Can you have too much vitamin c

Since vitamin C increases iron absorption, consuming too much of it is a concern for individuals with conditions that lead to iron accumulation in the body. Oxalate typically exits the body via urine. However, under some circumstances, oxalate may bind to minerals and form crystals that can lead to the formation of kidney stones Consuming too much vitamin C has the potential to increase the amount of oxalate in your urine, thus increasing the risk of developing kidney stones High vitamin C intake is not only associated with greater amounts of urinary oxalate but also linked to the development of kidney stones , especially if you consume amounts greater than 2, mg 6 , Reports of kidney failure have also been reported in people who have taken more than 2, mg in a day.

However, this is extremely rare, especially in healthy people Consuming too much vitamin C may increase the amount of oxalate in your kidneys, which has the potential to lead to kidney stones. In fact, it is nearly impossible for you to get too much vitamin C from your diet alone. In healthy people, any extra vitamin C consumed above the recommended daily amount simply gets flushed out of the body To put it in perspective, you would need to consume 29 oranges or 13 bell peppers before your intake reached the tolerable upper limit 17 , However, the risks of vitamin C overdose are higher when people take supplements, and it is possible to consume too much of the vitamin in some circumstances.

For example, those with conditions that increase the risk of iron overload or are prone to kidney stones should be cautious with their vitamin C intake 6 , 10 , All the adverse effects of vitamin C, including digestive distress and kidney stones, appear to occur when people take it in mega doses greater than 2, mg Individuals who take vitamin C in supplement form are at greater risk of consuming too much of it and experiencing side effects, the most common of which are digestive symptoms.

However, more serious consequences, such as iron overload and kidney stones, may also result from taking extreme amounts of vitamin C 3. Unless you have a vitamin C deficiency , which rarely occurs in healthy people, it is probably unnecessary for you to take large doses of this vitamin. Vitamin C is among the best-known, most accessible antioxidants that have been touted to help prevent you from getting sick. Is a vitamin C flush, also called an ascorbate cleanse, really worth all the hype?

And is it safe? The common cold is the most frequent infectious disease in humans. Many people believe that vitamin C can help prevent or even cure colds.

Taking large amounts more than 1,mg per day of vitamin C can cause: stomach pain diarrhoea flatulence These symptoms should disappear once you stop taking vitamin C supplements. What does the Department of Health and Social Care advise? You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin C supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful.

Taking less than 1,mg of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements ODS , the upper limit for vitamin C intake in people aged 19 years and over is 2, mg in males and females. The limit remains the same for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Some people may have to take larger amounts of vitamin C for medical treatments. Less commonly, people may experience severe side effects from taking too much vitamin C.

Long term intake above the recommended levels increases the risk of these negative effects. Doctors believe that too much vitamin C supplementation could result in a person excreting the compounds oxalate and uric acid in their urine. These compounds could lead to kidney stone formation.

The authors of a case study in the journal Kidney International reported that a woman developed kidney stones after taking 4 g or more of vitamin C each day for 4 months.

However, researchers have not conducted any larger scale studies on vitamin C intake and kidney stone formation. They do know that people who have a history of kidney stones are more likely to form them if they take large amounts of vitamin C, according to the ODS. For example, vitamin C may reduce the levels of vitamin B and copper in the body. The presence of vitamin C can also enhance iron absorption in the body, which could lead to excessively high levels. According to the Arthritis Foundation , one study found that the presence of very high vitamin C levels in the body increased the likelihood of a person developing painful bone spurs.

However, the Foundation also cited a research study that found that people with low levels of vitamin C had a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis , a painful inflammatory joint condition. These findings emphasize the need for appropriate vitamin C supplementation that provides neither too much nor too little.

This drug combines the vitamin niacin with the statin simvastatin Zocor , and people take it to treat high cholesterol. If a person takes vitamin C supplements and niacin-simvastatin, they should talk to their doctor about ways to make each more effective. Doctors do not know whether vitamin C also affects the ability of other medicines similar to Zocor.

If someone is at risk of a vitamin C deficiency, they can take vitamin C supplements. During pregnancy or when breastfeeding, women should get the following levels of vitamin C per day:. There is not enough research to suggest an RDA for vitamin C in those younger than 1 year of age.

A literature review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews looked into the effects of vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy. The authors examined 29 studies that included 24, pregnant women. There was insufficient evidence for them to conclude that vitamin C helped prevent problems during pregnancy, such as stillbirth, preterm birth, or preeclampsia. However, pregnant women should try to get enough vitamin C through their daily diets when pregnant.