Vitamin C Drug Information

Vitamin C belongs to a class of vitamins called water-soluble vitamins. The body requires the presence of vitamin C in order to produce and use certain amino acids. Vitamin C also helps keep your immune system healthy and acts as an antioxidant, which can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

Vitamin C Needs

Your age and sex determine how much vitamin C you require on a daily basis. Teen boys between the ages of 14 and 18 require 75 mg of vitamin C daily, whereas teen girls of the same age require 65 mg of vitamin C every day, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Men aged 19 and older require 90 mg of vitamin C daily and women aged 19 and older require 75 mg daily. Pregnant and breast-feeding women have slightly increased needs of 115 mg and 120 mg, respectively.

Available Supplements

Vitamin C supplements are available in many different forms. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, there has been no evidence to support any differences in the digestibility or biochemical availability of natural and synthetic vitamin C. Vitamin C may be listed as sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, ascorbic acid or bioflavinoids. Vitamin C may be available as an individual supplement or as a component of a multivitamin.

Toxicity

Large doses of vitamin C through the use of supplements has been shown to cause nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Because of this, the Food and Nutrition Board has set an upper tolerable intake level, or UL, for vitamin C. The UL represents the highest amount of a particular nutrient that can be consumed without causing any negative health effects. The UL for vitamin C is set at 2,000 mg per day. When choosing a vitamin C supplement is important to make sure that the amount of vitamin C does not exceed this amount.

Interactions

Dietary supplements of vitamin C can interact with some common medications. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C reduces the effects of statins and niacin, which are used to reduced cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Vitamin C may also interfere with chemotherapy and radiation therapy used to treat cancer. You should always consult your health care provider before taking any kind of supplements.

Considerations

The best way to get vitamin C is through your diet. Supplements should be used only to make up for any deficiencies, not as a primary nutrient source. The best food sources of vitamin C include orange juice, grapefruit juice, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, oranges, cantaloupe and potatoes. "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake notes that one serving of orange or grapefruit juice can fully meet your vitamin C needs.