In 1935, a product was introduced that completely shocked and outraged the health and medical industries. It didn't take long to gain national attention, and was commonly referred to as dangerous and toxic. Needless to say, the first 60-mg Vitamin C tablet took a bit of warming up to.
The Experts Agree
Or Do They?
A lot has changed in the past 70 years, and as the popularity of Vitamin C continues to escalate, there seems to be more and more confusion regarding how much of it we should be taking.
The topic has sparked so much confusion in fact, that if you were to fill a room with 20 nutritional experts, you'd more than likely find yourself contemplating 20 different answers.
Some Concurrence
One thing that most experts can agree on, is that the recommended daily allowances set by the Food and Drug Administration are frighteningly low. As it stands today, the current RDA for vitamin C in healthy adults is a mere 60-mg.
A bit of history - this is based on how much vitamin C a healthy adult would have needed at the time to avoid scurvy. Go figure.
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Arr! Ye Scurvy Dogs!
In the late 18th century James Lind observed that the symptoms of scurvy could be counteracted with an unknown (at the time) substance in citrus fruits. In 1795, the British Royal Navy provided a daily ration of lime or lemon juice based on Lind's method of concentration to all its men. To this day English sailors are called "limeys."
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FDA Looking Beyond The Couch
Linus Pauling
Think 60-mg sounds low? So did Linus Pauling. Before his death in 1994 at the age of 93, this Noble Prize-winning chemist openly admitted to using between 10-18 grams (10,000 and 18,000 mg) of vitamin C on a frequent basis.
His book, "Vitamin C and the Common Cold" changed the face of vitamin C supplementation, and earned him a place in history when he was named one of the 20 most important scientists
alive by the British journal New Scientist.
How Much Should I Take Then?
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Do You Think The RDA for Vitamin C Should Be Raised?
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So just how much is safe to take? Most experts agree that between 1-3 grams (1,000-3,000 mg) per day is safe and healthy for most active adults. But like anything else, these demands vary from person to person.
Fortunately, our bodies are not shy in letting us know when we've consuming too much C. Mild diarrhea is a common sign that the body can't keep up with the dose you're taking.
If that happens, cut back a bit. Your fellow trainers will thank you.
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