Related topics: •  Get Your Juices

Vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid) is one of the most versatile vitamins. It keeps you from bruising too easily and helps wounds heal. It strengthens capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to all parts of your body, and produces collagen, the connective tissue that underlies your skin and stabilizes your bones. C is a powerful antioxidant, which means it rids your body of free radicals, harmful oxygen molecules that can cause the cell damage that leads to cancer, heart disease, cataracts, arthritis, and many other health problems. Vitamin C keeps your immune system going strong, and although taking extra C won't keep you from getting a cold, it may ease your symptoms if taken at the first sign of sniffles.

The current government recommendation is 75 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 90 mg a day for men to get the minimum amount your body needs. (Smokers should add an additional 35 mg.) Meanwhile, researchers say a good amount to aim for is 200 mg since that's the most your body can absorb at one time.

Orange, red, and green fruits and vegetables are your best bet. A cup of orange juice has about 100 mg. Guava, papaya, cantaloupe, and strawberries are also chock full. A half-cup of broccoli gives you 60 mg, as does half a red bell pepper. Many fruit drinks, such as cranberry juice cocktail, are fortified with C.

It's easy to get plenty of vitamin C through your diet as long as you're not completely shunning fruits and vegetables, and there's no evidence that taking supplements regularly has any health benefits. Some small studies have shown that taking additional vitamin C can reduce the severity of cold symptoms and shorten your suffering. But most studies have shown no preventative effects, except among people exposed to severe exercise or cold environments. If you do decide to boost your intake to ward off a cold, take it in smaller doses to keep your blood levels high around the clock and avoid side effects.

Most people can probably take up to 2,000 mg of C a day without ill effects, but the majority of it passes right through the body, and some people can get diarrhea from as little as 500 mg.

Further Resources

Roberta Larson Duyuff, MS, RD, CFCS, The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food &Nutrition Guide. Chronimed Publishing, 1996, 1998.

References

First published September 3, 1998
Last updated December 14, 2007
Copyright © 1998 Consumer Health Interactive and OneBody, Inc.

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