5 Myths and Facts About Vitamin C

5 Myths and Facts About Vitamin C

Most people know a thing or two about vitamin C, like that it’s in orange juice, or that without it you can develop scurvy. But myths about this essential nutrient are also still fairly common, and the truth is our knowledge about its benefits and functions continues to evolve.

Blasting a cold with vitamin C will fight it off: myth

While some research shows that people who regularly take vitamin C supplements may have slightly shorter colds or somewhat milder symptoms, for most people, boosting vitamin C doesn’t reduce the risk of catching the common cold. We say “most people” because there are studies that show that vitamin C cut cold risk by 50% in male athletes, but not in females.

It is true that vitamin C is critical for immune function, and that it plays a key role in wound healing. But the best way to keep your immune system strong is to eat healthfully, including vitamin C rich produce, all the time.

Vitamin C deficiencies are rare: fact

Our bodies cannot produce vitamin C, which is what makes this nutrient essential, meaning we must obtain it from food. But these days a deficiency serious enough to cause symptoms, which can include bleeding gums and nosebleeds, swollen joints, rough, dry skin, and bruising, is pretty rare

Citrus is the best source of vitamin C: myth

While citrus is an excellent source of vitamin C, acerola cherries and peppers come out on top. 100 gr of accerola cherries contain 1677 mg of vitamin C and 100 gr of peppers contain 242 mg of the vitamin. For more info please see our video Top 20 Food High in Vitamin

Adequate vitamin C intake helps weight loss: fact

A low blood level of vitamin C has been linked to having a higher BMI, body fat percentage, and waist circumference, compared to people with normal levels. And a study from Arizona State University found that vitamin C status might affect the body’s ability to use fat as a fuel source—during both exercise and at rest.

You can’t get too much vitamin C: myth

Our body can’t store vitamin C, so when you consume more than you need the surplus is eliminated by your kidneys in urine. That doesn’t mean however that big doses can’t create unwanted side effects. Vitamin C is one of the nutrients that has an established Tolerable Upper Intake Level, or UL, essentially the maximum advised intake, from both food and supplements combined.

For vitamin C it’s 2,000 mg a day, and while some people may be fine taking in this amount or more, megadoses of vitamin C supplements have been shown to trigger bloating and digestive upset, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, headaches, insomnia, and kidney stones.