How Much Vitamin C Should You Take Per Day?

Quick Health Scoop

• Vitamin C plays a key role in supporting a healthy immune system^†
• Vitamin C is a shortfall nutrient, 45% of U.S. adults don't get enough vitamin C from their daily food intake.^[1]
• The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for Vitamin C is 2000 mg per day for adults^[2]

Whether it’s the dead of winter or the heat of summer, the importance of a well-functioning immune system is a critical component of supporting your wellness. That’s why you might turn to vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), an essential nutrient and antioxidant, that supports your healthy immune system and helps neutralize free radicals. And because your body can’t make vitamin C, including sources of vitamin C in your diet, and, if needed, supplements, is essential.^†

But you might be asking yourself, “How much Vitamin C should I take daily?” And, in the quest to support your healthy immune system, you might wonder just how much vitamin C is too much? Read on to learn how you can put the mighty vitamin C to work for you in just the right dose.^†

How Many MG Of Vitamin C Per Day Do You Need?

You might be surprised to learn that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for adults is probably lower than you think. A quick reminder about what RDA is: The RDA is set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences, which establishes principles and guidelines of adequate dietary intake.

While Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is the general term for a set of reference values used to plan and assess nutrient intakes of healthy people, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals; often used to plan nutritionally adequate diets for individuals.^[2]

The recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adult men is 90 mg/day. While healthy women generally need 75 mg of Vitamin C per day, the recommendation goes up for pregnant or breastfeeding women (85 mg to 120 mg per day). Individuals who smoke require 35 mg more vitamin C per day than non-smokers. ^[2]†

It’s also important to know that Vitamin C is a common nutrient shortfall. This means that a percentage of Americans are not reaching the recommended vitamin C intake requirements from diet alone – almost half.^[1] For common shortfall nutrients, like vitamin C, increasing your intake from food and/or supplements is a way to help you fill in potential nutritional gaps of these essential nutrients.

Learn More: How Much Vitamin C Should a Pregnant Woman Take?

How Much Vitamin C Is in An Orange?

70 mg of vitamin C is found in one medium sized orange, that's 78% of your daily value. However, oranges aren't the only source of vitamin C, so check out some other ways you can include this immune-supporting nutrient in your diet^[2]:^†

• Red pepper, sweet, raw, ½ cup: 95 mg
• Grapefruit juice, ¾ cup: 70 mg
• Kiwifruit, 1 medium: 64 mg
• Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup: 51 mg
• Strawberries, fresh, sliced, ½ cup: 49 mg
• Brussels sprouts, cooked, ½ cup: 48 mg
• Grapefruit, ½ medium: 39 mg

Tip: Did you know that excessive heat, air and acid that comes from cooking can destroy Vitamin C in food? To get as much Vitamin C from these foods as possible, eat them raw or lightly cooked. Try cooking them for shorter periods of time, preferably through steaming or microwaving, which limits the loss of nutrients in the cooking process, due to shorter cooking times and lower temperatures than other cooking methods.^[3]

Despite the prevalence of vitamin C rich foods, it is a shortfall nutrient: 45% of U.S. adults don't get enough vitamin C from their daily food intake.^[1] A Vitamin C supplement can help to bridge this nutrient gap and offer antioxidant and immune support.^†

Learn More: Vitamin D Immune System Benefits

How Much Vitamin C Is Too Much?

A Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) was set for Vitamin C at 2,000 mg per day for most adults to prevent healthy adults from experiencing gastrointestinal side-effects. Vitamin C has low toxicity, and excess vitamin C is excreted in urine.^[2] Discuss vitamin C supplementation with your primary healthcare practitioner before adding it to your daily wellness routine, they can provide you with personalized guidance.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Too Much Vitamin C?

If you eat too many foods with Vitamin C, it probably won’t be harmful. But if you take more vitamin C than you need you may experience the following gastrointestinal side-effects:^[2]

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• GI disturbances

Always make sure to consult with your primary healthcare practitioner to find the right dosage for you.

When Is the Best Time to Take Vitamin C?

So, how long does Vitamin C stay in your system, and when is the best time to take it? Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means your body doesn’t store it.^[2] The best approach is to make your intake of Vitamin C consistent. Some people prefer to take Vitamin C in the morning with breakfast, while others take Vitamin C supplements in the evening after dinner. Consistency is more important than timing. What matters most is meeting your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C for immune health support.^†

The Bottom Line

Vitamin C helps support a healthy immune system and helps to neutralize free radicals as an antioxidant. It also helps support iron absorption, and is necessary to produce collagen in the body, which helps support healthy skin. The best way to get vitamin C in your diet is through food sources included in a balanced diet. However, because 45% of U.S. adults don't get enough vitamin C from their daily food intake, it can be helpful to include a vitamin C supplement in your daily wellness routine.^†

Explore Nature Made Vitamin C Supplements in tablet, softgel, and gummy forms to find the right vitamin C supplement for your health and wellness goals. Always consult with your primary healthcare provider before starting or changing your supplement routine.^†

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Reider CA, Chung RY, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients: Intakes in US Adults, the 2005-2016 NHANES. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1735. Published 2020 Jun 10. doi:10.3390/nu120617354.
2. National Institute of Health. Vitamin C. National Institutes of Health. Published March 26, 2021. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
   
3. Lee S, Choi Y, Jeong HS, Lee J, Sung J. Effect of different cooking methods on the content of vitamins and true retention in selected vegetables. Food Sci Biotechnol. 2017;27(2):333-342. Published 2017 Dec 12. doi:10.1007/s10068-017-0281-1