The truth about Vitamin C
VCU School of Pharmacy faculty, alumni and students have provided the Dr. Rx column for Richmond’s Fifty Plus magazine since December 2009. We now share those columns on the SOP website, as well, for those who might not have seen the most recent issue.
Serving as Dr. Rx for December 2015 was Bassem Mohammed, a postdoctoral fellow. He earned his bachelor of pharmacy degree at Cairo University and his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences at VCU School of Pharmacy. His focus areas include thrombosis and hemostasis research.
Q: I’ve heard vitamin C is a wonder supplement? Should I be taking it?
A: Members of the health care system are approached daily with questions about dietary supplements and vitamins, in particular. Not as strictly regulated as over-the-counter or prescription medications, dietary supplements have experienced tremendous growth over the last few decades.
With increased options to choose from, consumers ought to be well-informed to make the best choices that suit their individual needs. The dilemma of which product to use, how much and how often will continue to exist as more products hit the market. There are some important aspects to consider when selecting and taking a vitamin C supplement.
Over the years, vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) has gained equally substantial fame among patients and healthy individuals. Vitamin C is a prominent component of many edible products, cosmetics, multivitamins and even comprises the sole ingredient of several supplements.
Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen (the main component of our skin, cartilages, bones and the process of wound healing); L-carnitine (a molecule involved with energy production within our cells); and other molecules important for signal transmittance within the nervous system.
In addition, vitamin C possesses strong antioxidant properties. It also enhances iron absorption and plays an important role in maintaining our immune system during times of illness.
In most cases you do not need a supplement to help maintain your vitamin C stores. Healthy individuals who eat fruits, vegetables and food fortified with vitamin C (about five servings per day) should not need any extra vitamin C supplementation from a tablet. However, the body’s requirements do increase with pregnancy, lactation, smoking status and with age. Also, in some disease states, the body consumes vitamin C at a significantly higher rate. Those individuals may benefit from a supplement.
When considering how much vitamin C to take in a supplement form, higher doses (more than 250-500 mg) only increase your risk of developing side effects. So try to stick to products that have 250-500 mg per tablet. It is also better to take extended (sustained) release tablets (those that release their content over a prolonged period of time) or, alternatively, take small doses more frequently (meaning throughout the day). These approaches are better at maintaining vitamin C stores in individuals with greater need as well as ambulatory patients who are sick.
Hospitalized patients are more likely to receive the vitamin intravenously. Studies here at Virginia Commonwealth University have shown promising results with using intravenous, high-dose vitamin C in septic (infected) patients. Our research team is now undertaking another clinical trial to best judge vitamin C’s usefulness in septic patients who develop lung injury.
It is worthy to note that even with supplements, some individuals are more prone to side effects than others. This includes, in this case, patients suffering from kidney problems, hemochromatosis, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and those at risk of drug-vitamin C interactions.
Remember, it is always a good idea to check with your pharmacist and your health care provider to decide what is best for you before deciding to take any new supplements or over-the-counter products, including vitamin C.
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