Vitamin C May Cause Iron Overload
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.
That said, iron overload is highly unlikely if you don’t have a condition that increases iron absorption. Additionally, iron overload is more likely to occur when excess iron is consumed in supplement form.
Summary
Since vitamin C increases iron absorption, consuming too much of it is a concern for individuals with conditions that lead to iron accumulation in the body.
Hemolysis In G6pd Deficiency
Several cases of hemolysis induced by pharmacological doses of IV ascorbic acid in patients with G6PD deficiency have been published . However, as recently reported lowmoderate dose IV vitamin C may be the treatment of choice for drug-induced hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency . Extrapolated from in vitro data, a dose of up to 6 g/day is not contraindicated in patients with G6PD deficiency . Higher doses should be avoided in these patients .
The Disadvantages Of Sodium Ascorbate
Sodium ascorbate is an alternate form of vitamin C, and may be used as a vitamin supplement. Sodium ascorbate is a more bioavailable form of the vitamin — your body can absorb, access and use sodium ascorbate with greater efficiency than regular vitamin C. While taking sodium ascorbate may prove beneficial for people suffering from vitamin C deficiency, there are also a number of risks associated with taking sodium ascorbate supplements.
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How Does Turmeric Work
This brightly colored spice is the main ingredient in curry powder and can be added to rice, egg salad, oatmeal, meat dishes and even smoothies. The popular golden milk, for instance, is made with turmeric and cow’s or vegan milk. Proponents say that it scavenges free radicals, prevents inflammation and protects against heart disease.
Curcumin, a phenolic compound, gives this plant its yellow color. According to a January 2013 review in the AAPS Journal, curcumin exhibits hypoglycemic, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. In clinical trials, it has been proven effective in the treatment and management of peptic ulcers, psoriasis, vitiligo, diabetes, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases and even cancer. Compared to most medications, it’s safe and well-tolerated at high doses.
There’s a catch, though. This antioxidant has poor bioavailability, meaning that your body cannot fully absorb it. To reap its benefits, it’s necessary to mix it with piperine, an active compound in black pepper. This combo may increase curcumin’s bioavailability by up to 2,000 percent, as reported in the above review. When you buy turmeric or curcumin supplements, check the label to make sure they contain piperine as well.
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What Are The Effects Of Vitamin C On The Liver
The positive effect of vitamin C on the liver is achieved through the vitamins antioxidant properties. The vitamin can flush out toxins and fats from the organ, preventing cirrhosis of the liver. Beneficial dosages of vitamin C are between 500 to 5,000 milligrams daily.
The liver has many functions in the body. For example, it secretes bile, which is important in the absorption of certain fats and vitamins. The liver also protects the body against toxins, whether environmental or consumed, such as drugs or alcohol. The liver also synthesizes, stores and metabolizes fats, carbohydrates and some proteins. The vital importance of the liver to the bodys functions makes it important to keep ones liver healthy one way to promote liver health is through daily consumption of vitamin C.
Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant and prevents or lessens toxic damage to liver cells. High amounts of vitamin C also have been known to clean out the liver, flushing away fats and fatty buildup, protecting the liver against cirrhosis. Some studies indicate that the effect of high levels of vitamin C on the liver could go so far as to reverse or lessen diseases of the liver, such as jaundice or cirrhosis.
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Boost Up On Nutrients
Rich in Vitamin A, Potassium, and Calcium, and several important nutrients for your overall health. Your organs need Vitamin A to work properly, potassium to support muscle movement, and calcium to improve your bone health. In addition to these basic nutrients, they are rich in phytonutrients.
What are phytonutrients? They are natural chemicals produced within plants, and two of the common ones found are carotenoids and flavonoids. These two specific phytonutrients provide a powerful antioxidant boost, which will be addressed later.
What Are Vitamins And Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are substances your body needs to help carry out important functions. They work to help your body get energy from the foods you eat, help repair tissue, and help maintain life. Therefore, they are essential for your body. But if you have kidney disease or are on dialysis, you may not be getting enough.
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Vitamin Cocktails May Injure Kidneys
Athletes seeking a competitive edge may turn to performance-enhancing substances, but people using these chemicals often experience tragic results.
A January 2017 review in Nefrologia described 16 cases of vitamin cocktail abuse by body sculptors.
These people injected a veterinary product with a mix of vitamins A, D and E, and all ended up in the hospital with acute kidney injury. Doctors restored kidney function in some, but not all, cases.
Vitamin cocktails can also increase the risk of vitamin-drug interactions. For example, a December 2014 report in Nutrition Research Reviews describes how vitamin E alters the effects of common medicines like cyclosporine A, warfarin and aspirin.
People with diabetes who have kidney damage may seek to restore their health by taking vitamin D, and researchers have shown that vitamin D may help hide diabetic symptoms. An August 2017 paper published in Drug Development Research showed that this nutrient increased insulin sensitivity in an animal model of diabetes, but unfortunately, the vitamin D administered also caused kidney damage.
Such a result is not surprising. Scientists classify vitamin D as a fat-soluble vitamin. It can, therefore, accumulate in the body and cause hypervitaminosis.
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High Dose Vitamin C Causing Renal Failure Due To Oxalate Nephropathy
B DOUCET1,2, E NOBLE1, N GRAY1,21Department of Nephrology, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, Australia, 2School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:Brian Doucet is a second year Nephrology advanced trainee from Queensland. He has previously presented at the ANZSN ASM in 2014 and 2017.
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How Much Vitamin C Do I Need
According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily intake of vitamin C is 90mg per day for nonsmoking men, and 75mg per day for nonsmoking women. Smoking increases the production of cell-damaging free radicals, so smokers need to consume an additional 35mg of vitamin C daily. For reference, 60mg of vitamin C can be found in four ounces of orange juice, a half cup of sweet green peppers, or one kiwi fruit. As you can see, only a small amount of fresh fruit or vegetables can help you meet your daily vitamin C needs.
If you eat a varied diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, including juices, it is likely that you do not need a supplement to get enough vitamin C. It is notable that the National Kidney Foundations guidelines indicate that there is not sufficient evidence to recommend use of vitamin C in anemia management for individuals with chronic kidney disease.
There Are Four Vital Components To Consider When Following A Kidney
With CKD, your kidneys have a hard time filtering waste and minerals from your blood. That is why the above minerals are of concern. When we eat food, our body breaks it down and some of the broken down particles enter our blood.
Eventually, the blood will go to our kidneys to be filtered. We want to limit how much potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and protein we are eating to prevent overloading and overworking our kidneys.
So, why are low potassium potatoes important for kidney disease? Potatoes are high in potassium which is a nutrient that must be limited when following a diet to manage kidney disease.
People following a kidney-friendly diet can cut up and soak their potatoes in water to reduce their potassium content.
In fact, an average medium-sized potato with the skin contains 926 milligrams of potassium. Cutting, soaking, and boiling your potatoes can reduce the potassium content by at least half of the original amount!
Keep in mind, it is still important to watch your portion sizes as many others foods on your plate may be high in potassium such as avocados, bananas, and Brussel sprouts.
While boiling can be great for potatoes, we do not recommend soaking and boiling all foods. Vegetables, which can be high in potassium, also have important water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C, which can be lost in the process of soaking or boiling.
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Oxalate Stones And Nephropathy
High-dose vitamin C increases oxalate excretion and may cause oxalate crystallization, stone formation and nephropathy in susceptible patients. Several cases have been reported in patients receiving vitamin C supplements . Gender is a risk factor for dose-dependent oxalate stone formation . A vitamin C dose above 1000 mg/day was not associated with renal stone formation in women, yet 700 mg/day sufficed to induce stones in men . Apart from primary hyperoxaluria, a rare inborn error of metabolism, risk factors include fat malabsorption due to small bowel resection, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis or gastric bypass , underlying chronic kidney disease, urinary outflow obstruction . However, in a recent prospective case series exploring high-dose vitamin C , no renal stones or kidney injury were reported .
Why Kidneys Are So Important
The kidneys are a critical organ of the body because they cleanse the blood by removing waste products of the body derived from its metabolism. They are important for maintaining relatively constant levels of acidity, minerals such as sodium and potassium, and blood volume and pressure. The kidneys function by excreting all of the contents of blood except some large molecules and cells, and then re-absorbing all that are necessary for life, such as water, minerals, and small molecules such as amino acids and glucose. Chronic Kidney Disease occurs when the kidneys progressively lose function and are gradually unable to cleanse the blood of waste products. When CKD worsens, it may be necessary for the individual to undergo dialysis, which is a method of artificially cleansing the blood.
As CKD progresses, the some of the products of normal metabolism can accumulate in the body’s tissues, and in some cases may do so up to toxic levels. For example, one product of eating large amounts of meat is uric acid, which must be excreted to avoid toxic levels. Although the urate ion in blood plasma is a strong antioxidant, at high levels it can crystallize and cause kidney stones or gout in joints. Although uric acid kidney stones are not the most common, they and several other types of kidney stone can be managed by eating an excellent diet with adequate water intake
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Does Too Much Vitamin C Cause Side Effects
Vitamin C is a very important nutrient thats abundant in many fruits and vegetables.
Getting enough of this vitamin is especially important for maintaining a healthy immune system. It also plays an important role in wound healing, keeping your bones strong, and enhancing brain function .
Interestingly, some claim that vitamin C supplements provide benefits beyond those that can be obtained from the vitamin C found in food.
One of the most common reasons people take vitamin C supplements is the idea that they help prevent the common cold .
However, many supplements contain extremely high amounts of the vitamin, which can cause undesirable side effects in some cases.
This article explores the overall safety of vitamin C, whether its possible to consume too much, and the potential adverse effects of taking large doses.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means it dissolves in water.
In contrast to fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins do not get stored within the body.
Instead, the vitamin C that you consume gets transported to your tissues via body fluids, and any extra gets excreted in urine .
Since your body does not store vitamin C or produce it on its own, its important to consume foods that are rich in vitamin C daily .
However, supplementing with high amounts of vitamin C can lead to adverse effects, such as digestive distress and kidney stones.
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A Pharmacokinetics Of Vitamin C
Vitamin C pharmacokinetics are best described by a two-compartment model with body weight and creatinine clearance as independent covariates . In normal kidneys, vitamin C is filtered in the glomerulus and reabsorbed in the proximal convoluted tubule and the descending loop of Henle . Like enteral absorption, tubular reabsorption is satiable which accounts for a higher loss when plasma concentrations are high. Although the kidneys excrete about half of the administered vitamin C dose, the doseconcentration relationship is linear, implying that an x-times higher dose results in x-times higher plasma concentration . Plasma concentrations following IV administration are expected to be significantly higher in anuric patients. Nearly half of critically ill patients have or develop acute kidney injury , and more than 20% need renal replacement therapy within the first week of intensive care stay .
Fig. 1
Supplementing vitamin C during RRT by giving 1 g twice daily
How Do I Know If Im Not Getting Enough Vitamins And Minerals
Almost all vitamins and minerals come from the foods you eat. Your body cannot make these substances. People with healthy kidneys who eat a variety of foods from all the food groups can get enough vitamins and minerals. But if you have chronic kidney disease or are on dialysis, your diet may limit some food groups. Therefore, you may not be getting all the vitamins and minerals you need each day, so you may need to take some in the form of supplements. Your healthcare professional and kidney dietitian can help you find out which vitamins and minerals you may need by looking at your health history and blood tests.
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Excess Of Which Vitamins Are Bad For Your Kidneys
Kidneys play a crucial role in maintaining good health by removing the excess content of wastage. Although vitamins and nutrients are essential in maintaining good health, increased content of the same can be troublesome for kidneys. It becomes worse for people who already show symptoms of kidney problems. Moreover, the risk of damaging the kidneys is high in people who had the issues in the past. According to an estimate, one in every five men and one in every four women are prone to chronic kidney disease. Alarmingly, vitamins, nutritional supplements, common prescriptions, and over the counter medicines also play a crucial role in damaging the kidneys.
Curcumin And Chronic Kidney Disease
As it turns out, there might be a connection between curcumin and chronic kidney disease. According to a December 2014 research paper featured in Molecules, the leakage of cytokines and other pro-inflammatory compounds in the gut increases intestinal permeability. This may lead to diabetes, chronic kidney disease and plaque buildup on the artery walls. Curcumin may help reduce inflammation in the gut and hence protect against these disorders or improve their symptoms.
Furthermore, curcumin may delay the progression of chronic kidney disease, but more research is needed to confirm these findings. Most studies conducted so far were small but had promising results.
For example, a small clinical trial involving 24 patients with lupus nephritis, or kidney inflammation caused by lupus, suggests that curcumin may reduce systolic blood pressure, excess proteins in the urine and hematuria over just three months of treatment. The results were published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition in January 2012.
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