It’s no secret that vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients for immunity and treating the common cold…
And while you never have to worry about getting too much vitamin C when you eat foods that are high in vitamin C… you SHOULD tread carefully when you start taking vitamin C in supplement form.
Taking vitamin C at doses higher than 2,000 mg per day can have negative side effects to your health.
Initial symptoms that you may be consuming too much vitamin C could include digestive troubles and diarrhea.
Research also shows that taking too much vitamin C may harm the kidneys.
The reason is because excess vitamin C gets excreted through the urine as a waste product called oxalate…
And the kidneys have to work harder to eliminate high amounts of oxalate from the body. Plus…
Oxalate can bind to other minerals, which creates kidney stones. Even worse…
One New Zealand study linked some cases of kidney failure to vitamin C supplementation, though this is considered rare.
Another side effect of taking too much vitamin C is that it can boost iron absorption…
And while that’s generally a good thing, having too much iron in the body can damage your thyroid, which slows down your metabolism and weight loss.
So what should you do to avoid too much vitamin C? Well…
If you want to take a vitamin C supplement, make sure you choose one that stays at or near the 100% daily value.
The recommended daily intake for vitamin C for adult women is 75 mg per day.
For the most part, I suggest getting vitamin C from whole foods in your diet.
Eat more citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, kiwis, potatoes, and broccoli.
If you do that, you’ll keep your immune strong and your thyroid healthy!