How to supplement vitamin C to avoid waste and maximize benefits
Many people often misunderstand that the more vitamin C they take, the better, but the body can only absorb a certain amount. Over-supplementation is wasteful and can be harmful to health. To optimize the benefits, you need to understand and use vitamin C properly.
Misconceptions about vitamin C supplementation
Vitamin C is a common micronutrient that helps strengthen the immune system and is an antioxidant. It is supplemented daily to help keep the body healthy. However, not everyone understands the properties of vitamin C, leading to misunderstandings during use.
A common misconception is that the more vitamin C you take, the better. The body can only absorb a certain amount of vitamin C, and the excess is excreted in the urine. On the other hand, there is no evidence that taking high doses of vitamin C will increase the effectiveness of the recommended dose.
According to research published by the NIH (National Institutes of Health), the maximum daily intake of vitamin C is 2,000mg. If this threshold is exceeded, it can cause digestive disorders with symptoms such as diarrhea and nausea.
You should not take more than 2,000mg of vitamin C per day. Photo: Freepik
Another common misconception is when and how to take vitamin C. Many people believe that taking vitamin C at any time of day is effective. However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, the world's leading nonprofit academic health system, vitamin C is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach.
In addition, many people think that taking a high dose of vitamin C once a day is enough, but in fact, the body needs to maintain a balanced concentration of substances. Sudden increase in the concentration of a certain substance can be bad for health.
Vitamin C is easily absorbed but is also quickly eliminated. Therefore, if you only take a high dose at once, the amount of vitamin C that the body cannot absorb will also be quickly eliminated. This not only makes the body absorb less effectively but also causes waste.
Notes when taking vitamin C
Pay attention to the content to supplement just enough: To get the most out of vitamin C supplements, it is important to understand how to supplement this micronutrient. According to the health care website WebMD (USA), the maximum amount of vitamin C that adults can supplement per day is 2,000mg, and the safe amount for daily use is 500mg.
Therefore, you need to pay attention to the recommended dosage to get the right amount of vitamin C for your body, avoiding excess. In particular, you need to consult your doctor if you do not clearly understand your vitamin C needs.
Divide your daily vitamin C intake into smaller doses to avoid waste:To make it easier for your body to absorb vitamin C, you need to pay attention to dividing the daily dose of vitamin C supplements. You can take vitamin C through small meals with foods rich in vitamin C such as peas, kiwi, kale, red peppers, strawberries, papaya, pineapple, etc.
If your life is busy and your meals do not ensure the necessary amount of vitamin C, you can consider using additional vitamin C supplements. Especially vitamin C products with 8-hour sustained release technology to evenly distribute vitamin C throughout the day.
Thanks to this mechanism, vitamin C will be slowly released in the stomach, helping to spread the amount of vitamin C evenly over time, maintaining a stable vitamin C concentration. This helps the body absorb and use vitamin C more effectively, while also soothing the stomach, minimizing the risk of stomach pain and diarrhea.
Acerola Cherry contains a large amount of natural vitamin C. Photo: Nutrilite
Supplement vitamin C on an empty stomach:Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach. Therefore, you should consume foods rich in vitamin C or take vitamin C supplements in the morning, 30 minutes before meals or 2 hours after meals. Avoid taking vitamin C with tea, coffee or alcohol and do not overcook foods containing vitamin C to optimize absorption./.
