Common Myths About Vitamin C
Many adults tout vitamin C as a wonder drug but numerous studies show that vitamin C has no greater qualities than any other vitamin and in some cases does more harm than good. Read on.
Vitamin C does not prevent heart disease
The recent Physicians Health Study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that vitamins C and E do not prevent heart disease in men. A previous study in women at high risk for heart disease found that vitamin C did not prevent heart attacks in these women. Some research shows that vitamin C might actually contribute to cancer.
Vitamin C does not prevent colds
Experts have found little to no benefit in using vitamin C to prevent or treat the common cold. Researchers found that if taken after a cold begins vitamin C supplements do not make a cold shorter or less severe. However, if taken in daily high doses it can reduce your incidence of the common cold by eight percent. That means an adult who normally has a cold for twelve days out of the year could reduce that number to eleven days annually.
The only group found to have a significant benefit when taking high daily doses of vitamin C are extreme athletes such as marathon runners and even in that group they still get colds but the likelihood is reduced by fifty percent.
Vitamin C is not completely harmless
Vitamin C is safe in its natural form found in foods such as fruits and vegetables, and in dietary supplements in the recommended dose. An excess of two thousand milligrams per day for adults may cause kidney stones, nausea and diarrhea.
Mother always told you to drink plenty of orange juice when you're sick but the acidity of fruit juices might decrease the effectiveness of antibiotics such as penicillin. The same is true for amphetamines.
Source
Physicians Health Study (Vitamins C and E)
Vitamin C does not prevent colds
Vitamin C does not prevent heart disease
The recent Physicians Health Study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that vitamins C and E do not prevent heart disease in men. A previous study in women at high risk for heart disease found that vitamin C did not prevent heart attacks in these women. Some research shows that vitamin C might actually contribute to cancer.
Vitamin C does not prevent colds
Experts have found little to no benefit in using vitamin C to prevent or treat the common cold. Researchers found that if taken after a cold begins vitamin C supplements do not make a cold shorter or less severe. However, if taken in daily high doses it can reduce your incidence of the common cold by eight percent. That means an adult who normally has a cold for twelve days out of the year could reduce that number to eleven days annually.
The only group found to have a significant benefit when taking high daily doses of vitamin C are extreme athletes such as marathon runners and even in that group they still get colds but the likelihood is reduced by fifty percent.
Vitamin C is not completely harmless
Vitamin C is safe in its natural form found in foods such as fruits and vegetables, and in dietary supplements in the recommended dose. An excess of two thousand milligrams per day for adults may cause kidney stones, nausea and diarrhea.
Mother always told you to drink plenty of orange juice when you're sick but the acidity of fruit juices might decrease the effectiveness of antibiotics such as penicillin. The same is true for amphetamines.
Source
Physicians Health Study (Vitamins C and E)
Vitamin C does not prevent colds
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