Vitamin C is well known as ascorbic acid. It is a type of micronutrient that is water-soluble, unstable, and easily be destroyed by light and extreme heat. Nowadays, there are a lot of preparations in a form of capsules, concentrated juices, syrups that promise to give a certain amount of Vitamin C to increase the level of our immune system by taking them regularly. Indeed, Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients as well as the safest vitamins everyone can take.
What Are The Benefits Of Taking Vitamin C?
- It strengthens the protection of the body against infectious or communicable diseases and cancers.
- It prevents prenatal problems in pregnant women.
- It prevents eye diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
- It prevents skin wrinkling and promotes younger-looking skin as it acts as a very potent antioxidant as well.
How Much Vitamin C Should I Take Daily?
There are a lot of schools of thought that dictate the required amounts of vitamin C one should take on a daily basis. The RDA or the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin C says that a normal individual should take about 75 to 90 mg of Ascorbic Acid in a day. These can be taken from the fruits and vegetables or from the natural sources that we take in during our meals. On the other hand, there are studies that suggest that 500 mg of Ascorbic Acid in a day is best to achieve satisfactory health results. This 500 mg of Vit C can be taken in a supplement or in a tablet form every day, which is in addition to eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Some of the examples of Vit C rich fruits and vegetables are as follows:
- orange
- tomatoes
- red and green pepper
- cantaloupe
- kiwi
- broccoli
What Are The Side Effects Of Having Too Much Vitamin C?
Every medication or supplement which are taken in excessive amounts is expected to produce an adverse reaction to the body, be it mild, moderate, severe, or life-threatening. The amount of 500mg of Vit C in the present-day recommendations on supplementation is not high but optimal. With all the pollution of different sorts in the environment, optimal health results can be achieved with this amount of Vit C. The side effect or the only downside of this is that there are some people who get to have stomach irritation and diarrhea taking certain forms of Vitamin C. The safe ceiling or the upper limit for Vit C intake is about 2,000 mg/day which is relatively four times the dose of the recommended 500mg daily.