide margin of safety that even when you’re combining them with fortified foods, it’s still not going to cause you to keel over,” Shao says.
Continued
In Moderation Most Wont Hurt Youand Yes Some Might Help
That being said, Kitchin does believe that a multivitamin can help make up for some deficiencies in a persons diet, especially if they avoid certain food groups like meat or dairy. She also recommends calcium and vitamin D supplements to some of her patients who are at risk of osteoporosis, but I always look at their diet first before prescribing them, she says.
Kitchin takes a daily multivitamin herself, but she actually only takes half a dose . I like to give myself a little extra insurance without overdoing it, she says.
She tells her patients that, if they choose to take a multivitamin, to look for one with no more than 100% of the daily value for any one nutrientand not to spend a lot of money, either. Theres no strong evidence that it will help you, but as long as you keep the dose reasonable, its also not going to hurt you, she says.
Dr. Jenkins agrees that, when taken in moderation, most vitamin and mineral supplements wont cause harm. He also stresses that his recent study only looked at cardiovascular problems and early death, and that supplements may still have benefits in other areas.
We didnt look at overall health, we didnt look at whether people got beautiful hair or skin, or whether your bones got stronger, he says. Im not going to say that some supplements cant be good for you in those ways.
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Recommended Vitamin C Dose
The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men. During pregnancy and lactation the dose can increase from 85 to 120 milligrams per day.
Getting the daily recommended amount of vitamin C is important for keeping your immune system healthy and forming collagen, the structural component of tendons and blood vessels. Vitamin C is also an anti-oxidant that protects your cells from harmful free radicals. The tolerable upper-intake level of vitamin C should not exceed 2,000 milligrams per day.
What Are Some Long
Vitamin C is water-soluble, so it’s difficult to keep it in your system.
According to the National Institutes of Health, consuming vitamin C in large doses overtime could cause a reduced amount of vitamin B12 and copper, an accelerated metabolism, allergic responses, and the erosion of dental enamel. In addition, Vitamin C may negatively interact with other medications, including, but not limited to, chemotherapy drugs and cholesterol-reducing medications .
For people with hemochromatosis, for example, too much vitamin C could be harmful and even life-threatening. Hemochromatosis is a condition in which the body produces too much iron, which can be toxic and cause damage to the heart, liver, and pancreas.
“Vitamin C is not likely to cause hemochromatosis in healthy people, but those who have a higher risk of iron build up should avoid supplementation,” says Marinov.
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Should I Take More Vitamin C When Im Sick
Many people pop vitamin C pills when they feel a cold coming on. Though vitamin C helps the immune system, it does very little for a cold.
A study from the Australian National University found that vitamin C supplements did not prevent colds at all. Supplementation, in a few cases, helped people get over the cold a little bit faster since about 8 percent of participants had one less day of sickness due to vitamin C.
If you want to play it safe and add more vitamin C when youre sick, its still best to do it through food. Add more citrus or greens. Even if the vitamin C doesnt make a difference, the healthy food will help you feel better.
What Strengths Of Vitamin C Serum Should You Use
According to studies, the benefits of Vitamin C serums tend to continue increasing along with increased strengths, but only up to about 20% concentrations.
After 20% Vitamin C content, you may run into more irritation from the high concentrations without seeing much benefit in return. The most common strengths we see in products are between 5%-20%, so if you are looking for a good place to start aim for 10%-15% and see how it works for your skin.
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Possibility Of Cardiovascular Disease
Vitamin C is well known for its antioxidant properties that protect the body from diseases. But can one have too much of a good thing? Possibly, under some conditions. One study showed that high doses of vitamin C supplements can trigger cardiovascular disease in individuals who already have other underlying health conditions consuming over 300 mg per day of vitamin C supplements was associated with cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal women with diabetes. However, this was observed only in a single study and is not established firmly yet.10
You Might Disrupt Your Digestive System
Unfortunately, gummy vitamins can contain ingredients known to irritate your digestive system. For instance, Poon says consuming too much Vitamin Cgenerally considered over 2,000 milligramscan cause cramps, nausea, and diarrhea.
Plus, gummies have a high percentage of sugar alcohol, which decreases the amount of added sugar without sacrificing the taste.
Sugar alcohols are notorious for their digest disrupting properties, sometimes causing gas, diarrhea, and even irritable bowel syndrome, she says. Aside from wanting to avoid discomfort, your digestive health is central to the health of all of your other systems, so it is crucial to keep your gut healthy and in balance.
If youre looking for more healthy eating tips, be sure to !
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Brittle Hair And Nails
Lets spend a quick minute on brittle hair and nails. Have you noticed that your nails and hair are brittle, thinning, or the ends of both are splitting? The B vitamin called biotin is needed here. Its also called B7 but not often at all. Other symptoms of biotin deficiency include chronic fatigue, muscle pain, cramps, and tingling in the hands and feet. While its not a common deficiency, pregnant women, heavy smokers or drinkers, and people with digestive disorders like Crohns disease are at the greatest risk of low biotin. Are you an egg white only kinda person? Please add in the yolk because eating too many whites can reduce biotin absorption and the yolk gives it. As well as egg yolks, organ meats, fish, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, yeast, whole grains, and bananas can all help.
How To Treat And Prevent Vitamin C Overdose
The single best way to prevent vitamin C overdose is to avoid taking supplements in high doses and to get the vitamin C your body needs from foods instead, especially fresh vegetables and fruits. Some of the foods richest in vitamin C include citrus fruits like oranges, leafy green vegetables, red peppers, melon, berries, kiwi, mango and sweet potatoes.
As mentioned above, vitamin C is water-soluble. What does this mean in terms of getting extra vitamin C out of your body? Do you pee out excess vitamin C?
Because vitamin C is water-soluble, its not as risky to take too much vitamin C as it is to take fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A or D. Unmetabolized ascorbic acid is excreted in the urine.
That said, overdose of vitamin C is still possible if someone takes supplements in high doses for an extended period of time, especially if that person also consumes lots of vitamin C from his or her diet and/or fortified foods.
How long does it take to get vitamin C out of your system?
Vitamin C can stay in the body for weeks. However, excess amounts are usually urinated out in a matter of hours.
Vitamin C will stay in someones body longer if that person doesnt already have high levels or are deficient. In order to prevent vitamin C from being lost in the urine, its best to take smaller, multiple doses spread out throughout the day.
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Stay Healthy With A Good Health Insurance Plan
Part of staying healthy is not taking too much Vitamin C or other supplements that can have adverse effects on your body and health. Another part of staying healthy is seeing your doctor regularly.
Having good health insurance ensures that you can keep your health in check all year round. And that starts by picking a good medical network.
