Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has several important functions.
These include:
- helping to protect cells and keeping them healthy
- maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage
- helping with wound healing
Lack of vitamin C can lead to scurvy.
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.
Good sources include:
- citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice
- peppers
- strawberries
- blackcurrants
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- potatoes
Adults aged 19 to 64 need 40mg of vitamin C a day.
You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need from your daily diet.
Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.
Taking large amounts (more than 1,000mg per day) of vitamin C can cause:
- stomach pain
- diarrhoea
- flatulence
These symptoms should disappear once you stop taking vitamin C supplements.
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 1,000mg of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
18 November 2021
