An overabundance of vitamin C in adults: symptoms, signs

About the benefits of vitamin C even children know – for colds and to prevent parents often buy in drugstores to the child's favorite askorbinka glucose, often without controlling amount of food eaten by the child tablets. The habit of taking ascorbic acid in a synthetic form in large doses, many remain for life. Few people realize that this can cause an overabundance of vitamin C in adults and children and cause harm instead of good. How many daily you need to consume ascorbic acid, so as not to lack it, and what are the risks of excess vitamin C to human health?

Why do people need vitamin C, its role in the body

The role of ascorbic acid in the body is huge, and its deficiency leads to devastating consequences for health. Increase the protective forces of an organism is not the sole or most important function of vitamin C, although many use it for immune support during the season of viral diseases. Askorbinka with a cold helps to cope with the disease, strengthens the body's defenses, but it has other important functions in the body:

• involved in the synthesis of amino acids, vitamins, minerals;
• regulation of blood clotting;
• strengthening bone and tooth dentin;
• the protection of cells from free radicals;
• regulation of metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates;
• the decrease in the level of cholesterol in the blood;
• stimulation of hormone production;
• participation in the synthesis process of collagen, providing elasticity to the skin cells and blood vessels.

Vitamin C – a natural antioxidant, thanks to which the body fights free radicals that cause aging of cells and the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart failure. Ascorbic acid together with other vitamins stimulates the production of enzymes and hormones, and hence increases the metabolism in the body, promotes rapid healing of wounds and prevents the development of inflammatory diseases.

Vitamin C is not synthesized in the body itself, so for normal functioning necessary its intake from the outside with food, drinks, and when poor and wrong diet with vitamin pharmacy drugs. At their reception, it is important to follow the recommended dosage to avoid an overabundance of ascorbic acid.

Daily rate of vitamin C

Daily human need for ascorbic acid – 80 mg. The kids have had enough in two times less – only 40 mg, but pregnant and nursing women should get at least 100 mg of vitamin C per day.

With regular diet with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit people easily get the daily requirement of this vitamin, and in additional intake of ascorbic acid in tablets is not necessary.

Daily dose of vitamin C for an adult would be satisfied, if you eat to choose any products from the list:

• one medium orange or other citrus fruit;
• one small bell pepper;
• two medium tomatoes;
• 20 black currant or half a Cup of sea buckthorn;
• 50 g of parsley or spinach;
• one large kiwi;
• 100 g broccoli or Chinese cabbage (cabbage you want to eat about 200 g).

These products are Champions on the content of vitamin C. Eating them in recommended quantities every day in fresh or frozen form, a person will never have any deficit of ascorbic acid in the body, and the intake together with vitamin supplements can lead to oversupply in the body.

Note that prolonged or improper storage of fruits and vegetables or heat treatment reduces the content of vitamin C.

In the natural form of ascorbic acid may not be absorbed completely, to learn the material necessary to its joint reception with vitamins A and E. The maximum dose of vitamin C a day should not be more than 100mg.

Under some special conditions, lifestyle or illness requires additional intake the tongue, for example:

• in the presence of harmful habits;
• regular increased physical activities or taking part in marathons;
• when staying in the far North;
• with the active growth of the organism;
• during infectious diseases;
• during the intake of contraceptive;
• after you recover from serious illnesses;
• in case of poisoning.

In these cases, ascorbic acid is taken in a therapeutic dosage of 500 mg. it may Appoint only the doctor after careful inspection, if you decide that the patient needs it.

Ascorbic acid and the common cold: how it helps and how many it is necessary to drink

As studies have shown, when colds and infectious diseases, the consumption of large amounts of vitamin C helps to reduce the duration of the disease and alleviate its symptoms. That's why doctors recommend drinking the tongue in the cold. Vitamin C in the body creates an acidic environment unfavourable for the propagation of viruses. In the period of the disease, you can increase the recommended daily dose two times the maximum loading dose of vitamin C for colds – 1 g, to which only need the approval of your doctor and under hiscontrol.

Ascorbic acid in synthetic form, it is advisable to consume evenly throughout the day 3-4 times during the meal.

It is important to carefully watch the content of vitamin C in pill or tablet of ascorbic acid with glucose prior to consumption, it may vary from 50 mg to 100 mg per one tablet (dragee). When taking vitamin complexes it should also be taken into account. Prolonged use of high doses the drug can cause hypervitaminosis C.

What is the danger of excess vitamin C

A healthy person, a slight excess daily dose will not bring much harm – the excess just excreted in the urine via the kidneys. But if you take daily at least 1 g askorbinki or accidentally once to drink a dose 20 to 30 times higher than the daily, negative consequences for the organism can not be avoided.

For some people even a minimum excess threatens not only health, but life itself. With great care under the strict supervision of a physician should take vitamin From the people at:

• tendency to thrombosis or thrombophlebitis;
• diabetes;
• cataract;
• kidney failure;
• existing kidney stones or gallbladder;
• hypertension.

Excessive intake of ascorbic acid in these diseases can negatively affect health.

An overabundance of vitamin C is manifested by the following symptoms:

• constant dizziness;
• digestive disorders (diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence);
• weakness;
• heartburn;
• throbbing headache;
• skin rashes.

Children overdose is expressed in increased nervous excitability and aggression, severe itching.

Sometimes excessive intake of vitamin C leads to abnormal elimination (accelerated excretion from the body), which leads to beriberi. The more make say, the less it will be absorbed almost immediately displayed. Then there are the symptoms of avitaminosis on the background of oversupply:

• General lethargy and depressed state;
• the deterioration of the skin and hair;
• bleeding gums;
• pain in the joints;
• swelling and bruising under the eyes;
• for a long period of healing;
• frequent colds.

In pregnancy, the excess ascorbic acid leads to violations of fetal development, after birth, these children may receive dependency and observed from the first days of life, signs of vitamin deficiency.

The consequences of chronic overabundance of ascorbic acid for health

If you do not pay attention to the first symptoms of hypervitaminosis With and not to take any action possible serious consequences for the body:

• violation of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to gastritis or gastric ulcer;
• disruptions of the menstrual cycle in women;
• the emergence of stones in kidneys and gallbladder;
• the deterioration of the absorbability of vitamin B12;
• changes in the composition of blood is an irreversible damage to the leukocytes.

Children may develop diabetes and allergic reaction to foods containing vitamin C.

Excess ascorbic acid can be easily avoided, if the time to pay attention to suddenly started cutting pains in the abdomen, nausea and other symptoms, analyzing the number of received dietary and pills the tongue.

Sometimes it is difficult to associate illness with a high content of vitamin C, but if it happened in the period of its active use, then suspicions should arise. You just need to reduce the dose and drink as much water as possible, then all the symptoms will pass by themselves without consequences for health.

But what to do if you overdose of ascorbic acid was accidental, for example, the child ate too many jelly beans?

What to do when an excess of vitamin

Ascorbic acid is quickly absorbed, so gastric lavage can help only in the first minutes after accidental ingestion in a large dose.

Best help in this case, it is urgent hospitalization of the injured to hospital. It is unknown what the implications of a surplus, so we need to trust themselves or their loved ones to professionals. Only a doctor will be able to properly assess the situation and to appoint, if necessary, symptomatic treatment.

If possible seek help from a doctor no, you should try to drink at least 2-3 liters of water in several steps and observe the condition.

Vitamin C is an important component for human health and normal functioning of all body systems. It is best to obtain ascorbic acid from food or vitamin drinks – so it is better absorbed, and the likelihood of its surplus will be minimal.

But the reception askorbinki in synthetic form also allowed, and in some cases it is necessary, however, the purpose of vitamin preparations and increasing doses is possible only on the recommendation of a physician. You should avoid the constant use of high doses of vitamin C to avoid its excess, is dangerous for health.