Monday, March 25, 2024
HomeExclusiveHow Many Vitamin C Can I Take A Day

How Many Vitamin C Can I Take A Day

Too Much Vitamin C May Cause Digestive Symptoms

Taking too much vitamin C could lead to kidney stones

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 .

Why Do People Take Vitamin C

Studies have shown that vitamin C may reduce the odds of getting a cold, but only in specific groups in extreme circumstances, such as soldiers in subarctic environments, skiers, and marathon runners. Studies have not found solid evidence that vitamin C helps prevent or treat colds in average situations.

Vitamin C’s antioxidant benefits are also unclear. While some studies of vitamin C supplements have been promising, they have not found solid evidence that vitamin C supplements help with cancer, stroke, asthma, and many other diseases. Some evidence suggests that vitamin C may be helpful in people who have high cholesterol and in preventing cataracts, but more studies are needed to prove these effects.

Data on vitamin C and heart disease are mixed. Some studies show an association between low levels of vitamin C and heart disease risk, yet many studies have linked the use of vitamin C supplements with an increased risk of heart disease.

Studies have shown that dietary rather than supplemental sources of vitamin C are more effective in keeping blood pressure in check.

A substantial number of Americans may have low intake levels of vitamin C due to the inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables. The proven and effective use of vitamin C is for treating vitamin C deficiency and conditions that result from it, like scurvy.

Vitamin C also seems to help the body absorb the mineral iron.

Continued

Impair The Effectiveness Of Niacin

Evidence suggests that taking vitamin C supplements may impair the bodys ability to increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol in people taking the combination drug niacin-simvastatin. This drug combines the vitamin niacin with the statin simvastatin , and people take it to treat high cholesterol.

Doctors consider HDL cholesterol the good cholesterol because it reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol in the blood.

If a person takes vitamin C supplements and niacin-simvastatin, they should talk to their doctor about ways to make each more effective. Doctors do not know whether vitamin C also affects the ability of other medicines similar to Zocor.

A persons body cannot make vitamin C, so people need to eat enough foods that contain vitamin C to meet their daily needs. If someone is at risk of a vitamin C deficiency, they can take vitamin C supplements.

The advise aiming for the following RDA of vitamin C each day:

Age
90 mg 75 mg

People who smoke should take 35 mg more vitamin C per day than those who do not smoke.

During pregnancy or when breastfeeding, women should get the following levels of vitamin C per day:

  • 1418 years: 80 mg during pregnancy and 115 mg when breastfeeding
  • 19 years and older: 85 mg during pregnancy and 120 mg when breastfeeding

There is not enough research to suggest an RDA for vitamin C in those younger than 1 year of age. As a result, the ODS provide an adequate intake, which is the amount that is likely to be sufficient:

  • broccoli

Recommended Reading: What B Vitamin Keeps Mosquitoes Away

Only Take What You Actually Need

So yes, you can go overboard on vitaminsâwhich is why it’s important to remember that not everyone should be supplementing with every kind of vitamin. “The first step is working with your doctor to identify what you’re actually deficient in,” Dr. Bhatia says. In other words, don’t just pop a vitamin D gummy because your coworker is taking one and passes the jar over to you you may or may not need it. Generally, she says bloodwork at a doctor’s office is required to fully understand what kinds of deficiencies a person has.

“Then, when choosing which supplement to take, you want to think about absorption,” Dr. Bhatia says. She believes vitamins are best absorbed in liquid formâor as a capsule that have a coating that’s easy to break down. “Those are your first two options, then gummies would be third and topicals are fourth.” The reason for this ranking is that she says gummies are often made with sugar and additives, making them potentially less potent, while the studies on topical vitamins are limited.

Here’s the bottom line: For the most part, gummy vitamins are totally safe, *as long as* you’re only taking vitamins you actually need, stick to the recommended amount, and are conscious of the sugar content. Stick to those guidelines and your grown-up Flintstone vitamin replacement will serve you just fine.

Is It Possible To Take Too Many Vitamins

What supplements should I take during pregnancy ...

You take a closer look and you realize the pill bottles arent prescription medications but vitamins, dozens of them. You wonder if she needs to take all those vitamins and if its possible to take too many?

This scenario is more common than you think. From time to time, I encounter a patient who has a laundry list of vitamins theyre taking. The main question I have for them is do they really need to take them? Sometimes people take vitamins out of habit and they arent even aware if theyre helping.

When I think about vitamins, I think supplements. The vitamins should be supplementing something thats missing from your diet. If your nutrition is bad or you have a condition or disease that prevents your body from absorbing certain nutrients, then yes you need to take supplements. But if your gut is working well and youre eating a balanced diet, youre probably getting all the nutrients your body needs and shouldnt have to take a supplement.

So how do you know if you need to take a supplement?

First, take a close look at your diet. Everything we need is going to be provided in what we find in food. Thats actually the best source. Ask yourself Am I eating a combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat? Does my diet include a variety of fruits and vegetables? Am I a vegetarian or vegan?

If you have a poor diet and are having trouble changing it, supplementation may be necessary.

I take vitamins every day, should I stop?

Can taking too many vitamins impact my health?

Read Also: How To Measure Vitamin D Levels

Can Vitamin C Prevent Or Treat Cold Symptoms

Vitamin C has been studied for many years as a possible treatment for colds, or as a way to help prevent colds. But findings have been inconsistent. Overall, experts have found little to no benefit from vitamin C for preventing or treating the common cold.

In a July 2007 study, researchers wanted to discover whether taking 200 milligrams or more of vitamin C daily could reduce the frequency, duration, or severity of a cold. After reviewing 60 years of clinical research, they found that when taken after a cold starts, vitamin C supplements do not make a cold shorter or less severe. When taken daily, vitamin C very slightly shortened cold duration — by 8% in adults and by 14% in children.

In 2010, researchers looked at all studies and found that taking vitamin C every day did not prevent the number of colds that a person got. In some cases, it made symptoms improve.

The results were different for people who were in very good physical condition, such as marathon runners. People like that who took vitamin C every day cut their risk of catching a cold in half.

So what does all this mean?

Continued

According to this research, the average adult who suffers with a cold for 12 days a year would still suffer for about 11 days a year if that person took a high dose of vitamin C every day during that year.

For the average child who suffers about 28 days of cold illness a year, taking daily high-dose vitamin C would still likely mean about 24 days of cold illness.

Should You Take A Vitamin B12 Supplement

Vitamin B12 is a key nutrient for supporting energy levels and mental health.3 If you and your health care provider have decided you should supplement your vitamin B12 intake, you may benefit from taking a single benefit vitamin.5 Some multivitamins contain vitamin B12 along with other B vitamins and numerous other nutrients.

You can also seek out an energy support supplement that contains vitamin B12.

In various diets and lifestyles, you may get get enough vitamin B12 through the normal foods you eat. But if vitamin B12 is of concern, consider increasing your intake of some of the foods listed above, or speak with your health care provider about increasing your intake through a supplement.

Recommended Reading: When Should I Put On Vitamin C Serum

Intravenous Vitamin C Alone In Patients Without Covid

A small, three-arm pilot study compared two regimens of IV vitamin C to placebo in 24 critically ill patients with sepsis. Over the 4-day study period, patients who received vitamin C 200 mg/kg per day and those who received vitamin C 50 mg/kg per day had lower SOFA scores and lower levels of proinflammatory markers than patients who received placebo.5

In a randomized controlled trial in critically ill patients with sepsis-induced ARDS , patients who received IV vitamin C 200 mg/kg per day for 4 days had SOFA scores and levels of inflammatory markers that were similar to those observed in patients who received placebo. However, 28-day mortality was lower in the treatment group , coinciding with more days alive and free of the hospital and the intensive care unit.6 A post hoc analysis of the study data reported a difference in median SOFA scores between the treatment group and placebo group at 96 hours however, this difference was not present at baseline or 48 hours.7

Does Taking Vitamin C Help Treat A Cold Once I Am Sick

Megadoses of vitamins may do more harm than good

Several studies have answered this question over the years. For the most part, taking even high doses of vitamin C after you get symptoms has not been shown to consistently reduce symptom duration or severity.

However, a 2013 meta-analysis of over 11,000 people did conclude that taking vitamin C supplements regularly slightly reduced the duration of cold symptoms and severity. The problem here was this was only an 8% reduction in the duration of cold symptoms, and most people didnt notice that difference.

A more recent analysis from 2018 of nine randomized controlled trials suggested that some people who regularly take vitamin C may benefit from adding extra doses when they start to feel the symptoms of a cold coming on. The analysis found that the extra doses made the difference, and that they reduced the duration of a cold by about half a day. But while duration of cold symptoms was reduced, the only symptoms to reach statistical significance were fever, chills, and chest pain.

Also Check: What Fruit Has Vitamin C In It

What Is Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an important vitamin and antioxidant that the body uses to keep you strong and healthy. Vitamin C is used in the maintenance of bones, muscle, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also assists in the formation of collagen and helps the body absorb iron.

Vitamin C is found naturally in vegetables and fruits, especially oranges and other citrus fruits. This key vitamin is also available as a natural dietary supplement in the form of vitamin C pills and vitamin C chewable tablets.

Are There Side Effects Or Risks To Consider

Taking an increased amount of vitamin C for a short period of time is generally considered safe.

Vitamin Cs tolerable upper intake level is 2,000 mg per day for adults ages 19 and older.

Emergen-C packets contain 1,000 mg each. This means that you can probably still consume vitamin C through your diet without hitting the max UL.

Consuming 2,000 mg or more may cause:

Emergen-C contains far lower levels of all of the other vitamins and minerals on its ingredient list. No other ingredient comes this close to the respective UL for adults.

Talk to a doctor or other healthcare provider before use if you:

  • take prescription medication

Recommended Reading: Where Can I Get Vitamin C Powder

/8boost Your Immunity With Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a super nutrient for the body, with power-packed benefits for your immune system, skin and the bones. It’s also something which helps ward of infections, speeds up recovery and comes loaded with antioxidant properties. With so many benefits packed in a single dose, it’s important you have it the right way. We clarify some doubts and tell you what is the best time to have it.

How Much Vitamin C Is Enough

How Much Vitamin C Can I Take in a Day?

Most of the studies Moyad and his colleagues examined used 500 daily milligrams of vitamin C to achieve health results. That’s much higher than the RDA of 75-90 milligrams a day for adults. So unless you can eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you may need to take a dietary supplement of vitamin C to gain all the benefits, Moyad says. He suggests taking 500 milligrams a day, in addition to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables.

“It is just not practical for most people to consume the required servings of fruits and vegetables needed on a consistent basis, whereas taking a once-daily supplement is safe, effective, and easy to do,” Moyad says. He also notes that only 10% to 20% of adults get the recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Moyad says there is no real downside to taking a 500-milligram supplement, except that some types may irritate the stomach. That’s why he recommends taking a non-acidic, buffered form of the vitamin. “The safe upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 milligrams a day, and there is a great track record with strong evidence that taking 500 milligrams daily is safe,” he says.

Continued

Still, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dee Sandquist, RD, suggests doing your best to work more fruits and vegetables into your diet before taking supplements.

Read Also: What Vitamins Should A 24 Year Old Woman Take

Making Sure Seniors Are Getting Enough Vitamin C

The recommended daily dose of this vitamin is 90 milligrams for men and 75 milligrams for a woman.

For seniors, good eating habits improve physical health, which in turn has a positive effect on mental wellbeing and overall quality of life. Vitamin intake is often an important part of maintaining a healthy diet and getting the necessary nutrients.

As seniors age, vitamin deficiencies can occur for many reasons, such as skipped meals, medications interfering with the absorption of vitamins or certain health issues.

One vitamin that can greatly play a role in the quality of life of seniors is vitamin C. While usually associated with colds, this vitamin plays a part in keeping older adults healthy all around. Benefits of vitamin C include:

  • Fights off colds: Vitamin C reduces the duration and severity of some illnesses
  • Immunity boost: Assists in the formation of white blood cells, which help fight off infection
  • Supports healthy joints: Helps form collagen, which helps hold skin, ligaments and cartilage together
  • Builds strong blood vessels: Helps keeps blood vessel walls strong and resistant to damage

When people age, the need for vitamin C only increases as they become more susceptible to illness and disease. Whether it is preventing macular degeneration, heart disease, osteoporosis or cancer, vitamin C has a vital role.

Foods rich in vitamin C are citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cantaloupe.

Comfort Keepers® Can Help

References

Why Experts Say You Should Be Taking Vitamin C Vitamin D3 And Zinc

  • Why Experts Say You Should Be Taking Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Zinc

While the warmer months promote the proliferation of bugs , the colder months can encourage the spread of other kinds of bugs .

Though theres no surefire way to avoid getting sick, enhancing your immune system is a smart place to start. Vitamins, essential minerals, and other nutrients are needed by the immune system to help protect your body from billions of potentially harmful bacteria, viruses, and other germs.

Some home remedies that support healthy immunity include such staples as garlic, ginger, and echinacea. But these arent essential for the immune system to work. Recent research has underscored the potential synergetic effects of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D3, and zinc in supporting the immune system.

Lets take a closer look at the benefits of this potent vitamin/mineral trio.

You May Like: What Is Fish Oil Vitamins Used For

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular