Is Vitamin C Healthy For The Liver?

The liver is the largest solid mass organ in your body, and this football-sized organ is responsible for cleansing your blood, producing and monitoring the release of bile as well as housing glycogen stores. To promote liver health, you must consume certain foods and avoid excessive toxins, such as alcohol and tobacco. Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble nutrient, and due to its responsibilities in your body, it may be used to promote liver health and protection against certain forms of liver disease. Before supplementing or increasing your vitamin C intake, discuss the use of this vitamin with your physician.

Role of Vitamin C

Since vitamin C is water-soluble, the body is unable to store and produce this essential vitamin naturally; thus, you must consume vitamin C through dietary sources or supplementation. One of the primary functions of vitamin C is to support the repair and growth of tissue. For example, this vitamin is responsible for assisting wound healing as well as the formation of scar tissue. MedlinePlus reports vitamin C is classified as an antioxidant, which means it protects your body from damage due to free radicals. Free radicals are rogue atoms known to be responsible for the aging process as well as contributing to the formation of cancer, heart disease and arthritis.

Vitamin C and Your Liver

The "British Medical Journal" cites a study where researchers reviewed the vitamin C concentration among liver disease patients and found low vitamin C levels in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver as well as primary biliary cirrhosis. The Linus Pauling Institute reports vitamin C enhances certain liver enzymes responsible for detoxifying this organ from xenobiotics, which are foreign chemicals found in organisms. Fred Klenner, M.D., of the Vitamin C Foundation suggests consuming vitamin C, along with milk thistle, to treat a variety of liver diseases. Given this information, it is suggested vitamin C dietary and supplemental intake may possibly support healthy liver function and potentially treat liver diseases.

Recommended Daily Intake

MedlinePlus suggests children aged 1 to 3 years should consume 15 mg of vitamin C per day, while children aged 4 to 8 should take 25 mg and children aged 9 to 13 years should consume 45 mg per day.

Boys aged 14 to 18 years old should consume 75 mg of vitamin C per day, while girls within the same age bracket should consume 65 mg per day.

Adult women aged 19 and older should consume 75 mg of vitamin C per day, while men in the same age range should consume at least 90 mg per day.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consume a higher daily dosage; however, this dosage must be prescribed by your doctor to help prevent adverse side effects. If you smoke cigarettes, MedlinePlus suggests enhancing your vitamin C intake by 35 mg per day.

Safety Considerations

While overdosing on vitamin C is rare due to its inability to be stored in your body, consuming more than 2,000 mg per day may cause nausea and diarrhea. If you are taking medications such as barbiturates, protease inhibitors, nitrate medications, acetaminophen, aspirin or Coumadin, discuss the recommended daily intake of vitamin C with your physician, as vitamin C supplements may reduce the effectiveness of certain medications.