Almost everyone has heard about vitamin C. Doctors often prescribe it to increase the body's resistance. Vitamin C is also often prescribed for children. Parents believe that giving the child this remedy can protect him from many viral diseases. However, is vitamin C always beneficial? The positive properties and dangers of this substance can be found in the materials of the article.
Vitamin C Benefits
Even schoolchildren know that a lack of this substance in the body leads to disturbances in the functioning of various organs and systems. After all, vitamin C is extremely important for maintaining a normal metabolism. The human body cannot produce this substance on its own. Therefore, people are forced to get vitamin C from food (vegetables, fruits).
This substance has the following beneficial properties:
- Supports the normal metabolism of carbohydrates in the body.
- Contributes to the improvement of intracellular metabolism.
- Stimulates the production of necessary hormones.
- Helps the body absorb other vitamins.
- Strengthens bones and teeth.
- Increases the body's resistance to various infections.
But despite all these useful qualities, this substance should not be abused. It must be remembered that vitamin C in excess can harm health and even provoke intoxication.
When is ascorbic acid recommended?
This product is an artificial source of vitamin C. It is important to consume this substance correctly, because its excess can be more harmful than good. Before you start taking vitamin C (dragees), the instructions for use should be carefully studied.
First of all, you need to decide who is recommended this tool.
So, you need to take ascorbic acid in the following cases:
- The presence of alcohol or nicotine addiction.
- Physical overstrain.
- Living in an area with an unfavorable climate.
- Puberty.
- Infections
- Rehabilitation after serious illness.
- The period of use of hormonal contraceptives.
- Intoxication.
In the presence of the above conditions, vitamin C (dragee) is used at a dose of 500 milligrams. However, do not self-medicate, because the tool is not as harmless as it seems. To avoid over-consumption of vitamin C, you should consult your doctor before you start taking it.
Allowable dosage
Any remedy must be taken correctly, and vitamin C (dragees) is no exception. The instructions for use say that ascorbic acid is better to use after meals, in which case it is well absorbed by the body. The optimal dosage of the substance for adults varies from fifty to one hundred milligrams per day. In childhood, the maximum amount is 75 mg per day. During the period of gestation and breastfeeding, you should consume from 75 milligrams of ascorbic acid for ten to fifteen days. Then the dose should be increased to 100 mg. However, it must be remembered that in some, taking ascorbic acid can cause side effects, such as inflammation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, as well as hypertension. But even if a person does not have these symptoms, he needs to clearly adhere to the doctor’s recommendations for the use of vitamin C. An excess of the substance leads to disruption of various organs.
Vitamin C Products
Ascorbic acid should be used as an additional source of an important substance for the body. However, the bulk of vitamin C needs to be obtained from food. So, what kind of food does this substance contain? These are such products:
- Cabbage.
- Berries: cranberries, currants, rose hips.
- Citrus fruits (grapefruits, lemons, tangerines, oranges).
- Parsley.
- Tomatoes
- Bell pepper.
- Kiwi.
When eating these products, care must be taken to avoid such a thing as an overdose of vitamin C.
Doctors recommend eating these fruits and vegetables in the following amounts:
- One orange.
- 1 bell pepper.
- 2 medium sized tomatoes.
- Black currant (twenty pieces).
- One hundred and two hundred grams of cabbage.
- Kiwi (1 piece).
This is the daily norm, which is important to adhere to clearly. It should be remembered that during freezing and heat treatment, a significant proportion of the vitamin is still preserved.
For whom can this substance be dangerous?
Despite all the beneficial properties of vitamin C, there are diseases and situations in which you need to use it with extreme caution. These are the states:
- The presence of stones in the genitourinary system.
- Diabetes.
- Pregnancy and lactation.
In the presence of these conditions, it is necessary to use the tool only after consulting a specialist.
Many parents who worry about the health of their child and the strengthening of his immunity give him ascorbic acid. However, its independent use can lead to an overdose of vitamin C. And it, in turn, is dangerous for the development of diabetes in childhood. During the period of gestation, hypervitaminosis can lead to spontaneous abortion. Sometimes women who abuse vitamin C have children with developmental defects.
Is an overdose possible?
Despite the fact that ascorbic acid is dispensed without a doctor’s prescription, if used improperly, it can lead to very sad consequences.
Vitamin C is soluble in water and excreted through the kidneys. However, in case of its excessive use, the substance can lead to intoxication. This is most likely in the following situations:
- The use of ascorbic acid to prevent diseases (for example, during epidemics).
- During infections, when the patient does not follow the doctor's instructions for the use of vitamin C, an excess is also possible.
- If when using ascorbic acid in the diet there are many products with a high content of this substance.
- Random intake of a large amount of the drug by children.
- With the simultaneous use of ascorbic acid and other vitamin supplements.
Overdose Signs
Unfortunately, such hypervitaminosis is sometimes difficult to recognize, since pathological phenomena do not occur immediately. An excess of vitamin C symptoms has the following:
- Lethargy.
- Dizziness.
- Diarrhea.
- Heartburn.
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Skin rash.
- Nausea, repeated vomiting.
- Itching
- Hyperactivity.
The appearance of such symptoms in both children and adults requires immediate medical attention.
Hypervitaminosis Complications
What threatens an excess of vitamin C for a long time? The following pathological phenomena can be listed as complications of hypervitaminosis:
- Diseases of the pancreas.
- Inflammatory processes in the digestive tract, the development of peptic ulcer.
- Pathology of the genitourinary system.
- Lack of other nutrients.
- Allergic reactions that persist for a long time.
- Disorders of the monthly cycle.
- The development of hypertension.
- Spontaneous abortion.
Hypervitaminosis in pregnant women
During the period of gestation, many experts recommend ascorbic acid to women as an additional source of vitamin C. However, if the patient does not follow the doctor’s instructions and exceeds the dosage of the substance, this can lead to negative consequences. What happens when there is an excess of vitamin C in pregnant women? Typically, hypervitaminosis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Weakness.
Every pregnant woman should remember that excessive consumption of vitamin C can adversely affect the condition of the unborn child. He may have birth defects (e.g. heart disease) and scurvy.
Vitamin C hypervitaminosis in children
The body of the child is extremely sensitive to any adverse factors. Therefore, an overdose of vitamins adversely affects children's health. Parents need to be careful when using ascorbic acid. Before giving this drug to a child, you need to consult a doctor and in the future clearly follow his dosage recommendations.
If a child accidentally finds a package of vitamin and has taken an excessive amount of dragees, he has signs of poisoning. If such symptoms occur in children, urgent measures must be taken to eliminate them.
Help with hypervitaminosis
This substance is quickly absorbed by the body. With an excess of vitamin C, treatment should begin with cleansing the stomach. This event should be carried out immediately to remove excess material from the body. In order to flush the stomach, you need to drink about two liters of clean still water. After this procedure, the best option for overdosing is to call an ambulance. If medical workers refuse to take the victim to a medical facility, they should be urged to do so. Since an excess of vitamin C in the body can subsequently provoke unexpected complications, you should monitor the patient's condition in a hospital. Only in the hospital will they be able to provide adequate medical care if a critical situation arises.
conclusions
Vitamin C is a substance that is essential for the normal functioning of all body systems. This vitamin is quickly absorbed, but is not produced in the human body on its own. It can be obtained only from food or from artificial sources (for example, ascorbic acid, special drinks). Vitamin C deficiency is dangerous for the body. However, an excess of this substance can also lead to serious consequences: the formation of stones in the genitourinary system, allergies, disorders of the stomach and intestines, the development of diabetes in children, miscarriages, and serious poisoning. Therefore, those who would like to use ascorbic acid should first consult with a specialist. Only a doctor is able to select an adequate dosage for a patient, depending on his age and state of health. With excessive use of vitamin C, a person needs urgent hospitalization, since this condition is extremely dangerous. If it is possible to obtain this substance in a natural way (from vegetables, fruits, vitamin drinks), it is better to refuse artificial sources.