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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:
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.
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