Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that helps the body heal wounds, keep bones strong, and enhance brain function. It is crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system and is widely available in many fruits and vegetables.
Although vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables, some people claim that vitamin C supplements provide more benefits, such as preventing the common cold.
However, many supplements contain extremely large amounts of the vitamin, which can cause undesirable side effects in some cases.
What are the side effects of consuming too much vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and it doesn’t get stored in the body. Consequently, it’s important to consume foods that are rich in vitamin C daily. Although vitamin C is not known to be toxic or to cause any serious adverse effects. Some common side-effects include:
- diarrhea
- nausea
- abdominal cramps, and other gastrointestinal issues
- iron accumulation
- kidney stones
How much vitamin C should you take?
As vitamin C is water soluble it is difficult to consume too much. However, the risks of vitamin C overdose are higher when people take supplements, and it is possible to consume too much of the vitamin in some circumstances. If you choose to take a vitamin C supplement, it’s best to choose one that contains no more than 100% of your daily needs. That’s 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women. Moreover, always consult a doctor before taking any supplement.