How Much Vitamin C Can You Take Daily

How Much Is Too Much

According to the dietary guidelines, the max amount of vitamin C that is safe to take each day is 1800 milligrams. Taking in more can cause stomach upset, nausea and diarrhea, which typically resolves quickly once the usage is discontinued. Some data suggests excessive intakes for long periods of time may be linked to kidney stones in people with existing kidney issues.

This may seem like an unattainable amount , but whether its a fizzy drink mix or chewable tablet, the average cold prevention supplement contains 1000 milligrams per serving. Many of these products recommend taking a dose multiple times a day, quickly exceeding the 1800 milligrams recommendation and this is before you eat any vitamin C rich foods. It is also important to point out many of these products also include other vitamins and minerals, some of which may carry their own separate risks for toxicity or interactions with medications, so check labels carefully so you know what you are taking.

How Much Vitamin C Should I Take For My Immune System

As one of the 13 essential vitamins and minerals, and one that is key to your immune system, its important to get your daily dose of vitamin C.

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect your cells from free radicals. It also helps your body absorb iron and works to keep your immune system functioning properly.

Your body does not synthesize vitamin C, so you need to get it from outside sources. For the average adult, that means between 75 and 90 milligrams daily, while many people want more to support their overall health. So, where can you get vitamin C?

You can fill much of your daily requirement by eating a healthy diet heavy in fruits and vegetables.

A cup of orange juice, for example, has about 100mgs of vitamin C. A half cup of green peppers has about 60mgs. Let that green pepper ripen to a red pepper and the vitamin C level jumps to 95mgs.

But lets face it, in the chaos of everyday life, many people fall short of eating as many fruits and vegetables as they should. Some load up on vitamin C each day in the form of lozenges, gummies, drinks and supplements to fill any gaps. The thinking is: if some is good, more is better especially when it comes to their immune system.

More is not always better

But vitamin C doesnt quite work that way. Your body cant store vitamin C. Once it reaches its absorption limit, any more added to your system is simply flushed out along with all the other things your body doesnt need.

How much vitamin C is too much?

How Much Vitamin D Should Be Taken To Help To Boost The Immune System

When taking a Vitamin D supplement, knowing the dosage you should be taking can help you to understand whether youre taking too much or too little.

The NIH recommend babies form birth to 12 months obtain 400IU daily, while those 1 years and above take at least 600IU with those over 70 requiring at least 800IU daily.

People who are unable to obtain adequate exposure to sunshine regularly and ethnic minority groups with dark skin are advised to take some form of supplement regularly all year round.

Vitamin D requirements can vary widely depending on where you live and your lifestyle. Its important to remember that 4000 IUs is advised as the daily upper limit for Vitamin D intake.

Taking too much Vitamin D can cause a calcium build-up and lead to weak bones, kidneys and heart damage.

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Vitamin C And Pregnant Women And Nursing Mothers

One thing to double check with your health care provider about is how much vitamin from any sort of supplement you should consume when pregnant or nursing. I have gotten different answers on this question. The most conservative response is probably given by Medline Plus

They say, Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Vitamin C is LIKELY SAFE for pregnant or breast-feeding women when taken in the recommended amount of 120 mg per day. Taking too much vitamin C during pregnancy can cause problems for the newborn baby.

Two dieticians answer that question here, a summery being that eating vitamin C rich food and taking a multi-vitamin will give you plenty of vitamin C , and the second opinion being that you shouldnt take over 2,000 MG of added vitamin C per day.

You can also get helpful charts for general info on recommended amounts of vitamin C from WebMD, where they also point out that, A substantial number of Americans may have low intake levels of vitamin C due to the inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables.

The point is this vitamin C is an important vitamin, but you can over do it, especially if you are pregnant or nursing. Many midwives recommend the higher amount , so there is a wide range of advice in how much to take when pregnant is optimal.

For the rest of us, it makes sense to me to get our vitamin C from food as much as possible which is why I love this recipe!

How Can I Get The Vitamins And Minerals I Need

It is usually better to get the nutrients you need from food, rather than a pill. Thats because nutrient-dense foods contain other things that are good for you, like fiber.

Most older people can get all the nutrients they need from foods. But if you arent sure, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian to find out if you are missing any important vitamins or minerals. He or she may recommend a vitamin or dietary supplement.

If you do need to supplement your diet, look for a supplement that contains the vitamin or mineral you need without a lot of other unnecessary ingredients. Read the label to make sure the dose is not too large. Avoid supplements with mega-doses. Too much of some vitamins and minerals can be harmful, and you might be paying for supplements you dont need. Your doctor or pharmacist can recommend brands that fit your needs.

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It Can Help Protect Your Eyes

Although more studies still need to be done on this topic, there is growing research on the connection between vitamin C and protection against age-related eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration.

Harvard School of Public Health states that these findings are promising, although no human studies on vitamin C supplements and prevention of cataracts have been done yet.

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.

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Excessive Intake Of Vitamin C Can Produce Negative Interactions

Taking a Vitamin C supplement in a higher dosage than whats recommended can have adverse interactions, especially if youre on certain medications.

Some medicines contain aluminum such as phosphate binders. Taking more than 2,000 mg in supplement form can increase your absorption of aluminum. This can be harmful to people suffering from kidney problems.

If youre taking an oral contraceptive or are on a hormone replacement therapy, taking an excess of Vitamin C in supplement form may increase your estrogen levels.

Talk to your doctor if youre on chemotherapy. Using antioxidants like Vitamin C while undergoing chemotherapy may reduce the drugs effects. However, speak with your physician first as there is a difference in opinion on antioxidants and its effects on chemotherapy.

Taking Vitamin C orally in supplement form may reduce the effects of protease inhibitors. And if youre taking Vitamin C with niacin, Warfarin, Coumadin or Jantoven, it may reduce the effects the prescribed drug is supposed to have on your body.

The Remarkable Health Benefits Of Liposomal Vitamin C

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Stop Taking Vitamin C Supplements If Youre Overdosing

However, the easiest and best way to handle a Vitamin C overdose is to either lower your daily intake significantly or stop taking the supplement altogether. That does not mean you need to stop eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C.

In most cases, lowering or eliminating Vitamin C in supplement form should be enough to eliminate most or all overdose symptoms. Drinking more water should also help to flush out your body and help you recover from an overdose.

However, be careful how much water you drink. Too much water or drinking a high volume of water too quickly can significantly reduce your sodium levels and lead to death.

Taking Supplements In High Doses May Lead To Kidney Stones

Excess vitamin C is excreted from the body as oxalate, a bodily waste product.

Oxalate typically exits the body via urine. However, under some circumstances, oxalate may bind to minerals and form crystals that can lead to the formation of kidney stones .

Consuming too much vitamin C has the potential to increase the amount of oxalate in your urine, thus increasing the risk of developing kidney stones .

In one study that had adults take a 1,000-mg vitamin C supplement twice daily for 6 days, the amount of oxalate they excreted increased by 20% .

High vitamin C intake is not only associated with greater amounts of urinary oxalate but also linked to the development of kidney stones, especially if you consume amounts greater than 2,000 mg (

Summary

Consuming too much vitamin C may increase the amount of oxalate in your kidneys, which has the potential to lead to kidney stones.

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Does Taking Vitamin C Help To Prevent Colds

Studies have shown that taking vitamin C does not help to prevent colds.

In a systematicreview, taking a daily dose of vitamin C was not shown to decrease the likelihood of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection . Commonly used over-the-counter vitamin C products like Emergen-C and Airborne have 1 gram of vitamin C per packet or tablet. It doesnt appear they prevent you from getting sick.

Whats The Recommended Intake

The Institute of Medicine has developed a set of reference values for specific nutrient intake levels, including for vitamin C.

One set of guidelines is known as the Recommended Dietary Allowance and considers average daily nutrient intake from both foods and supplements.

RDA recommendations for specific gender and age groups should meet the nutrient needs of 9798% of healthy individuals (

Here are the RDAs for vitamin C :

In addition to the RDA recommendations for vitamin C, the Food and Drug Administration has issued a recommended Daily Value .

The DV was developed for food and supplement labels. It helps you determine the percentage of nutrients in a single serving of food, compared with the daily requirements. On food labels, this is displayed as %DV .

Currently, the recommended DV for vitamin C for adults and children aged 4 and above is 60 mg regardless of gender. However, in January 2020, this will increase to 90 mg .

Summary

The RDA for Vitamin C ranges from 1575 mg for children, 75 mg for adult women, 90 mg for adult men, and 85120 mg for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Vitamin C is essential for overall health and wellness, and the nutrient may particularly benefit certain conditions.

The vitamin is especially helpful for immune health, as it supports your immune systems cellular function .

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Why Do We Need Vitamin C At All

Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Often, we think of citrus fruit as the best vitamin C delivery system, but you can also get it from peppers, tomatoes, and cauliflower.

Once its in your system, the C helps your immune system function at its best and protect against damage from free radicals. Plus, ascorbic acid is needed to make collagen, that wondrous protein that helps heal wounds and keep our skin looking young and lovely .

Our bodies cant make vitamin C on their own, so its important that we get enough ascorbic acid from food or other outside sources.

Vitamin C deficiency is fairly rare in Western countries, but it can happen. If you take a long break from fresh produce , its possible to get scurvy which causes inflamed gums, skin spots, depression, and eventually death.

Its not common or likely if you have access to healthy food and produce, but its good to be mindful of your vitamin C intake all the same.

The Role Of Vitamin D In Your Body

Vitamin D is slightly different to other Vitamins because it is a hormone made by your body in a chemical reaction which occurs when your skin is exposed to sunlight. For this reason, it is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin. However, it is only created by your body if youre exposed to adequate levels of sunlight.

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in many functions within your body, including immune function. Your immune system is your bodys first line of defense against infection and disease so its important to ensure that youre not experiencing low levels of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays a role in the proper functioning of t cells, b cells and dendritic cells which are all key to immune function and protecting your body from disease.

In addition, Vitamin D helps your body to effectively absorb calcium which helps your body to maintain healthy bones.

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How Much Do I Need

Vitamin C dissolves in water and is not stored in the body, so we do need a consistent supply to maintain adequate levels, says registered dietitian Jillian Greaves. The recommended daily intake is about 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men. For women, you could get more than your daily requirement by eating one kiwi and men could have half a papaya and call it a day.

What Is Vitamin C And Where Is It Found

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient.

Common food sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kiwifruit, cantaloupe, papaya, and peppers.

Its also often sold as a dietary supplement in pill or tablet forms. Some vitamin C supplements are marketed as immune system-supporting, like Emergen-C and Airborne.

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Never Take Vitamin C And Zinc Together Public Health Expert Explains Why

If you take vitamin C and zinc mineral supplements together, stop this practice! Here is why you should not take them together.

Vitamin C and zinc are two very important nutrients that one needs to take during this pandemic situation. Doctors recommend that you must consume foods rich in vitamin C and zinc to boost your immune system. If you are unable to get it through your diet, take supplements. But do you know that some supplements shouldnt be taken together? A lot of you might be taking zinc and vitamin C supplements together but in this article, we will tell you why this is a deadly combination.