What’s the Best Time to Take Vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that plays several important roles in the body. It strengthens the immune system, supports the production of collagen, and promotes faster wound healing. As a powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Since the human body cannot produce Vitamin C on its own, it is essential to get it through diet or supplements to meet daily requirements and maintain overall health.
1. The Role of Vitamin C in the Human Body
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, plays a crucial role in supporting the body’s growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues. It helps the body produce collagen, absorb iron, strengthen the immune system, heal wounds, and maintain healthy bones, teeth, and cartilage.
As a powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C protects the body from free radicals and harmful substances like pollutants and cigarette smoke. These free radicals can build up over time and increase the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
Since the body doesn’t store Vitamin C, it flushes out any excess through urine. Although the risk of overdose is low, consuming more than 2,000 milligrams per day may cause stomach cramps or diarrhea.
To meet the body’s daily needs, people must regularly consume Vitamin C through food or supplements. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C ensures a steady intake. To retain more of this vitamin during cooking, people should use minimal water and avoid overcooking.
The body absorbs Vitamin C well from both food and supplements. When consumed together, Vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron more effectively.
2. Benefits of Vitamin C for Health
Vitamin C can offer health benefits by alleviating symptoms such as:
- Stress: A recent meta-analysis found that vitamin C is beneficial for individuals with weakened immune systems due to stress—a very common condition in society. Because vitamin C is one of the nutrients most affected by stress and is often deficient in people who consume alcohol, smoke or are obese.
- Cold: While vitamin C may not be a cure for the common cold. However, some studies suggest it can help prevent more severe complications. Evidence from several studies indicates that taking vitamin C during a cold or flu can reduce the risk of developing complications such as pneumonia or lung infections.
- Stroke: Although research findings are inconsistent, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that individuals with the highest blood levels of vitamin C had a 42% lower risk of stroke compared to those with the lowest levels.
- Skin Aging: Vitamin C affects cells both inside and outside the body. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the relationship between nutrient intake and skin aging in 4,025 women aged 40 to 47. The results showed that higher vitamin C intake was associated with a lower likelihood of wrinkles, dry skin, and visible signs of skin aging.
In addition, other studies have also shown the benefits of vitamin C, such as improving age-related macular degeneration, reducing inflammation, and lowering the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
See also the uses, dosage, and side effects of Vitamin C
3. How to take vitamin C?
Vitamin C comes in various forms, such as ascorbic acid, mineral ascorbates (sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate), or ascorbic acid combined with bioflavonoids. For vitamin C supplementation, ascorbic acid is a good choice. Because, it has high bioavailability, (meaning the body absorbs it easily).
Additionally, since most multivitamins contain ascorbic acid, choosing a multivitamin not only increases vitamin C intake but also provides other essential nutrients.
To ensure the body gets enough vitamin C from supplements, look for products that provide 45 to 120 mg of vitamin C, with the dosage depending on age and gender.
When should vitamin C be taken?
The best time to take vitamin C is on an empty stomach. This means taking it in the morning, 30 minutes before a meal, or two hours after eating. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, making it easy for the body to absorb. The body only uses the required amount and any excess is excreted through urine. As a result, this vitamin is not stored in the body.
4. Here’s the Recommendations for vitamin C intake from food
Recommended dietary intake of vitamin C from food by age and gender:
- Children aged 1 to 3 years: 15 mg
- Children aged 4 to 8 years: 25 mg
- Pre-teens (9 to 13 years): 45 mg
- Teenagers (14 to 18 years): 65-75 mg
- Adult women (19 years and older): 75 mg
- Adult men (19 years and older): 90 mg
- Pregnant women: 85 mg
- Breastfeeding mothers: 120 mg
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the Daily Value (DV) recommendations. The DV is developed for food and supplement labeling as well as to help individuals determine the percentage of a nutrient in a single serving of food relative to daily needs. On food labels, this value is displayed as %DV. The DV for vitamin C recommended for adults and children aged 4 years and older is 60 mg. However, as of January 2020, this value increased to 90 mg.
5. Food sources rich in vitamin C!
Fruits and vegetables are the richest sources of vitamin C. However, vitamin C is easily destroyed by factors such as heat and light,… Therefore, it is important to know how to minimize vitamin C loss in fruits and vegetables.
Some fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, green peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe, papaya, mango, cauliflower, cabbage, raspberries, and blueberries.
