In 1971, biochemist Pauling , winner of the Nobel prize in Chemistry, advocated for top doses of vitamin C gummies for preventing colds and other illnesses. Albeit this notion was roundly rejected by the medical profession , some patients still follow it. On National vitamin C Day, let’s take a better check out why getting an excessive amount of of this good thing are often a nasty thing.
Vitamin C is water-soluble and not stored within the body, yet you’ll still be exposed to toxic quantities if you’re taking > 2 g during a single dose. Because vitamin C is sold over the counter as tablets and vitamin C gummies, in 500 mg or 1,000 mg dosages, simply taking too many could increase the danger of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea. In other words, vitamin C gummies may appear as if candy, but they certainly aren’t .
What is vitamin C?
Vitamin C comes in two bioactive forms: vitamin C and dehydroascorbic acid. Of note, only the L-isomer of vitamin C is bioactive.
Vitamin C offers antioxidant activity and helps with nonheme iron absorption. It also plays a task in peptide hormone biosynthesis, carnitine biosynthesis, and conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. Carnitine, in turn, plays a crucial role in energy production at the extent of the mitochondria. Furthermore, vitamin C is important for animal tissue metabolism, also as cross-linking. Finally, vitamin C may be a component of drug-metabolizing enzyme systems, including the mixed-function oxidase system.
Dietary sources
Vitamin C is found in vitamin C gummies, citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, and green vegetables like broccoli. the present recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for ladies , which equates to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. Moreover, about 40% of usa citizens take vitamin C within the sort of a dietary supplement. Smoking, pregnancy, hemodialysis, stress, and lactation can boost an individual’s need for vitamin C .
Absorption
Vitamin C is totally absorbed at single doses but 100 mg. At single doses greater than 1 g, ≤ 50% is absorbed. Moreover, at higher levels of intake, there’s increased urinary and fecal excretion of vitamin C.
Deficiency
People who experience vitamin C deficiency can develop scurvy. within the us , this condition is usually observed among the elderly and indigent. People with alcohol dependence, who often consume fewer than 10 mg/day of vitamin C , are also in danger for scurvy. Furthermore, adherence to a vegetarianism also can increase the danger for scurvy.
Importantly, although uncommon, children can develop scurvy if they’re eating very unbalanced diets.
Vitamin C deficiency are often detected via low plasma or leukocyte levels.
Symptoms of scurvy include fatigue and impaired formation of mature animal tissue . Bleeding dyscrasias also can result at the extent of the skin (eg, petechiae and ecchymoses), gums, pericardium, adrenal glands, and peritoneum.
Treatment for scurvy at a dosage of 200 mg/day can help to alleviate symptoms after several days. Treatment at even higher dosages (as much us several grams per day) may slightly boost symptom resolution, also as resolution of upper tract infection.
Other health benefits of vitamin C gummies
Vitamin C gummies supplementation may help with a spread of conditions, including Chédiak-Higashi syndrome—a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by recurrent bacterial infections and oculocutaneous albinism—and autosomal dominant disease , or “brittle bone disease.” Furthermore, diets rich in vitamin C are suggested to decrease the incidence of certain cancer types, including esophageal and gastric cancers.
The anticancer effects of vitamin C could also be secondary to the prevention of the conversion of nitrites and secondary amines to carcinogenic nitrosamines. Moreover, researchers are exploring the evidence for a pro-oxidative role of parenteral vitamin C within the treatment of advanced cancers.
Toxicity
Taking high-dose vitamin C supplements (> 2 g during a single dose) for an extended period might increase the danger of kidney stones, although findings on this subject are mixed. If an individual has preexisting renal disorder , insufficiency , or kidney stones, it’s going to be best to avoid taking vitamin C supplements.
Another risk of taking high doses of vitamin C on a long-term basis might be hemochromatosis and toxicity. High doses of vitamin C can trigger hemolysis in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
With reference to lab tests, vitamin C dosages of quite 1 g/day can yield false-negative guaiac reactions and alter tests for urinary glucose.
Finally, high vitamin C gummies doses could interfere with the activity of some prescribed drugs , including bortezomib in patients with myeloma.
The healthiest approach to getting enough vitamin C gummies would be to believe dietary sources. Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day will provide you with more vitamin C than the RDA. If you are doing want to require a vitamin C gummies supplement, remember that only 50% or less of the vitamin C are going to be absorbed by your body from supplements that contain greater than 1 g. Problems can ensue with regular consumption of quite 2 g during a single dose.
