Basics Vitamin C Requirements and Dietary Sources By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Shereen Lehman, MS Reviewed by Reviewed by Mia Syn, MS, RDN on March 17, 2020 instagram Mia Syn, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a master of science in human nutrition. She is also the host of Good Food Friday on ABC News 4. Learn about our Review Board Mia Syn, MS, RDN on March 17, 2020 Print TS Photography / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Nutritional Needs for Men Nutritional Needs for Women Vitamin C Deficiency Vitamin C Supplements Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a member of the water-soluble family of vitamins. It's required for normal growth and maintenance of most of the tissues of your body, including collagen, which is needed for healthy connective tissue and wound healing. Vitamin C also helps your bones and teeth stay strong. It's also necessary to make certain neurotransmitters and for protein metabolism. Your immune system relies on vitamin C for healthy function. Plus there's a bonus for vegetarians. Eating foods rich in vitamin C will help your body absorb more iron from plant sources such as spinach, nuts, and seeds. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division has determined the dietary reference intakes (DRI) for vitamin C. It's based on the daily nutritional needs of an average healthy person. If you have any medical issues, you should speak with your health care provider about your vitamin C requirements. Nutritional Needs for Men 1 to 3 years: 15 milligrams per day4 to 8 years: 25 milligrams per day9 to 13 years: 45 milligrams per day14 to 18 years: 75 milligrams per day19+ years: 90 milligrams per day Nutritional Needs for Women 1 to 3 years: 15 milligrams per day4 to 8 years: 25 milligrams per day9 to 13 years: 45 milligrams per day14 to 18 years: 65 milligrams per day19+ years: 75 milligrams per day Vitamin C is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and potatoes. People who don't eat enough fruits and vegetables are at risk of developing a deficiency. Vitamin C Deficiency A long-standing Vitamin C deficiency can result in scurvy, a serious illness characterized by anemia, skin hemorrhages (blood spots) and gingivitis (gum disease). It's not common, but it can occur in people who are malnourished or alcoholics. Individuals who don't get sufficient amounts of vitamin C every day (about 75 to 90 milligrams) can suffer from any of these health problems: Bleeding gumsBruising easilySlow wound healingNosebleedsFatigueWeakened immune systemDry, rough skinDry hair with split ends Habitually eating a diet of highly processed foods with an insufficient amount of fruits and vegetables may result in a vitamin C deficiency. Since vitamin C is water-soluble, your body doesn't store it well, so it needs to be replenished daily. Scurvy may need to be treated with high doses of supplements, but a milder deficiency may be corrected by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C, especially citrus fruits, strawberries, potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers. Vitamin C is diminished when fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to air or heat, so fresh/raw fruits and vegetables have more vitamin C than those that are cooked or canned. Vitamin C Supplements Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and it's been recommended as a supplement for relief of colds and flu and as an alternative treatment for some forms of cancer. However, research hasn't provided sufficient evidence for these recommendations. Although some studies have indicated that people with some types of cancer have lower blood levels of vitamin C than the general public, there's no evidence that taking vitamin C supplements reduces your risk of cancer. You can probably skip the supplemental form; you're better off eating more fruits and vegetables. They're rich in vitamin C, and they have other beneficial compounds you won't find in a typical dietary supplement. But, if you really think you need the supplements, avoid megadosing vitamin C. Taking large amounts of supplemental vitamin C may result in diarrhea or loose stools. The Institute of Medicine established 1,800 to 2,000 milligrams per day as the upper tolerable intake level. 15 Healthy Foods That Are High in Vitamin C Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get it free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. MedlinePlus.com. "Scurvy." Accessed March 19, 2016. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000355.htm. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals." Accessed March 19, 2016. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division. "Dietary Reference Intakes Tables and Application." Accessed March 19, 2016. http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/DRI-Tables.aspx.