2023-11-23 09:13:39
Vitamin C is vital. But too much can be harmful – especially for certain groups of people. The symptoms and treatment at a glance.
Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid and is vital for humans. Among other things, it is good for blood vessels, bones, teeth, connective tissue and the immune system. For generations, children have learned that they need enough vitamin C to avoid getting sick – even though it has not been scientifically proven that the vitamin protects against colds. We naturally absorb ascorbic acid through food – for example with black currants, peppers, broccoli, citrus fruits or kiwi. Numerous dietary supplements also contain high amounts of vitamin C. But this also poses a danger. Because too large quantities can be harmful to your health: there is a risk of vitamin C poisoning.
How much vitamin C is healthy?
How much vitamin C the body needs depends on age and, from adolescence onwards, also on gender, writes the German Nutrition Society (DGE). The recommended levels are 20 milligrams per day for infants and children under four years old, rising to 85 milligrams per day for 13 to 15 year olds. The recommended intake for males aged 15 to 19 is 105 milligrams per day and for females it is 90 milligrams per day. Adult men need 110 milligrams, women only 95. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have an increased need. According to the DGE, this recommended intake is exceeded or approximately reached by all age groups in Germany.
How do I get the right amount of vitamin C?
The DGE gives the following tips for optimal vitamin C intake:
If possible, consume five portions of vegetables and fruit every day – ideally one portion with each meal (“five a day”). Food such as vegetables and fruit should be washed thoroughly, but only briefly. Only steam vegetables briefly to keep vitamin losses to a minimum.
Vitamin C overdose: How much vitamin C is harmful?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assumes that the additional daily intake of more than one gram of vitamin C in addition to the intake through the normal diet can increase the risk of physical damage. There are also some groups of people who are at increased risk of harmful side effects from increased vitamin C intake: for example, people with kidney damage, people who are predisposed to urinary or kidney stones, or who have disorders in the utilization of iron. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends a maximum amount of 250 milligrams per daily intake recommendation for vitamin C in dietary supplements. The medical encyclopedia “MSD Manual” sets the upper intake limit for vitamin C at 2 grams per day.
These values are often exceeded with dietary supplements: Up to ten grams of vitamin C per day is sometimes taken as a health precaution, for example to prevent colds and shorten periods of illness – although it has not been proven whether vitamin C helps. In addition, vitamin C should not be administered simultaneously or indiscriminately with all other vitamins.
Vitamin C overdose: What are the symptoms and consequences of ascorbic acid poisoning?
If you consume too much vitamin C, the body usually excretes it in the urine because it is water-soluble. However, if the intake is significantly too high, vitamin C poisoning, also known as ascorbic acid poisoning or vitamin C toxicity, can occur. The The medical encyclopedia “MSD Manual” writes about this: “Ingesting > 2 g of vitamin C per day can cause nausea and diarrhea, disrupt the healthy balance of antioxidants and pro-oxidants in the body, and promote iron overload in patients with thalassemia or hemochromatosis.” A dose like the ten grams mentioned above acidifies the urine and leads, among other things, to nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea – especially in people with damaged kidneys. Because in them, the excess vitamin C can promote the formation of kidney stones. In healthy kidneys, however, there is no increased risk of kidney stones if high doses of vitamin C are taken.
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Treating a vitamin C overdose: what to do if you have ascorbic acid poisoning?
As already mentioned, the body gets rid of the excess vitamin on its own. Depending on the severity of the vitamin C overdose, it is sufficient to stop taking the dietary supplement until the effects are eliminated. As soon as our body has excreted the excess vitamin C, the symptoms usually disappear again.
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