Is Too Much Vitamin C Bad?

Is too much vitamin C bad? Yes, it’s bad for children and adults.

Vitamin C also known as L-ascorbic acid is a basic nutritional requirement for proper body functions and wellness.

It’s essential for the production of collagen, needed for the production of healthy skin cells, and proper wound healing. It also functions as an antioxidant, protecting cells from free radical harm.

However, it’s important you don’t consume an excess of it. Know “how much vitamin C is too much?”.

According to medical professionals, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) per day is 90mg (men), 75mg (women),  and not more than 25mg for children depending on the age bracket.

Here is the RDA in details:

• kids (1–3 years) 15 mg,
• kids (4–8 years) 25 mg,
• adolescents (9–13 years) 45 mg,
• teens (14–18 years) 65–75 mg,
• adult women (aged 19 and older) 75 mg,
• adult men (aged 19 and older) 90 mg
• pregnant women (aged 19 and older) 85 mg
• breastfeeding women (aged 19 and older) 120 mg

It is thought by medical practitioners that 200 mg is the highest amount of L-ascorbic acid the human body can absorb at one time, going beyond it can cause side effects that may be unhealthy, life-threatening, harmful, and unsafe.

Adults and children who consume much of this vitamin may get down with signs and symptoms like kidney stones, nausea, diarrhea, digestive problems, among many.

Can you take much vitamin C?

It’s very possible to take too much vitamin C, which has been discussed to be bad for your health.  It can lead to stomach upset, irritated skin, headaches, and other health complications. Food is the best source of vitamin C. However, you can augment with a vitamin C supplement if you’re gaining less from food. While you give in to toping up with a L-ascorbic acid supplement, be careful not to take more than prescribed. Overdosing with supplements is easier than with food. Hence, It’s appropriate and safe to take the supplement in the recommended amount. The recommended daily allowance-RDA for men is 90mg and for women is 75mg.

Adding to the RDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has before 2020 issued a recommended Daily Value( DV) for vitamin C for food and supplement labels. The recommended DV for vitamin C for adults and children (male and female) aged 4 and above is 60 mg. However, this DV percentage is subject to change and may be increased to 90 mg.

What’s the importance of DV? The DV helps you to know the percentage of nutrients in one food serving. To know the DV of L-ascorbic acid in processed and packed foods, check the labels. It’s usually written as %DV.

What is the best source of L-ascorbic acid?

Vegetables and fruits are the best source of vitamin C for you. Heat easily destroys the vitamin C in foods which is why it’s healthier to eat your fruits and vegetables when they are freshly harvested or preserved. You can eat cooked vegetables and fruits but the easiest way to measure and ascertain you have reached the recommended intake of L-ascorbic acid is when you eat them raw. Fresh raw fruits and vegetables contain good nutrients that can benefit certain health conditions such as cold, weak immune system, and more.

Fruits high in vitamin C

What are the fruits high in vitamin C? According to food scientists, any food providing 20% or more of the daily value (DV) for L-ascorbic acid is considered a high vitamin C source. As a result, the following fruits are classified as high L-ascorbic acid fruits…

Guava: Guava is a high vitamin C fruit to add to your diet. One guava (55 g) contains 126 mg (209% DV).

Orange: Fresh orange juice, of about three quarter 3/4 cup (177 ml) has 155% or 93 mg of vitaminC.

Cantaloupe: Per cup of cantaloupe that weighs (177 g) has 65 mg (108% DV) of L-ascorbic acid.

Kiwifruit: Per medium-sized kiwifruit (76 g) has 70 mg and in percentage has 117% DV.

Pawpaw or papaya: One small-sized papaya (152 g) is said to have 94 mg (157% DV) L-ascorbic acid. Also read 7 Incredible health benefits of papaya for the elderly

Fresh strawberries: A half-cup (72 grams) of fresh strawberries gives you  49 mg and 82% respectively. So if you are looking for fruits high in L-ascorbic acid go for strawberry, fresh.

Lemon:  A medium-sized lemon (108 g)  has up to 83 mg (139% DV) L-ascorbic acid content.

Grapefruit: Grapefruit is a tropical citrus fruit that helps boost your immune system.  One medium-sized grapefruit (123 g) has 38 mg (64% DV).

Pineapple: 79 mg (131% DV) L-ascorbic acid can be gained from one cup of pineapple juice (165 g)

Mango: A cup of mango with a weight (165 g) is research to have a vitamin C content of  46 mg (76% DV).

Honeydew: One honeydew contains 240% daily values or 180 mg.

Lime Fruit: Per 100 g serving of lime fruits contain 29.1 mg (35% Daily Value).

Vegetables high in vitamin C

High vitamin C vegetables are vegetables with 20% daily value (DV) and above. Raw vegetables, not fresh vegetable juice that weighs (100g) offer the following amount of L-ascorbic acid…

• Kale______________120 mg (200% DV)
• Tomatoes__________22.8 mg (38% DV)
• Broccoli____________89.2 mg (149% DV)
• Bell peppers________183.5 mg (306% DV)
• Cauliflower_________48.2 mg (86% DV)
• Brussels sprouts_____85 mg (125% DV)

Side effects of too much L-ascorbic acid

Too much vitamin C is said to be bad because of its side effects. However, it’s almost impossible for you to eat too much of this vitamin from food. Eating more than needed happens easily when you are taking supplements. Here are commonly mild and severe side effects to occur from taking excess of the vitamin…

symptoms of too much vitamin C

• Headache
• Insomnia
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Stomach upset,
• Irritated skin
• Abdominal cramps or discomfort
• Kidney stones problems
• Bone spurs condition

Benefits of eating foods high in vitamin C

The benefits of eating foods, vegetables, or fruits high in L-ascorbic acid are amazing and powerful. Foods high in vitaminC helps to promote healthy and glowing skin, cure a cold and flu, aid wound healing, and tissue repairs, support weight loss, prevent bleeding gum and gum decay, reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Best Vitamin C supplements

Going by the recommended daily allowance of L-ascorbic acid, below are 2021 best vitamin C supplements available on amazon to top up your food with…

Please note that we may earn little commission from the sales of vitamin C supplements when you buy through our link, thank you.

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