Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

July 9, 2020

This article provides general nutrition information only and is not medical advice.

OVERVIEW

Vitamin C is a vitamin. Some animals can make their own vitamin C, but people must get this vitamin from food and other sources. Good sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C can also be made in a laboratory.

Most experts recommend getting vitamin C from a diet high in fruits and vegetables rather than taking supplements. Fresh-squeezed orange juice or fresh-frozen concentrate are good sources.

Historically, vitamin C was used for preventing and treating scurvy. These days, vitamin C is most commonly used for preventing and treating the common cold.

CLASSIFICATION

Is a Form of:
Vitamin obtained from food and other sources

Primary Function:
Preventing and Treating Common Cold

Also Known as:
AcideAscorbique, AcideCevitamique, Acide Iso-Ascorbique

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Vitamin C is required for the proper development and function of many parts of the body. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper immune function.

USES

Vitamin C deficiency: Taking vitamin C by mouth or injecting as a shot prevents and supports vitamin C deficiency, including scurvy. Also, taking vitamin C can reverse problems associated with scurvy.
An inherited imbalance marked by the body's inability to property break down the amino acid tyrosine (tyrosinemia). Taking vitamin C by mouth or as a shot improves a genetic imbalance in newborns in which blood levels of the amino acid tyrosine are too high.
An eye condition that leads to vision loss in older adults (age-related macular degeneration or AMD): Taking vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc helps prevent AMD from becoming worse in people at high risk for developing advanced AMD. It's too soon to know if the combination helps people at lower risk for developing advanced AMD. Also, it's too soon to known if vitamin C helps prevents AMD.
Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation): Taking vitamin C before and for a few days after heart surgery helps prevent irregular heartbeat after heart surgery.
Emptying the colon before a colonoscopy: Before a person undergoes a colonoscopy, the person must make sure that their colon is empty. This emptying is called bowel preparation. Some bowel preparation involves drinking 4 liters of medicated fluid. If vitamin C is included in the medicated fluid, the person only needs to drink 2 liters. This makes people more likely to follow through with the emptying procedure. Also fewer side effects occur. A specific medicated fluid containing vitamin C (MoviPrep, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for bowel preparation.
Common cold: There is some controversy about the effectiveness of vitamin C for treating the common cold. However, most research shows that taking 1-3 grams of vitamin C might shorten the course of the cold by 1 to 1.5 days. Taking vitamin C does not appear to prevent colds.
Limb pain that usually occurs after an injury (complex regional pain syndrome): Taking vitamin C after surgery or injury to the arm or leg seems to prevent complex regional pain syndrome from developing.
Skin redness caused by injury or irritation (erythema): Using a skin cream containing vitamin C might decrease skin redness following laser resurfacing for scar and wrinkle removal.
Airway immune challenges caused by exercise: Using vitamin C before heavy physical exercise, such as a marathon, might prevent upper airway immune challenges that can occur after heavy exercise.
Swelling (physical strain) of the stomach (gastritis): Some medicine used to support H. pylori immune challenge can worsen stomach physical strain. Taking vitamin C along with one of these medicines called omeprazole might decrease this side effect.
Gout: Higher intake of vitamin C from the diet is linked to a lower risk of gout in men. But vitamin C doesn't help support gout.
Worsening of stomach physical strain caused by medicine used to support H. pylori immune challenge: Some medicine used to support H. pylori immune challenge can worsen stomach physical strain. Taking vitamin C along with one of these medicines called omeprazole might decrease this side effect.
A condition in which red blood cells are broken down faster than they are made (hemolytic anemia): Taking vitamin C supplements might help manage anemia in people undergoing dialysis.
High lipid balance: Taking vitamin C might reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") lipid balance in people with high lipid balance.
High cardiovascular health: Taking vitamin C along with medicine to lower cardiovascular health helps lower systolic cardiovascular health (the top number in a cardiovascular health reading) by a small amount. But it does not seem to lower diastolic pressure (the bottom number). Taking vitamin C does not seem to lower cardiovascular health when taken without medicine to lower cardiovascular health.
Lead poisoning: Consuming vitamin C in the diet seems to lower blood levels of lead.
Reduced benefit of nitrate routine that happens when nitrates are used all day (nitrate tolerence): In some people who take medicines for chest pain, the body develops tolerance and the medicines stop working as well. Taking vitamin C seems to help these medicines, such as nitroglycerine, work for longer.
Osteoarthritis: Taking vitamin C from dietary sources or from calcium ascorbate supplements seems to prevent cartilage loss and worsening of concerns in people with osteoarthritis.
Pain after surgery; Taking 2 grams of vitamin C by mouth one hour before surgery might reduce pain and the need for opioid pain relievers after surgery. Receiving 3 grams of vitamin C by IV during the first 30 minutes of surgery might also help reduce pain. Taking lower doses of vitamin C for 6 weeks after surgery also seems to reduce pain and the use of over-the-counter pain relievers.
Sunburn: Taking vitamin C by mouth or applying it to the skin along with vitamin E might prevent sunburn. But taking vitamin C alone does not prevent sunburn.
Wrinkled skin: Skin creams containing vitamin C seem to improve the appearance of wrinkled skin. A vitamin C patch also seems to help reduce wrinkles.

RECOMMENDED DOSING

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

General: The daily recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) are: 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women; Pregnancy and Lactation: age 18 or younger, 115 mg; ages 19 to 50 years 120 mg. People who use tobacco should take an additional 35 mg per day. Do not take more than the following amounts of vitamin C: 1800 mg per day for adolescents and pregnant and breast-feeding women 14 to 18 years, and 2000 mg per day for adults and pregnant and lactating women.
For vitamin C deficiency: 100-250 mg once or twice daily for several days for scurvy.
For an eye condition that leads to vision loss in older adults (age-related macular degeneration or AMD): 500 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E, and 15 mg of beta-carotene, with or without 80 mg of zinc, per day for up to 10 years.
For irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation): 1-2 grams of vitamin C per day for 1-3 days before heart surgery followed by 1-2 grams in two divided doses daily for 4-5 days after heart surgery has been used.
For emptying the colon before a colonoscopy: 2 liters of solution containing polyethylene glycol and vitamin C is used the evening prior to colonoscopy or as a split-dose taken on the evening prior to and the morning of colonoscopy. The most commonly studied product for this indication is MoviPrep (Norgine BV).
For treating the common cold: 1-3 grams daily.
For preventing limb pain that usually occurs after an injury (complex regional pain syndrome): 500 mg of vitamin C each day for 50 days starting right after the injury.
For airway immune challenges caused by exercise: 600 mg to 1 gram of vitamin C per day for 3-8 weeks before heavy exercise has been used.
For swelling (physical strain) of the stomach (gastritis): 1200 mg of vitamin C daily along with omeprazole has been used.
For a condition in which red blood cells are broken down faster than they are made (hemolytic anemia): 200-300 mg of vitamin C three times per week for 3-6 months has been used.
For high lipid balance: 500 mg vitamin C each day for at least 4 weeks.
For high cardiovascular health: 500 mg of vitamin C per day along with cardiovascular health-lowering medication has been used.
For treating the reduced benefit of nitrate routine that happens when nitrates are used all day (nitrate tolerance): 3-6 grams of vitamin C daily has been used.
For osteoarthritis: 1 gram of vitamin C in the form of calcium ascorbate daily for 2 weeks has been used.
For reducing pain after surgery: 2 grams of vitamin C one hour prior to anesthesia has been used.
For preventing sunburn: 2 grams of vitamin C along with 1000 IU vitamin E taken before sun exposure has been used.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What does vitamin C ascorbic acid do?

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are compounds formed when our bodies convert the food we eat into energy.

Is ascorbic acid and vitamin C same?

Let's start with vitamin C. Most sources equate vitamin C with ascorbic acid, as though they were the same thing. They're not. Ascorbic acid is an isolate, a fraction, a distillate of naturally occurring vitamin C.

Is ascorbic acid bad for you?

For adults, the recommended daily amount for vitamin C is 65 to 90 milligrams (mg) a day, and the upper limit is 2,000 mg a day. Although too much dietary vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, megadoses of vitamin C supplements might cause: Diarrhea.

How do you use vitamin C ascorbic acid?

How to use Ascorbic Acid. Take this vitamin by mouth with or without food, usually 1 to 2 times daily. Follow all directions on the product package, or take as directed by your doctor. If you are taking the extended-release capsules, swallow them whole.

Which type of vitamin C is best?

Ascorbic acid: Also called L-ascorbic and L-ascorbate, ascorbic acid is vitamin C in its purest form. It's the most bioavailable form, meaning it is readily absorbed by the body through the bloodstream. Sodium ascorbate: Pure ascorbic acid can be too acidic for some people's stomach (and cause heartburn).

Is it safe to take 500mg of vitamin C daily?

The safe upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 milligrams a day, and there is a great track record with strong evidence that taking 500 milligrams daily is safe.

Is ascorbic acid a good vitamin C?

Ascorbic acid is the form of vitamin C found naturally in food. It has good bioavailability but some people find it too acidic on their gut and can't tolerate higher doses. Bioflavonoids are beneficial plant compounds often added to vitamin C supplements.

Is ascorbic acid natural or artificial?

Most vitamin C supplements on the market use synthetic vitamin C or ascorbic acid. The majority of this synthetic vitamin C is originally derived from GMO corn and processed with chemicals like acetone (think: nail polish remover) that are not used in the production of organic certified products.

What happens if vitamin C is high?

Although too much dietary vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, megadoses of vitamin C supplements might cause: Diarrhea. Nausea. Vomiting.

What is the best time to take vitamin C?

Water-soluble vitamins absorb best on an empty stomach. That means taking them first thing in the morning, 30 minutes prior to eating, or two hours after a meal. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water so your body can use them. Vitamin C, all B vitamins, and folate (folic acid) are water soluble.

Can Too Much Vitamin C cause kidney stones?

Taking supplements in high doses may lead to kidney stones. Excess vitamin C is excreted from the body as oxalate, a bodily waste product. Consuming too much vitamin C has the potential to increase the amount of oxalate in your urine, thus increasing the risk of developing kidney stones.

What should not be taken with vitamin C?

Aspirin and nonsteroidal joint comfort drugs (NSAIDs) -- Both aspirin and NSAIDs can lower the amount of vitamin C in the body because they cause more of the vitamin to be lost in urine. In addition, high doses of vitamin C can cause more of these drugs to stay in the body, raising the levels in your blood.

What is ascorbic acid used for?

Vitamin C is important for bones and connective tissues, muscles, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron, which is needed for red blood cell production. Ascorbic acid is used to support and prevent vitamin C deficiency.

Can you take vitamin C and zinc together?

Avoid taking more than one multivitamin product at the same time unless your doctor tells you to. Taking similar products together can result in an overdose or serious side effects.

What medications should not be taken with vitamin C?

CLINICAL STUDIES

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^ Si