Oftentimes, we have had people ask, how much vitamin C is too much per day? And in this post, we will be answering that question for good.

For starters, vitamin C is a highly abundant nutrient that can be found in a variety of food sources such as fruits and vegetables, which include orange, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, and spinach. However, it is often difficult to get just enough from these sources alone, because it’s hard to maintain a vitamin-C-rich diet by eating only this type of food. One reason is because of the degradation of vitamin C when you cook or heat it. So, if you have to cook your vegetables, you may be losing a significant amount of this vitamin due to this process.

Additionally, the effect of a vitamin-C-deficient diet can be dangerous because it can lead to scurvy, cause bleeding gums, a loss of teeth, poor tissue growth, or slow down wound healing. Furthermore, trying to keep up with the daily requirement via vitamin-C-rich food isn’t typically sufficient, and for those involved in physical or stressful activities, a higher dose than the daily requirement is generally advised. This shows that there is the need to take a vitamin C supplement if you want your body to absorb the right amount of this vitamin.

It is also important to note that vitamin C is a nutrient that confers several benefits to the body, and we have highlighted some of these advantages below.

First, vitamin C is known for its immune-boosting and antioxidant property. As a powerful antioxidant, this vitamin can increase the blood antioxidant level by up to 30%, which helps the body to fight inflammation. Vitamin C may also be crucial to improve outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients due to its immune-boosting activity.

Also, vitamin C delivers a strong cardiovascular effect to the body by lowering blood pressure in both those with high blood pressure and those without.  The vitamin can also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Overall, vitamin C is beneficial in helping the body absorb iron. Iron is essential for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. Consequently, vitamin C can help people prone to iron deficiency to reduce the risk of anemia. Vitamin C can also help to convert iron from plant-based sources, which is often poorly absorbed, into a form that is easier to absorb

Now that you know the importance of vitamin C is, let’s take a look at how much of this vitamin should be included in your daily diet.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin C starts from 75mg in women and 90 mg in men, and the upper limit is 2000mg. During pregnancy or while breastfeeding, at least 200mg is recommended. If you decide to meet your daily requirement of vitamin C with a supplement, there are doses that may be unnecessary. Generally, taking 1000mg is ideal, regardless of your condition. In some cases, it is possible to move it a notch higher by taking 2000mg, however, the body is unable to absorb more than 1000mg of vitamin C in a day, and taking more than that can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, abdominal cramps, headache, and insomnia.