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Vitamin C benefit
Vitamin C benefit
Vitamin C deficit
Vitamin C deficit
Vitamin C source
Vitamin C source
OverviewFood SourcesRecommendationsSide Effects

Vitamin C

Alternative Names:
Ascorbic acid

Side Effects:

A deficiency of vitamin C causes the disease scurvy, which is rare in the United States.

Toxicity does not normally occur, since vitamin C is water soluble and is regularly excreted by the body. Recent studies have shown, however, that excessive doses of vitamin C (many times more than the recommended amount) can lead to toxicity.

The most common manifestations of vitamin C toxicity are kidney stones, and in very rare circumstances, anemia (caused by interference with vitamin B12 absorption).

Diarrhea is also a possible but uncommon symptom associated with massively increased intake of vitamin C.



Review Date: 1/18/2003
Reviewed By: Steven Angelo, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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