Vitamin C is supports healthy body development and growth. Among its various functions, it aids in forming collagen, improving your immunity, healing wounds and maintaining your blood vessels, teeth and bones. If you're like most people, you can generally get enough vitamin C through a well-balanced diet and may be at risk of health problems if you ingest too much.
Recommended Upper Limit
The tolerable upper intake limit of vitamin C was established by the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board in 2000. According to the guidelines, children between 1 and 3 should consume no more than about 400 mg of vitamin C per day, children between 4 and 8 should consume no more than 650 mg per day and children between 9 and 13 should avoid consuming more than 1,200 mg a day. Teens between 14 and 18 should consume no more than 1,800 mg and adults 19 and older should limit their intake to no more than 2,000 mg per day.
A Water-Soluble Vitamin
Vitamins can either be fat-soluble or water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K stay in your body for long periods after you consume them. As a result, taking large doses of those vitamins may increase your risk of serious health problems such as liver enlargement, spleen damage and digestive disorders. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning your body regularly flushes it out through urine and you need to consistently restock your body with it. Because it regularly leaves your body, overdose risks are lower.
Potential Risks
Although vitamin C is less likely than fat-soluble vitamins to cause serious health problems, it is still possible to take too much of it. If you consume more than your tolerable upper limit of vitamin C, you may experience nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, headache, heartburn and insomnia. The unpleasant digestive symptoms are likely to occur as a result of the vitamin lingering, unabsorbed, in your intestines.
Other Claims
More serious side effects have been linked with taking too much vitamin C. These risks include kidney stones, increased need for oxygen, copper and vitamin B-12 deficiencies and increased risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, according to Health Services at Columbia University. However, the Food and Nutrition Board has found that existing evidence of these claims isn't sufficient to prove them true.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Too Much Vitamin C: Harmful?; Katherine Zeratsky; March 2010
- Health Services at Columbia University; Health Effects from Ingesting Too Much Vitamin C; August 2003
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin C; Jane Higdon; January 2006
- Merck Manuals: Vitamin C
- Colorado State University Extension; Water-Soluble Vitamins; J. Anderson, et al.; March 2002
- Colorado State University Extension; Fat-Soluble Vitamins; J. Anderson, et al.; July 1996
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