Vitamin C is important for your health because your body requires a certain amount each day and needs it for many essential functions. If you consume too much or too little, you can develop symptoms and health problems. Make sure to consume the appropriate amount through supplements and food sources.
How Much Do You Need?
The current vitamin C RDA or recommended dietary allowance for adults is 75 mg for females and 90 mg for males. This amount is the minimum amount you need to build and repair the cells and tissues in your body, and you should get it from foods sources or supplements if you choose to take one. However, the Harvard School of Public Health recommends taking a larger dose, explaining that a daily target of 200 to 300 mg vitamin C is ideal to support health.
Supplemental Dosage
To meet your daily intake, you may consider adding a supplement or multivitamin. According to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute, most multivitamins contain around 60 mg of vitamin C. Choose one that meets the RDA for each of the essential vitamins without providing too much. Avoid supplements that contain doses of vitamin C well above the 300 mg daily target. Taking more than this does not offer extra health benefits, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Other Sources
Remember that vitamin C is also found in the foods that you eat. Eating a healthy balanced diet is the best source of the essential vitamins and minerals. Some good sources of vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, citrus juices, berries, green and red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and spinach. Many breakfast cereals are also fortified with vitamin C. If you include these foods in your diet daily and you take a quality multivitamin, you will be able to get your daily requirements.
Consideratons
A vitamin C supplement between 60 and 100 mg appears to be ideal depending on how much vitamin C you get from foods in your diet. If you stay in the 200 to 300 mg per day range you will not suffer symptoms of a toxicity. The current maximum daily dose is 2,000 mg for adults. Intakes above this amount may trigger side effects such as diarrhea and gastrointestinal disturbances from the high intake of vitamin C.
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