Are Vitamin C Supplements Safe
For the most part, vitamin C supplements are safe. Although fruits and vegetables are the best source for proper vitamin C intake, supplements are considered safe in recommended amounts for people who do not get enough from food or have increased vitamin C needs, says Childress.
Before taking a supplement, try boosting your vitamin C intake through food instead, notes Dr. Shafipour. Add foods like berries, citrus, spinach or broccoli to your daily diet. If a supplement is preferable to you, check with your doctor on what they may recommend for you and to verify it will not interfere with any current medications you are taking, he says.
This is especially important for anyone taking medication, as Childress notes that vitamin C supplementation may increase the absorption of aluminum, which she says can be harmful for people taking medications that contain aluminum and can lead to kidney damage.
Its important to remember is that taking too much vitamin C can have negative health consequences. Taking too much vitamin C can cause side effects like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, heartburn, stomach cramps and bloating, fatigue or insomnia, headaches and skin flushing, says Childress.
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Vitamin C Dosage For Kids
The amount of vitamin C your child needs has been determined by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and is based on the recommended dietary allowance .
The vitamin C dosage for a child is based on age, not gender as in adults:
- The daily requirement of vitamin C for infants 0 to 6 months: 40 milligrams
- The daily requirement of vitamin C for infants 7 to 12 months: 50 milligrams
- The daily requirement of vitamin C for kids 1 to 3 years: 15 milligrams
- The daily requirement of vitamin C for kids 4 to 8 years: 25 milligrams
- The daily requirement of vitamin C for kids 9 to 13 years: 45 milligrams
Tips
The daily requirement of vitamin C for infants is based on the mean intake of the vitamin in healthy breastfed babies.
Once the teenage years hit, your childs vitamin C needs differ based on gender. Teen girls need 65 milligrams a day, while teen boys need 75 milligrams a day. The recommendations are similar for adults, with men requiring 90 milligrams a day and women 75 milligrams.
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 :
| Life stage | |
|---|---|
| Adult women | 75 mg |
| Adult men | 90 mg |
| Pregnant women | 85 mg |
| Breastfeeding women | 120 mg |
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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What Happens If I Take Too Much Vitamin D
Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body . This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.
If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10 micrograms a day will be enough for most people.
Do not take more than 100 micrograms of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17 years.
Children aged 1 to 10 years should not have more than 50 micrograms a day. Infants under 12 months should not have more than 25 micrograms a day.
Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much. If in doubt, you should consult your doctor.
If your doctor has recommended you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow their advice.
You cannot overdose on vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. But always remember to cover up or protect your skin if youre out in the sun for long periods to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.
Page last reviewed: 03 August 2020 Next review due: 03 August 2023
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Why Is Vitamin C Important
Humans, unlike most animals, cannot make vitamin C, so we must obtain it from our diet.
It is vital for many different processes within our bodies. Vitamin C has the following key activities:
- It is a highly efficient antioxidant. Antioxidants protect important biomolecules in our body from being broken down by oxidants, which are generated during normal cell metabolism or acquired from environmental exposure, such as air pollution or cigarette smoke
- It is vital for our immune response. Research has shown certain cells in our immune system, such as phagocytes and T-cells, accumulate vitamin C and rely on the vitamin to perform their task. A deficiency in vitamin C means we have less resistance against certain pathogens
- It is a cofactor for many enzymes, most notably, those involved with collagen production and carnitine
- It is involved in the production of hormones, such as norepinephrine and vasopressin which have a key role in how our cardiovascular system responds to infection
- Other roles include regulating how certain genes express themselves, iron absorption, and many others.
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Nordic Naturals Vitamin C Gummies
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Nordic Naturals Vitamin C Gummies are made from high quality, natural ingredients and suitable for adults and children over age 4 years.
Each 2-gummy serving contains 250 mg of vitamin C and 4 grams of added sugar.
The orange-flavored gummies are sweetened with cane sugar and colored with natural fruit and vegetable juices. They dont contain any artificial sweeteners or flavors and are gluten- and dairy-free.
Nordic Naturals vitamin C gummies are third-partytested for purity and potency, so you know youre getting what you have paid for.
Common Nutrient Deficiencies: Know The Signs
Severe vitamin C deficiency may bring about scurvy, a condition that includes symptoms ranging from fatigue to depression, joint pain, poor wound healing, and bleeding gums. Though serious, scurvy and even vitamin C deficiency are rare in developed countries. Theres one exception: Smokers have a more-than-threefold-greater risk of vitamin C deficiency, according to research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This is likely because smoking causes greater vitamin C turnover in the body. Cigarette smoking increases free radicals in the body, which damages our cells antioxidants such as vitamin C counteract this damage but are depleted more quickly in people who smoke.
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When Should People Consider Vitamin C Supplements
Vitamin C supplements are relatively cheap and should be considered in the following people whose diets may be deficient in vitamin C, or their absorption of vitamin C may be impaired, such as:
- Anybody who does not eat fruit or vegetables on most days of the week
- Babies fed only cows milk
- Individuals with eating disorders
- Older people with a poor diet
- People undertaking hemodialysis
- People with food allergies who restrict their intakes of vitamin C rich foods
- People who cannot afford to buy fruit or vegetables
- People who have too much iron in their blood which leads to wasting of vitamin C by the kidneys
- People with disorders of the GI tract like Crohns disease or Ulcerative colitis.
Men are also more likely than women to be deficient, probably because of a lower intake in general of fruits and vegetables.
How Much Vitamin C Is Enough
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.
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Questions And Answers About High
Vitamin C is a nutrient that is found in food, such as oranges, grapefruit, papaya, peppers, and kale, or in dietary supplements. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals. It also works with enzymes to play a key role in making collagen. Vitamin C is also called L-ascorbic acid or ascorbate.
Vitamin C may be given by IV infusion or taken by mouth. Much higher blood levels are reached when vitamin C is given intravenously. When given by intravenous infusion, vitamin C can reach higher levels in the blood than when it is taken by mouth.
In laboratory studies, tumor cells are used to test a substance to find out if it is likely to have any anticancer effects. In animal studies, tests are done to see if a drug, procedure, or treatment is safe and effective. Laboratory and animal studies are done in animals before a substance is tested in people.
Laboratory and animal studies have tested the effects of high-dose vitamin C. Laboratory studies suggest that high levels of vitamin C may kill cancer cells. See the Laboratory/Animal/Preclinical Studies section of the health professional version of High-Dose Vitamin C for information on laboratory and animal studies done using high-dose vitamin C.
Studies of IV vitamin C combined with other drugs
What Research Has Shown The Benefits Of High
Have any clinical trials of high-dose intravenous vitamin C been conducted?
Several studies of high-dose vitamin C in patients with cancer have been done in recent years, including the following:
Studies of vitamin C alone
- Intravenous vitamin C was studied in patients with breast cancer who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The study found that patients who received IV vitamin C had better quality of life and fewer side effects than those who did not.
- A study of IV vitamin C and high doses of vitamin C taken by mouth was done in patients with cancer that could not be cured. Vitamin C was shown to be a safe and effective therapy to improve quality of life in these patients, including physical, mental, and emotional functions, symptoms of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, and appetite loss.
- Vitamin C has been shown to be safe when given to healthy volunteers and cancer patients at doses up to 1.5 g/kg, while screening out patients with certain risk factors who should avoid vitamin C. Studies have also shown that Vitamin C levels in the blood are higher when taken by IV than when taken by mouth, and last for more than 4 hours.
Studies of vitamin C combined with other drugs
Studies of vitamin C combined with other drugs have shown mixed results:
More studies of combining high-dose IV vitamin C with other drugs are in progress.
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Garden Of Life Organic Vitamin C Spray
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Garden of Life vitamin C spray is made from a variety of 100% organic, whole foods like strawberries, blueberries, and tart cherries.
Youll receive a 60-mg dose of vitamin C in every 5 sprays, and it doesnt contain any added sugar or artificial sweeteners. It comes in two flavors and is suitable for adults and children over 4 years old.
The vitamin C dose in this product is lower than many traditional supplements, making it a great option for anyone who eats a variety of vitamin-Ccontaining foods but still needs some extra help filling in potential nutrient gaps.
All Garden of Life products are third-partytested for quality and purity, and they operate FDA-certified manufacturing facilities.
Price: $
Swanson Vitamin C Powder contains nothing but 100% pure, powdered vitamin C.
It dissolves easily into almost any liquid, and you dont have to worry about any added fillers, sweeteners, or preservatives.
Each scoop provides 1,000 mg of vitamin C, but you can tailor the serving size to fit your needs.
When it comes to purity and quality, Swanson holds themselves to exceptionally high standards.
All of their supplements undergo in-house and third-party testing, so you can rest assured youre getting a great product every time.
What Is Vitamin D And Why Is It Important
Vitamin D belongs to the family of fat-soluble vitamins, which include vitamins A, D, E and K. These vitamins are absorbed well with fat and are stored in the liver and fatty tissues.
There are two main forms of vitamin D in the diet:
- Vitamin D2 : Found in plant foods like mushrooms.
- Vitamin D3 : Found in animal foods like salmon, cod and egg yolks.
However, sunlight is the best natural source of vitamin D3. The UV rays from sunlight convert cholesterol in your skin into vitamin D3 .
Before your body can use dietary vitamin D, it must be activated through a series of steps .
First, the liver converts dietary vitamin D into the storage form of vitamin D. This is the form that is measured in blood tests. Later, the storage form is converted by the kidneys to the active form of vitamin D thats used by the body .
Interestingly, D3 is twice as effective at raising blood levels of vitamin D as vitamin D2 .
The main role of vitamin D in the body is to manage blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are important for healthy bones .
Research also shows that vitamin D aids your immune system and may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers .
A low blood level of vitamin D is linked to a greater risk of fractures and falls, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, several cancers and even death (
For instance, an analysis of five studies examined the link between vitamin D blood levels and colorectal cancer .
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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
What Does The Department Of Health And Social Care Advise
You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
If you take vitamin C supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful.
Taking less than 1,000mg of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
Page last reviewed: 03 August 2020 Next review due: 03 August 2023
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How Much Vitamin C Should I Take + Forms & Health Benefits*
How Much Vitamin C Should I Take? + Forms & amp Health Benefits* How Much Vitamin C Should I Take? + Forms & amp Health Benefits*
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, which means your body can’t make any on its own, so you have to consume it regularly . Many foods are rich in vitamin C, so in theory, getting enough shouldn’t be an issue.
Yet, 42% of the U.S. adult population is living with vitamin C insufficiency, almost half are failing to get enough vitamin C from their food each day, and even with supplementation, 33% of American adults are still falling short of their needs.
This is a good indication that you may need to take more vitamin Cadditionally, it’s concrete evidence that your supplement of choice might need an upgrade . If you’re wondering how much daily vitamin C you need to live your best life, you’ve come to the right place.
