Saakshi Gupta
Vitamin C is also known as Ascorbic acid, it is water-soluble nutrients which are commonly found in some foods. In human body vitamin C act as an antioxidant, and protect cells from damage which is caused by free radicals, these free radicals are compounds that are formed when our body converts food into energy.
Our body needs vitamin C to make collagen, which is required to heal wounds. Vitamin C also helps to improve the iron of plant-based food and makes the immune system work properly to protect the body from diseases.
Required Amount of Vitamin C: According the Age Group
| Age group | Amount |
| Infant to 6 months | 40mg |
| Infants 7-12 months | 50mg |
| Child 1-3 year | 15mg |
| Child 4-8 year | 25mg |
| Child 9-13 year | 45mg |
| Teens 14-18 year(boys) | 75mg |
| Teens 14-18 year (girls) | 65mg |
| Adults men | 90mg |
| Adults women | 75mg |
| Pregnant teen | 80mg |
| Pregnant women | 85mg |
| Breastfeeding teen | 115mg |
| Breastfeeding women | 120mg |
Foods contain Vitamin C
Vitamin C is mainly present in fruits and vegetables, like Citrus fruits- orange, grapefruit, red and green pepper, broccoli, strawberries, baked potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and kiwifruit.
Some food and beverage are fortified with vitamin C, check the product’s nutrition label to find out that the food and beverage contains vitamin C or not.
Vitamin C gets reduced by prolonged storage, and cooking, steaming, and microwaving. Infant which are fed boiled cow milk – due to which vitamin C gets reduced due to high heat, that’s why breastfeeding is recommended for the infants below the age of 1.
What if the Person Don’t Get Enough Vitamin C
People who don’t get a minimum of 10mg per day may get Scurvy. Scurvy causes inflammation of gums, fatigue, small red and purple spots on the skin, joint pain, poor wound healing, and corkscrew hairs. Due to Scurvy people may also get the sign like depression, swollen, bleeding of gums, loss of tooths, may also develop Anemia. And it is fatal and can’t be treated.
Vitamin C Can Be Harmful
Too much vitamin C causes nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramp-like diseases, people with hemochromatosis (mean too much iron in the body) with too much Vitamin C may worsen or damage the tissue of the body.
The upper limit of vitamin C
| Age | Upper Limits |
| Infant up to 12 months | Not established |
| Child 1-3 year | 400mg |
| Child 4-8 year | 650mg |
| Child 9-13 year | 1200mg |
| Teens 14-18 year | 1800mg |
| Adults | 2000mg |
Effect of Vitamin C on Health
People who takes proper amount of vitamin C from various sources like fruit and vegetable might have a low risk of various types of cancer, like breast, lung, or colon cancer. Subsequently, if the person is having vitamin C through a supplement, then in that case they are not protected from cancer.
Having Vitamin C also lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, as per researchers oxidative damage is recovered or not getting worsen in people by taking vitamin C.
Cataracts and AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration)
The relation between cataract and vitamin C is undefined but as per some surveys, it was held that people who get more vitamin C from food have a low risk of getting cataract while low vitamin C may have a high risk to get cataract at an early age.
Cures Common Cold
Taking Vitamin C in cold is a popular remedy, however, research shows that taking Vitamin C doesn’t reduce the risk of common cold, while it might help in reducing the symptoms of having cold.
You must have Vitamin C and keep your loved one safe and healthy!
