Side Effects of Vitamin C

Vitamin C toxicity does not usually occur, because vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin.



Water soluble vitamins are absorbed the body and the remaining amount is excreted from the body. Toxicity can occur only in case of extra high doses.

The recommended dietary allowance for Vitamin C is about 50-60mg/day for normal adults and consuming up to 2000mg/day is safe.



When the consumption rises to more than 2000mg/day, it causes the symptoms of Vitamin C toxicity.

Individuals suffering from toxicity often show signs of diarrhea. Diarrhea is caused by consuming a high dose of about 500 -- 2500 milligrams per day.



Individuals also show symptoms of backache, nausea, headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting, itchy skin, dental cavities, face flushing, tender mass in left upper abdomen, disturbances and fatigue. These symptoms are normally found in adults.



Extra doses of Vitamin C in children causes skin rash.

Excess of Vitamin C also increases the absorption of iron in the body and toxicity of iron causes food poisoning, hemochromatosis, hemosiderosis and various other fatal health conditions.

Vitamin C side effects are also seen when extra doses of this vitamin interacts with copper. Overdose of Vitamin C depletes the layer of copper in the body and results in fatigue, bleeding under skin, anemia and cardiac abnormalities.

It is believed that mothers who intake high doses of vitamin C during pregnancy are at a higher risk of giving birth to an infant with a high level of vitamin content.



People consuming about 500mg/day of this vitamin for about one year are found with greater wall thickness of the carotid arteries. This wall thickness marks the onset of atherosclerosis.

Side effects of Vitamin C are also found as a result of interaction.



Certain medications interact with high doses of Vitamin C and lead to various health ailments. Vitamin C when interacts with aspirin and acetaminophen in human body results in increased blood levels. Vitamin C also shows various side effects when interacted with tetracycline and heart medications.