Surprisingly enough there is such a thing as too much vitamin c. Taking too much vitamin c can have some unpleasant side effects.

Vitamin c (also known as ascorbic acid) supports normal growth and development and helps your body absorb iron. It has been related to fighting off infectious disease and improving your immune system. It is also necessary to form collagen which is an important protein used to make skin, ligaments, blood vessels, scar tissue and tendons. Vitamin c is an antioxidant and can therefore block some of the damage caused by free radicals, which are by-products that result when our bodies transform food into energy. Antioxidants also help reduce the damage to the body caused by toxic chemicals and pollutants such as cigarettes smoke.

However, it is water soluble, meaning it dissolves in water and leftovers of it exit the body by urination. Vitamin c is something the human body does not produce on its own or store. Because of that fact it is one of the most widely taken supplemental vitamins in the United States.

Most of us can obtain enough vitamin c necessary in a day by drinking a glass of orange juice, or having a piece of fruit or vegetable containing vitamin c naturally, such as red pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupe, turnip greens, oranges or strawberries. This having been said a person can take too much vitamin c causing multiple side effects.

Some side effects from taking too much vitamin c are:

• Nausea

  

• Heartburn

  

• Headache

• Insomnia

• Fatigue

• Flushing (redness of the skin)

• Diarrhea

• Stomach cramps

• Reduced Vitamin B-12

• Pro-oxidant (opposite of anti-oxidant and related to causing some forms of cancer and some types of stroke)

Some more serious side effects of taking too much vitamin c are:

• Blood clots in the legs

• Kidney stones

• Erosion of the teeth

• Worsening of sickle cell disease

• Hemolysis (destruction of the red blood cells)

• Increased aluminum absorption into the body

The recommended upper limit for adults as set in 2000 as part of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) is 2000 mg a day.

The milder symptoms should disappear when you stop taking the supplements. However, a physician should be seen to be sure there are no underlying issues.