Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin needed for your health. It is necessary for the formation of connective tissue, it aids in wound healing, and it helps protect your body from infections and viruses. The amount of vitamin C you need depends upon your age. Adult women require 75 mg and adult men need 90 mg of vitamin C per day. If you smoke, you need an extra 35 mg per day.
Sources
Ascorbic acid is found in lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits and their juices. Other rich sources of ascorbic acid include sweet yellow, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, baked potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes and strawberries. Most multivitamins also contain ascorbic acid. Vitamin C deficiency is uncommon in the United States and Canada.
Prevention of the Common Cold
The use of vitamin C for preventing the common cold remains controversial. Studies examining people exercising in extreme environments, such as skiers and marathon runners in the Arctic as well as soldiers stationed in the Arctic, show that under these circumstances high doses of vitamin C seem to reduce the risk of catching a cold by about 50 percent, as reported by MayoClinic.com. Aside from these studies, there seems to be no evidence for reduction in your risk of developing colds if you have a high intake of ascorbic acid.
Treatment of the Common Cold
Several studies examining the effect of taking ascorbic acid after you develop cold symptoms fail to show significant benefits. There seems to be a small reduction in the duration of colds if you have already been taking ascorbic acid supplements on a regular basis prior to catching a cold, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Considerations
The tolerable upper intake level of ascorbic acid is 2,000 mg per day for adults. Too much ascorbic acid can cause diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps. If you take medication for high cholesterol, ascorbic acid supplements may impact the effectiveness of your medication. Talk to your doctor before taking ascorbic acid supplements.
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