Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that is required by the body for several metabolic reactions in the body. It is widely known as the vitamin whose deficiency causes scurvy. Many different types of foods are fortified with vitamin C.Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the body against oxidation. It is a cofactor in several enzymatic reactions as well. Although there is no upper level of vitamin C set, the daily requirement of vitamin C is an ongoing debate with many people taking large amounts of vitamin C to prevent disease and infection.The recommended daily allowance of vitamin c is set at 90 mg per day, with no more than 2 grams or 2000 mg a day. It is generally agreed amongst the scientific community that a well-balanced diet will provide a person with the necessary amounts of vitamin C to prevent deficiency. However, those individuals who smoke, under stress or are pregnant may require additional amounts.High doses in the thousands of milligrams will result in diarrhea, however many believe that the onset of diarrhea shows the body’s true requirement for vitamin C. This is suggested because studies have shown that those individuals who are very sick with diseases such as influenza and cancer do not develop diarrhea when given doses of vitamin C reaching as high as 200 grams, or half a pound of the vitamin.Although vitamin C itself seems to be fairly harmless, except in very large doses, it does enhance iron absorption. Because of this, there is the possible side effect of iron poisoning in individuals who have rare iron overload disorders. Some genetic disorders that result in low levels of certain enzymes can also cause side effects when large dosages of vitamin C are consumed.For several years, it was believed that high dosages of vitamin C could also cause kidney stones. However, because there have been no studies to justify this, it is believed to be untrue by the medical community.Various fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. Those that contain the highest levels of vitamin C include Kakadu plum, Camu Camu and Rose hip. Foods that you will normally find in your diet include:
