Vitamin C

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Vitamin C benefit

Vitamin C deficit

Vitamin C source

Overview

Food Sources

Recommendations

Side Effects

Vitamin C

Alternative Names:

Ascorbic acid

Recommendations:

The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins, including vitamin C, is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid.

Vitamin C should be consumed every day because it is not fat-soluble and, therefore, cannot be stored for later use.

The recommened daily intakes of dietary vitamin C (according to the U.S. RDA) are listed below.

Pediatric

Neonates 1 to 6 months: 30 mg
Infants 6 to 12 months: 35 mg
Children 1 to 3 years: 40 mg
Children 4 to 6 years: 45 mg
Children 7 to 10 years: 45 mg
Children 11 to 14 years: 50 mg
Adolescent girls 15 to18 years: 65 mg
Adolescent boys 15 to18 years: 75 mg

Adult

Men over 18 years: 90 mg
Women over 18 years: 75 mg
Breastfeeding women: first 6 months: 95 mg
Breastfeeding women: second 6 months: 90 mg

Because smoking depletes vitamin C, people who smoke generally need an additional 35 mg/day.

Review Date: 10/27/2004
Reviewed By: Kevin Pho, M.D., Attending, Internal Medicine, Boston VA Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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