Ascorbic acid, more commonly known as vitamin C, provides several nutritional benefits. Your body absorbs iron better because of vitamin C, and the vitamin helps make your muscles, bones, blood vessels and tissues function properly. If you do not get enough vitamin C into your body through foods such as vegetables and fruits, you may develop a deficiency and need a supplement. Vitamin C appears in virtually all of the multivitamins on the market, as well as in various doses as stand-alone supplements. Before using a vitamin C supplement, ask your doctor if you need it or if it might interact with medications you are taking or cause health problems for you. The vitamin supplement may induce side effects.
Pain
If you use vitamin C supplements, you may experience pain of a severe nature that occurs in your left or right side. It also may occur in the lower part of your back. Drugs.com recommends seeking your doctor's help immediately if such pain occurs. You also may feel pain in your stomach in the form of cramps, and you may develop a headache when first using vitamin C as a supplement. These side effects generally dissipate once your body has adjusted to the increase of this vitamin in your body. If they linger, seek a practitioner's advice.
Diarrhea
If you get diarrhea -- defined as loose or watery stools accompanied by cramps -- and it feels severe, ask your doctor about it immediately and stop using the supplement. In addition to getting medical help, you also will need to consume extra fluids to keep your body hydrated. Diarrhea also may occur in a mild form when you first begin using vitamin C as a supplement. This diarrhea should end in a few days.
Urination Problems
You may discover some problems with your urination that require you to stop taking the supplement and call your physician immediately. You may, for example, experience pain when you urinate. You also may suffer from a condition known as hematuria, which means your urine contains blood.
Digestive Problems
Non-serious and temporary side effects of vitamin C supplementation may occur in your digestive system. You may feel a sensation of heartburn because of the ascorbic acid in your stomach. You may feel nauseous for a few days, and you may vomit. Although unpleasant, these digestive side effects usually stop in a few days.
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