Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that has many important functions in your body. Both topical and oral supplementation of vitamin C may be used to treat skin rashes due to various causes like sunburns and eczema. Before you begin taking vitamin C for any therapeutic purpose, talk with your health-care provider about the correct dosage and potential dangers.
Function
Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C is derived through your diet by eating fresh fruits and vegetables, specifically citrus, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, melons and berries, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Vitamin C plays a vital role in your body's ability to create collagen, which is a crucial substance in your cartilage and connective tissues, explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Vitamin C also acts as a strong antioxidant to fight free radicals and helps in your body's utilization of vitamin E.
Effects
Vitamin C may help to treat skin rashes due to sunburns, eczema, hives and other skin conditions or injuries, says the University of Michigan Health System. You might also use vitamin C to help treat or prevent infections and heal skin wounds, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. If you have skin rashes due to allergies or photosensitivity, vitamin C may help as well, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Don't use vitamin C to treat skin rashes before first consulting your doctor.
Other Uses
In addition to its use in preventing or treating deficiencies and healing skin various types of rashes, vitamin C is sometimes recommended for treating capillary fragility, glaucoma, common colds, high cholesterol, infertility in men, scurvy and the effects of stress, says the University of Michigan Health System. Vitamin C may also have some uses in treating asthma and atherosclerosis. You might take vitamin C to help treat allergies, autism, acute anterior uveitis, ulcers, insomnia, high blood pressure, cataracts, bedsores and bladder infections during pregnancy, as well as to prevent reflex sympathetic dystrophy, preeclampsia, vascular dementia and gallbladder disease, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Vitamin C supplements might have the potential to treat or prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's disease and bronchitis, as well as to stimulate your immune system and improve your physical strength or stamina, states the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. No conclusive medical research supports the use of vitamin C for treating or preventing any of these health conditions, however.
Amounts
The daily recommended intake of vitamin C for women is 75 mg and 90 mg for men, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The therapeutic dosages of vitamin C are typically much higher, however. Although therapeutic dosages of vitamin C have ranged up to 1,000 mg, the highest recommended daily dose is typically 200 mg for skin rashes, notes the University of Michigan Health System. In fact, your body won't absorb more than about 200 mg of vitamin C, with the excess amounts excreted through your urine by your kidneys. For rashes due to sunburns, you might use vitamin C in combination with vitamin E as a topical or oral treatment. If you smoke cigarettes, you may need more vitamin C, because smoking can deplete your vitamin C levels. Ask your physician about the dosage that's right for you before taking vitamin C to prevent or treat skin rashes.
Warning
Vitamin C supplementation is considered safe up to a maximum intake of 2,000 mg per day for adults, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Even normal dosages of vitamin C can cause diarrhea and may be unsafe for people with kidney stones or kidney failure. Taking large doses of vitamin C can cause copper deficiency, nausea, stomach pain, low blood sugar and low blood pressure in some people, warns the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Vitamin C supplements could also interact negatively with certain other supplements and medications, such as acetaminophen or Tylenol, blood-thinners like Coumadin, iron, chemotherapy drugs and protease inhibitors used to treat HIV/AIDS.
Member Comments