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Vitamin C Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings

Oral administration of pharmacological doses of Vitamins C The antioxidant diet decreased the frequency of litters, litter size, total number of offspring born and survival of male pups to weaning. The strategy of supplementing the diet with antioxidant vitamins to prevent the age associated decrease in reproductive potential should not be implemented in human beings until a safe and efficient diet is designed.
- Theriogenology 2002 Mar 15;57(5):1539-50 -- Oral administration of pharmacological doses of vitamins C and E reduces reproductive fitness and impairs the ovarian and uterine functions of female mice. -- Tarin JJ, Perez-Albala S, Pertusa JF, Cano A.

It may be wise to avoid vitamin c in large doses if you have kidney problems.
- J Am Soc Nephrol 1999 Apr;10(4):840-5 -- Intake of vitamins B6 and C and the risk of kidney stones in women. -- Curhan GC, Willett WC, Speizer FE, Stampfer MJ.

Long-term or high-dosage consumption of vitamin C may play a role in calcium oxalate kidney stone formation. High percentage metabolic conversion of ascorbate to oxalate in this subject caused relative hyperoxaluria and crystalluria, the latter manifesting itself as haematuria. Clinicians need to be alerted to the potential dangers of large dose ingestion of vitamin C in some individuals.
- Eur J Clin Invest 1998 Sep;28(9):695-700 -- Relative hyperoxaluria, crystalluria and haematuria after megadose ingestion of vitamin C. -- Auer BL, Auer D, Rodgers AL.

Iron overload could promote the generation of free radicals and result in deleterious cellular damages. A physiological increase of oxidative stress has been observed in pregnancy. A routine iron supplement, especially a combined iron and vitamin C supplementation, without biological justifications could therefore aggravate this oxidative risk. These data show that pharmalogical doses of iron, associated with high vitamin C intakes, can result in uncontrolled lipid peroxidation.
- Biol Trace Elem Res 2001 Nov;83(2):103-10 -- Increased lipid peroxidation in pregnant women after iron and vitamin C supplementation. -- Lachili B, Hininger I, Faure H, Arnaud J, Richard MJ, Favier A, Roussel AM.

Use caution with high doses as 1 g or more of vitamin C may have adverse consequences in some people, including diarrhea.
- JAMA 1999 Apr 21;281(15):1415-23 -- Criteria and recommendations for vitamin C intake. -- Levine M, Rumsey SC, Daruwala R, Park JB, Wang Y.

This study confirms that a high ascorbic acid intake is antagonistic to copper status and may increase iron absorption.
- Am J Clin Nutr 1983 Apr;37(4):553-6 -- Influence of ascorbic acid supplementation on copper status in young adult men. -- Finley EB, Cerklewski FL.

High doses may interfere with prescription medications.

Nutrient Values
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Nutrition Information

last update: March 2010

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