Healing Vitamin C

Provides information on the therapeutic effects of vitamin C. Needed dosage for vitamin C to get the vitamin's full effect; Effect of vitamin C on wound healing; Why vitamin C is important.

By PT Staff, published on March 01, 2000

Popped in chewable pill form and chugged in glasses of orange juice, vitaminC has long been relied upon as a cold-fighting weapon. But what most people don't know is that they need over three times the current recommended daily dose of C to get the vitamin's full protective effect.

A study conducted last year by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that subjects who took 30 mg of C a day, or half the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 60 mg, reported generally feeling tired and irritable. The blood and tissue of people who took 200 mg daily were nearly saturated with the vitamin, however--an optimal condition for reaping the vitamin's benefits, from reducing artery-clogging LDL cholesterol to decreasing your risk of cancer and promoting skin healing. Indeed, a study published last fall found that guinea pigs given mega-doses of vitamin C before surgery healed more strongly than those given moderate doses. The vitamin also helps the body absorb iron, build strong bones, keep teeth and gums healthy and, of course, fight infection.

One reason vitamin C is so important? We don't produce it naturally, and must depend on our diets to get the amounts we need. C is found primarily in citrus fruits and vegetables such as broccoli and peppers. Eating at least five fruits and vegetables a day is the best way to get all you need, but people who don't should take a 200 mg supplement, says the NIH.