Whenever you really feel a sniffle or the trace of a chilly, your go-to transfer could also be reaching for a glass of orange juice or one other meals or complement that’s filled with vitamin C. This nutrient, touted for its immune-supporting advantages, is a well-liked treatment for combating off sickness. However simply how a lot vitamin C is an excessive amount of?
Right here, we seek the advice of registered dietitians, discover vitamin C’s potential well being advantages and uncover whether or not you’ll be able to really overdo it with vitamin C. So, in case you’ve ever questioned whether or not your each day dose of vitamin C is an excessive amount of or simply proper, learn on for knowledgeable recommendation.
What Is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C, additionally referred to as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that’s considerable in lots of fruit and veggies. In addition to serving to alongside your immune system, it will probably additionally assist help nutrient absorption, collagen manufacturing and wound therapeutic. Whereas citrus fruits may come to thoughts if you consider vitamin C, different meals like bell peppers, broccoli, kiwi, strawberries and candy potatoes are additionally wealthy on this important nutrient.
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Well being Advantages of Vitamin C
It might show you how to take up iron extra successfully.
Iron is a crucial nutrient for optimum well being, and analysis exhibits vitamin C could considerably improve iron absorption. This dynamic duo helps your physique’s means to soak up iron from plant-based meals, serving to preserve circumstances like iron-deficiency anemia at bay. So subsequent time you get pleasure from iron-rich plant-based meals like lentils or spinach, pair them with vitamin C-rich meals like bell peppers, candy potatoes or broccoli.
Caroline Younger, RD, a registered dietitian and proprietor of Complete Self Diet, tells EatingWell, “Plant-based iron sources aren’t as bioavailable as animal-based iron sources. Vitamin C will help improve the absorption of nonheme iron and subsequently help wholesome iron ranges, doubtlessly aiding in therapeutic iron-deficiency anemia.”
It might enhance your immune well being.
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps shield your cells from dangerous free radicals, bolstering your physique’s protection system in opposition to sickness. In line with a 2017 research in Vitamins, common vitamin C consumption will help stop and deal with respiratory infections by selling immune cell operate.
“Vitamin C could shorten the period of colds and make them extra manageable,” says Younger. “Whereas consuming vitamin C dietary supplements repeatedly gained’t stop frequent colds, it could assist shorten them and result in milder signs.”
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It might assist with collagen manufacturing.
If you’d like glowing, supple pores and skin, your physique should produce collagen. Research present vitamin C is crucial on this course of. It stimulates collagen manufacturing, serving to your pores and skin preserve its elasticity and fight indicators of growing old like wrinkles.
“Vitamin C is essential for pores and skin well being, together with therapeutic wounds and creating collagen, a protein crucial for wholesome joints and pores and skin elasticity,” says Younger.
How A lot Vitamin C Ought to You Have in a Day?
The really helpful each day vitamin C consumption varies relying on age, intercourse and life stage. In line with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, the really helpful each day consumption is 90 milligrams for grownup males, 75 milligrams for grownup ladies, 85 milligrams for individuals who are pregnant and 120 milligrams for individuals who are breastfeeding.
In the event you want some additional immune help throughout chilly and flu season or after a strenuous exercise, take into account quickly rising your consumption to 100 to 200 milligrams. Nevertheless, as an alternative of reaching for dietary supplements, attempt to take care of a balanced weight-reduction plan wealthy in numerous fruit and veggies. This method sometimes gives sufficient vitamin C to maintain your immune system sturdy and wholesome.
Can You Eat Too A lot Vitamin C?
Whereas vitamin C presents loads of well being advantages, following the really helpful each day consumption is important, as there is a restrict to how a lot your physique can successfully take up. The tolerable higher consumption degree (UL) for vitamin C varies with age and intercourse, nevertheless it’s typically round 2,000 milligrams per day for many adults. Going above this restrict can result in disagreeable unwanted effects like digestive discomfort, together with nausea, cramps and diarrhea.
The NIH cautions that extreme vitamin C consumption can pose further dangers for these with sure circumstances, similar to iron overload issues or kidney illness. Most people needn’t fear about overdoing it so long as they preserve a balanced weight-reduction plan, however seek the advice of a well being care supplier in case you’re contemplating a high-dose complement.
“With long-term extreme vitamin C consumption, it’s attainable that kidney stones can develop,” says Blanca Garcia, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Well being Canal. “Additionally, an extra quantity of vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron, which isn’t dangerous for a wholesome particular person, however some folks with medical circumstances like hemochromatosis may be affected by this.”
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Ceaselessly Requested Questions
1. What’s the most really helpful vitamin C consumption per day?
The utmost really helpful each day vitamin C consumption, decided by the tolerable higher consumption degree (UL), sometimes hovers round 2,000 milligrams for many adults. Nevertheless, it will probably differ primarily based on elements like age and intercourse.
2. Is it OK to eat an excessive amount of vitamin C?
Consuming an excessive amount of vitamin C is mostly secure inside the really helpful each day limits. Nevertheless, exceeding the higher consumption degree can result in adversarial results similar to digestive points, together with nausea, cramps and diarrhea. Excessive doses of vitamin C is likely to be a priority for people with particular well being circumstances, like kidney issues or iron overload issues. A well-balanced weight-reduction plan ought to present enough vitamin C for most individuals, nevertheless it’s important to seek the advice of a well being care supplier earlier than taking any high-dose dietary supplements.
The Backside Line
Vitamin C is an important nutrient and antioxidant crucial for optimum well being. It might assist improve iron absorption, fortify your immune system and help collagen manufacturing. Nevertheless, preserving your consumption in verify is essential. The really helpful each day consumption varies, however most adults can safely eat round 100 to 200 milligrams each day, with an higher restrict of two,000 milligrams each day. Past that, you danger disagreeable signs like gastrointestinal discomfort. A balanced weight-reduction plan wealthy in quite a lot of fruit and veggies will help you meet your vitamin C wants with out overdoing it. For these contemplating high-dose vitamin C dietary supplements or with particular medical circumstances, seek the advice of a well being care supplier or registered dietitian earlier than making an attempt something new.
