Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that it is not stored by the body and needs to be replenished frequently in order to provide optimal health benefit. Like any dietary supplement, excessive doses of vitamin C can cause unpleasant side effects, so consult your doctor before taking vitamin C supplements on a regular basis.
Recommended Dosage
Recommended daily intake for vitamin C varies based on your age, gender and health conditions. Adult men age 19 and older need 90 mg per day, and adult women need 75 mg per day. Smokers should consume 35 mg more than the daily requirements. Pregnant and nursing women also have higher vitamin C requirements than other women. During pregnancy, women need 85 mg per day. During lactation, women require 120 mg per day.
Megadoses
High doses of vitamin C are often used to fight the common cold and improve overall health. According to nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C megadoses might result in unpleasant side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, heartburn, headache and insomnia. To avoid negative side effects, avoid taking vitamin C supplements that provide more than 2,000 mg, which is the tolerable upper limit, or UL, as recommended by the National Institutes of Health.
Food Sources
Food sources are the best way to obtain your daily intake of vitamin C, according to the National Institutes of Health. Fortunately, a wide variety of foods contain vitamin C. Although all fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C, the best sources are cantaloupe, citrus fruits, berries, pineapple, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, squash and green and red bell peppers. Cooking and storage may reduce the amount of vitamin C found in foods, so eat fresh sources whenever possible.
Benefits
When consumed in appropriate amounts, vitamin C provides several health benefits. It is an antioxidant that reduces the potential negative effects of free radicals, which can damage cells. It also contributes to tissue growth and repair and helps maintain cartilage, bones and teeth. Some experts recommend vitamin C for cancer prevention, but this benefit has not been medically proven, according to the American Cancer Society. Although vitamin C has not been shown to prevent the common cold, it does reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms.
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