[, Hoffer LJ, Levine M, Assouline S, Melnychuk D, Padayatty SJ, Rosadiuk K, et al. Having too much vitamin C from your diet or supplements may have adverse effects. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;(3):CD004183. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. [, Carr A, Frei B. Ascorbate is an outstanding antioxidant in human blood plasma. Results from pharmacokinetic studies indicate that oral doses of 1.25 g/day ascorbic acid produce mean peak plasma vitamin C concentrations of 135 micromol/L, which are about two times higher than those produced by consuming 200300 mg/day ascorbic acid from vitamin C-rich foods [10]. People who have or are developing the disease might want to talk with their doctor about taking dietary supplements. How much vitamin C kids and toddlers need Ages 1 to 3 years: 15 milligrams (mg) daily Ages 4 to 8: 25 mg daily This fact sheet by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) provides information that should not take the place of medical advice. Pediatrics 2001;108:E55. Effects of hormone replacement therapy and antioxidant vitamin supplements on coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. AHRQ Publication No. Cutis 2005;76:261-6. How much vitamin C should you take? People who have limited food varietyincluding some elderly, indigent individuals who prepare their own food; people who abuse alcohol or drugs; food faddists; people with mental illness; and, occasionally, childrenmight not obtain sufficient vitamin C [4,6-9,11]. Although the Linxian trial data suggest a possible benefit, overall, the findings from most intervention trials do not provide convincing evidence that vitamin C supplements provide protection against cardiovascular disease or reduce its morbidity or mortality. Accessed March 18, 2022. 2010 Feb;91(2):487-93. [, Chen Q, Espey MG, Krishna MC, Mitchell JB, Corpe CP, Buettner GR, et al. Vitamin C is also known as L-ascorbic acid, or simply ascorbic acid. Other measures, such as leukocyte vitamin C concentration, could be more accurate indicators of tissue vitamin C levels, but they are more difficult to assess and the results are not always reliable [4,9,14]. Salehpour A1, Hosseinpanah F, Shidfar F, Vafa M, Razaghi M, Dehghani S, Hoshiarrad A, Gohari M. A 12-week Double-blind Randomized Clinical Trial of Vitamin D Supplementation on Body Fat Mass in Healthy Overweight and Obese Women. Cells accumulate vitamin C via a second specific transport protein. Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. During pregnancy, 120 mg a day are recommended. However, in individuals with hereditary hemochromatosis, chronic consumption of high doses of vitamin C could exacerbate iron overload and result in tissue damage [4,8]. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment Number 75. In addition, baseline antioxidant status was related to cancer risk in men, but not in women [34]. Ages 1 to 3 years: 15 milligrams (mg) daily. health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health Last medically reviewed on December 2, 2019. Heres a piece of good news for you: Deficiency of vitamin C is very rare in the United States. At this time, the evidence is inconsistent on whether dietary vitamin C intake affects cancer risk. A few studies in humans have examined whether bioavailability differs among the various forms of vitamin C. In one study, Ester-C and ascorbic acid produced the same vitamin C plasma concentrations, but Ester-C produced significantly higher vitamin C concentrations in leukocytes 24 hours after ingestion [18]. However, taking vitamin C supplements, with or without other antioxidants, doesn't seem to protect people from getting cancer. Children who are very picky eaters and don't eat a lot of fruits and vegetables may not get enough vitamin C. And children exposed to secondhand smoke may need more vitamin C to repair cell damage from cigarettes. After a median follow-up time of 7.5 years, the combined supplements had no effect on ischemic cardiovascular disease in either men or women. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. Vitamin C is also an important physiological antioxidant [3] and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants within the body, including alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) [4]. Due to the enhancement of nonheme iron absorption by vitamin C, a theoretical concern is that high vitamin C intakes might cause excess iron absorption. Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. The physiologic importance of dehydroascorbic acid uptake and its contribution to overall vitamin C economy is unknown. 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of myocardial infarction in men: a prospective study. Am J Epidemiol 2004;160:339-49. At least some of these data have been criticized because of poor study design [52]. Many people believe that vitamin C can help prevent or even cure colds. JAMA 2005;294:3101-7. This association might be partly attributable to the antioxidant content of these foods because oxidative damage, including oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins, is a major cause of cardiovascular disease [1,4,56]. Therefore, individuals undergoing these procedures should consult with their oncologist prior to taking vitamin C or other antioxidant supplements, especially in high doses [54]. Dietary supplement use among infants, children, and adolescents in the United States, 1999-2002. A prospective study in 20,649 British adults found that those in the top quartile of baseline plasma vitamin C concentrations had a 42% lower risk of stroke than those in the bottom quartile [60]. Today, vitamin C deficiency and scurvy are rare in developed countries [8]. There are nine water-soluble vitamins in the human diet. Although too much dietary vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, large doses of vitamin C supplements might cause: Remember, for most people, a healthy diet provides enough vitamin C. There is a problem with Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1976;73:3685-9. Iron is a mineral that supports the health of red blood cells and transports oxygen throughout the body. You shouldnt try to provide vitamin C for kids as supplements without consulting a doctor. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Most people can get enough vitamin C for the day in their food. Vitamin A - Mayo Clinic Should supplemental antioxidant administration be avoided during chemotherapy and radiation therapy? Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1997;216:181-91. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. In children, bone disease can be present [6]. The vitamin C in dietary supplements is usually in the form of ascorbic acid, but some supplements have other forms, such as sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, other mineral ascorbates, and ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids. The RDA for Vitamin C ranges from 1575 mg for children, 75 mg for adult women, 90 mg for adult men, and 85120 mg for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Toddlers ages 1 to 3 years old need 15 mg of vitamin C a day and older children ages 4 to 8 years old need 25 mg a day. If subjects' vitamin C levels were already close to saturation at study entry, supplementation would be expected to have made little or no difference on measured outcomes [22,23,41,42]. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could But further research is needed to clarify this association and to determine whether vitamin C supplements affect the risk of getting cataracts. Linxian Nutrition Intervention Trials Study Group. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1999. [. A 2008 review of vitamin C and other antioxidant supplements for the prevention of gastrointestinal cancers found no convincing evidence that vitamin C (or beta-carotene, vitamin A, or vitamin E) prevents gastrointestinal cancers [39]. During the mid-1700s, Sir James Lind, a British Navy surgeon, conducted experiments and determined that eating citrus fruits or juices could cure scurvy, although scientists did not prove that ascorbic acid was the active component until 1932 [24-26]. Some supplements may contain enough vitamin C to be hazardous to children. Thus, through a varied diet, most people should be able to meet the vitamin C RDA or at least obtain enough to prevent scurvy. JAMA 2009;301:1336. Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) includes the vitamin C you get from both the food you eat and any supplements you take. Mean intakes for children and adolescents aged 1-18 years range from 75.6 mg/day to 100 mg/day, also meeting the RDA for these age groups [19]. This dietary supplement may be dropped directly into the mouth or mixed with cereal, fruit juice, or other food. 2013;24(2):567-580. doi:10.1007/s00198-012-2224-2, Urashima M, Segawa T, Okazaki M, Kurihara M, Wada Y, Ida H. Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet. Therefore, you must acquire consistent quantities of this crucial vitamin from outside sources daily. 2011;96(1):53-58. doi:10.1210/jc.2010-2704, Bouillon R, Van Schoor NM, Gielen E, et al. Humans, unlike most animals, are unable to synthesize vitamin C endogenously, so it is an essential dietary component [1]. According to the ODS, infants and children are some of the groups most at risk of iron deficiency. Accessed March 18, 2022. You may consider giving your child a tasty chewable vitamin C if a cold strikes. In addition to this, consuming more than the maximum dosage of vitamin C may cause gastrointestinal problems such as bloating and diarrhea. Hoffman FA. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. Here are the 15 most common signs and symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C for babies and kids is low in developing or poorer countries, where they have much less intestinal absorption or unhealthy eating habits that leave out vitamin C sources. In people with a condition called hemochromatosis, which causes the body to store too much iron, high doses of vitamin C could worsen iron overload and damage body tissues. 2011. Cardiovascular Effects of Secondhand Smoke. Undated. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:1472-6. Your baby or toddler's age determines how much vitamin C is needed each day for optimal health. Vitamins for MS: Do supplements make a difference? Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition. Too much vitamin C: Is it harmful? - Mayo Clinic In the Moertel study, patients with advanced colorectal cancer who received 10 g/day vitamin C fared no better than those receiving a placebo. Vitamin C dietary supplements and other antioxidants might interact with chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer. Similar findings were reported in women participating in the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study [36]. To help your child get the much-needed boost, try: Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Cancer Res 2008;68:8031-8. However, few may encounter minor side effects, such as, Your child may get stomach irritation and kidney stones if they consume more vitamin C than the prescribed upper limit. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:1508-20. In the Supplmentation en Vitamines et Minraux Antioxydants (SU.VI.MAX) study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial,13,017 healthy French adults received antioxidant supplementation with 120 mg ascorbic acid, 30 mg vitamin E, 6 mg beta-carotene, 100 mcg selenium, and 20 mg zinc, or placebo [33]. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2003. Scurvy is fatal if it is not treated. Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. Its important to note that vitamin C in food is easily destroyed by heat, but since many good sources of the nutrient are fruits and vegetables, simply eating some of those foods raw is an easy way to reach the recommended intake.