Is It Possible To Have A Vitamin C Overdose? - Healthline

Healthline

• Health Conditions

  Health Conditions

  All
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cancer Care
  • Caregiving for Alzheimer's Disease
  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Digestive Health
  • Eye Health
  • Heart Health
  • Menopause
  • Mental Health
  • Migraine
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Psoriasis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • Sleep Health
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Weight Management

  Condition Spotlight

  All
  • Controlling Ulcerative Colitis
  • Navigating Life with Bipolar Disorder
  • Mastering Geographic Atrophy
  • Managing Type 2 Diabetes
• Wellness

  Wellness Topics

  All
  • CBD
  • Fitness
  • Healthy Aging
  • Hearing
  • Mental Well-Being
  • Nutrition
  • Parenthood
  • Recipes
  • Sexual Health
  • Skin Care
  • Sleep Health
  • Vitamins and Supplements
  • Women's Wellness

  Product Reviews

  All
  • At-Home Testing
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Nutrition
  • Sleep
  • Vitamins and Supplements
  • Women's Health

  Featured Programs

  All
  • Your Guide to Glucose Health
  • Inflammation and Aging
  • Cold & Flu Season Survival Guide
  • She’s Good for Real
• Tools

  Featured

  • Video Series
  • Pill Identifier
  • FindCare
  • Drugs A-Z
  • Medicare Plans by State

  Lessons

  All
  • Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Essentials
  • Diabetes Nutrition
  • High Cholesterol
  • Taming Inflammation in Psoriasis
  • Taming Inflammation in Psoriatic Arthritis

  Newsletters

  All
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Digestive Health
  • Heart Health
  • Migraine
  • Nutrition Edition
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Wellness Wire

  Lifestyle Quizzes

  • Find a Diet
  • Find Healthy Snacks
  • Weight Management
  • How Well Do You Sleep?
  • Are You a Workaholic?
• Featured

  Health News

  All
  • Medicare 2026 Changes
  • Can 6-6-6 Walking Workout Help You Lose Weight?
  • This Couple Lost 118 Pounds Together Without Medication
  • 5 Science-Backed Ways to Live a Longer Life
  • Morning Coffee May Help You Live Longer

  This Just In

  • 5 Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle
  • How to Disinfect Your House After the Flu
  • Best Vegan and Plant-Based Meal Delivery for 2025
  • Does Medicare Cover Pneumonia Shots?
  • Chromosomes, Genetics, and Your Health

  Top Reads

  • Best Multivitamins for Women
  • Best Multivitamins for Men
  • Best Online Therapy Services
  • Online Therapy That Takes Insurance
  • Buy Ozempic Online
  • Mounjaro Overview

  Video Series

  • Youth in Focus
  • Healthy Harvest
  • Through an Artist's Eye
  • Future of Health
• Connect

  Find Your Bezzy Community

  Bezzy communities provide meaningful connections with others living with chronic conditions. Join Bezzy on the web or mobile app.

  All
  • Breast Cancer
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Depression
  • Migraine
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Psoriasis

  Follow us on social media

  Can't get enough? Connect with us for all things health.

Subscribe

Nutrition

• Meal Kits
  • Overview
  • Diets
  • Meal Kits
  • Prepared Meals
  • Comparisons
  • Grocery Delivery
• Special Diets
• Healthy Eating
• Food Freedom
• Conditions
• Feel Good Food
• Products
• Vitamins & Supplements
• Sustainability
• Weight Management

Is It Possible to Have a Vitamin C Overdose?Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on October 12, 2017

Taking too much vitamin C isn’t dangerous for most people, but it can cause some unpleasant side effects. People with hemochromatosis should be extra careful, as too much can worsen their symptoms and increase the chance of tissue damage.

Share on Pinterest

Supplement marketers go into overdrive during cold and flu season, advertising products that promise to decrease your odds of getting sick. Vitamin C is among the best-known, most accessible antioxidants that have been touted to help prevent you from getting sick.

Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C is one of the many water-soluble nutrients found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Many people also take supplements to ensure they’re getting enough of it. This has raised concerns over the likelihood of an accidental overdose.

Too much vitamin C can cause undesirable effects. However, a severe overdose is rare and unlikely. The key is to learn how much vitamin C you really need.

What Does Vitamin C Do?

Vitamin C is a type of antioxidant. It helps protect the body from free radicals that damage and destroy otherwise healthy cells. In this respect, getting enough of the nutrient is just one way you can support your body’s natural defenses against illness. This is how it gained its reputation as a virus-fighting vitamin.

It also helps increase iron absorption, which is essential for growth and overall body functions. Not having enough vitamin C can lead to a potentially deadly condition known as scurvy.

Oranges and orange juices are perhaps the best-known sources of vitamin C, but other items in the produce aisle are chock-full, including:

• bell peppers
• broccoli
• cantaloupe
• grapefruit
• kiwi
• potatoes
• strawberries
• tomatoes

You probably don’t need a vitamin C supplement if you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. In fact, just one serving of any of the above foods likely will get you to your daily quota.

How Much Is Too Much?

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult woman requires 70mg of vitamin C a day. The average man requires 90mg. Recommended amounts are higher for pregnant and nursing women.

It’s important to discuss your individual nutritional needs with your doctor. The maximum recommended amount, or upper limit, is 2,000mg per day for all adults.

Taking more than the upper limit for vitamin C isn’t life-threatening, but you may experience side effects like:

• abdominal pain
• cramps
• diarrhea
• headaches
• nausea (and possible vomiting)
• sleeping problems

People with hemochromatosis are in danger of a vitamin C overdose. This condition causes your body to store excessive amounts of iron, which is exacerbated by taking too much vitamin C. This condition can lead to body tissue damage.

Vitamin C supplements may also interact with certain medications. This is especially true of medications for heart disease and cancer. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking a supplement.

Other Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Despite what supplement makers have led you to believe, there is no scientific evidence that vitamin C directly prevents colds and flu viruses. In fact, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says that taking these costly supplements only slightly minimizes the duration of a cold. Furthermore, taking vitamin C after getting sick doesn’t help at all.

You’re better off saving your money and making sure you get enough vitamin C in your daily diet instead.

As with other preventive health measures, the best way to ward off cold and flu viruses is to take care of yourself. You can accomplish this by:

• getting adequate sleep every night
• exercising regularly
• eating nutritious foods
• refraining from excess caffeine and alcohol

 

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

• Colds and the Flu. (2014, February)http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/colds-and-the-flu.printerview.all.html
• Time to talk about natural products for the flu and colds: What does thescience say? (2014, December 10)http://nccam.nih.gov/health/tips/flucold.htm
• Vitamin C. (2011, June 24)http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/
• Zeratsky, Katherine. (2012, March 20). Is it Possible to Take Too MuchVitamin C? Retrieved fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-c/faq-20058030

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on October 12, 2017

related stories

• How Much Vitamin C Should You Take?
• Vitamin C for Colds — Does It Actually Work?
• Can Powdered Vitamin C Improve the Health of Your Facial Skin?
• Fish Oil for Kids: The 7 Best Options According to a Dietitian
• The Best L-Glutamine Supplements

Read this next

• How Much Vitamin C Should You Take?Written by Cecilia Snyder, MS, RD

  Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant that plays many vital roles in your body. This article explains the recommended dosage of vitamin C for optimal…

  READ MORE
• Vitamin C for Colds — Does It Actually Work?Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc

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

  READ MORE
• Can Powdered Vitamin C Improve the Health of Your Facial Skin?Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP

  Powdered vitamin C is thought to be more stable than other forms of vitamin C. Here’s how it works and when you may want to use it.

  READ MORE
• Fish Oil for Kids: The 7 Best Options According to a Dietitian

  Most kids can get enough omegas from a balanced diet, but fish oil supplements for kids can be useful for those who are picky eaters, when recommended…

  READ MORE
• The Best L-Glutamine SupplementsWritten by Alice Porter-McLaughlin

  L-glutamine supplements may have various health benefits. Learn about our top L-glutamine picks and how they compare.

  READ MORE
• Say ‘Sup’ to Healthline’s Vitamin and Supplement TestersWritten by Alice Porter-McLaughlin

  Meet our team of vitamin, mineral, and supplement testers. We delve into their health goals and experiences.

  READ MORE
• What Is a Low Vitamin D Level?

  The number describing a low vitamin D level may vary between individuals. Learn more about numbers to be aware of and other considerations.

  READ MORE
• Double Wood Supplements Review: A Dietitian’s TakeWritten by Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

  Double Wood Supplements offers products that may support various health needs. Learn about the brand's supplements, how they work, and the pros and…

  READ MORE
• Hiya Vitamins Review By a Mom Who Is a DietitianWritten by Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

  Our dietitian and her toddler put Hiya vitamins to the test. Learn more about Hiya vitamins and whether they're worth considering for your kid.

  READ MORE
• What Form of Vitamin Supplements Offers the Best Absorption?

  Liquid and powder vitamins absorb faster than pills or gummies. Numerous factors can affect absorption, such as age, diet, and gut health. Learn more.

  READ MORE