Cancer prevention
According to Marchese, “most healthy people don’t need daily vitamin C supplements, but a supplement can reduce the risk of cancer in vitamin C deficient people.”
Vitamin C is also useful for cancer patients who cannot get all of their nutrients by mouth or have increased levels of inflammation or infection due to cancer treatment. Evidence suggests that vitamin C supplements may help reduce the risk of pancreatic, esophageal and prostate cancer.
Reduced risk of eye disease
“When taken with other recommended vitamins and minerals, vitamin C supplements have been shown to reduce eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts,” says Marchese.
“Vitamin C supplements are unlikely to reverse age-related eye damage. Instead, they can help reduce the risk of reduced visual acuity later in life. ”Learn more about what can happen if you take vitamin C every day.
Increased risk of kidney stones
Daily intake of vitamin C is not recommended for everyone and can increase the risk of adverse effects. Research has shown that high doses of vitamin C each day increased the risk of kidney stones by more than 20% compared to those who took less than the recommended daily amount of 90 mg.
Risk of negative interactions with other drugs
Marchese states: “A daily vitamin C supplement is generally safe and excess amounts are eliminated in the urine. However, unnecessarily high levels of vitamin C can build up in the body over time and cause problems such as stomach cramps, vomiting, heartburn. and diarrhea “.
High levels of vitamin C can interact dangerously with other drugs, such as statins (a type of cholesterol-lowering drug), warfarin, blood thinning drugs, and hormone replacement therapy, such as estrogen. Now that you know what can happen if you take vitamin C every day, it’s up to you to make the right decision.
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