Vitamin Supplements

In general, vitamin C appears to be relatively safe for most people, even when consumed in fairly large quantities over long periods of time. Doses as high as 10 g per day (more than 100 times the RDA) for several years do not have any toxic effect for some people. The body tends to excrete (in the urine) any vitamin C it can’t put to use, thereby preventing toxic buildup. Some studies, however, have shown that toxic symptoms can occur in daily doses of as little as 1 g.

The most common symptom of excessive vitamin C consumption is gastrointestinal distress. Vitamin C can produce everything from an upset stomach to diarrhea (often accompanied by nausea and headaches). While this would concern most people, some vitamin C fanatics contend that the ideal dose of this nutrient is just below the diarrhea threshold. “You’re not taking enough until you’ve started to get the runs,” they claim. You can avoid diarrhea (and some other toxic symptoms) by increasing your vitamin C intake gradually—adding an extra 100 mg to your daily dose each week.

Large doses of vitamin C might also increase your chances of developing kidney stones, in part by increasing the acidity of your urine, making it more conducive to the production of stones.

Large amounts of vitamin C in your system could interfere with tests that your doctor may conduct. You may get an erroneous result on a urine glucose test (used to screen for diabetes), for example, because of the large amounts of vitamin C excreted in your urine. The same “false negative” finding might occur on a fecal occult blood test (used to diagnose colon cancer).

Doctors have also reported a condition they call “rebound scurvy.” This occurs in people who have consumed high doses of vitamin C and suddenly stop taking the supplement; when this happens, the body reacts as though it were continuing to receive large levels of the vitamin, breaking down and clearing the nutrient so rapidly that some symptoms of scurvy may surface.

Vitamin C Health Merits

Over the years, you’ve probably heard the claims that vitamin C is almost magical in its ability to fight both mild and serious diseases. A considerable body of research has been compiled on vitamin C—a much more credible source than the anecdotal reports relating to the vitamin. Some of the scientific research is persuasive and promising.

Inevitably, some of the claims for vitamin C have not panned out—at least not to the extent that its proponents would have you believe. But research does show that the vitamin can promote bone strength, help wounds heal, promote healthy gums, and reduce iron deficiency anemia (by enhancing absorption of iron). The vitamin may also protect against development of cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Vitamin C Overdose Toxicity and Health Merits

• Vitamin Mineral Nutrition Supplements Facts: Iron Health Merits Food Sources Overdose
• Mineral Supplements, how safe is your daily Minerals Intake?
• Your Mineral Essentials Cobalt Copper & Fluorine
• Calcium Health Merits , Online Vitamin, Mineral and Supplement Guide
• Your Mineral Essentials Iodine & Iron
• Iron Deficiency, Who's at Risk for?
• Mineral Supplements, how safe is your daily Minerals Intake? continued
• Critical to your Well-being: Vitamins Folic Acid; Functions, Deficiency, Overdose
• Vitamin Mineral Iron Supplements: How Much Iron Are You Getting?
• Vitamin E, Enhancing one's Sex life to stopping the Aging process (Facts of function, form, Deficiency, Overdose)