Vitamin C: Benefits, Sources, and What You Really Need to Know

When you think of vitamin C, a water-soluble nutrient essential for tissue repair, immune function, and antioxidant protection. Also known as ascorbic acid, it’s not just for colds—it’s a daily builder of collagen, a helper in iron absorption, and a shield against oxidative stress. Your body can’t make it, and it doesn’t store it, so you need a fresh supply every day. Skip the mega-dose myths: 200 mg a day is often enough for most people, and more than that just gets flushed out.

Vitamin C deficiency, a rare but serious condition that leads to scurvy. Also known as ascorbic acid deficiency, it causes tiredness, bleeding gums, slow healing, and joint pain. You won’t get this from eating oranges once a week—you need consistent intake. Most people avoid it by eating a few servings of fruits and veggies daily. But if you’re a smoker, pregnant, or under chronic stress, your needs go up. Smokers, for example, need 35 mg extra per day because free radicals from smoke deplete vitamin C faster.

Vitamin C supplements, tablets, powders, or gummies sold to boost intake. Also known as ascorbic acid supplements, they’re popular but not always necessary. Studies show they don’t prevent colds for most people, but they might shorten them by a day or two if you’re already sick. If you’re eating oranges, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, or kiwi regularly, you’re probably getting enough. Supplements only make sense if your diet is poor, you have a medical condition, or your doctor says so. Too much can cause stomach upset or diarrhea—no need to push past 2,000 mg a day.

Immune system support, the role vitamin C plays in helping white blood cells function better. Also known as immune enhancement, it’s one reason why people reach for it when they feel under the weather. But it doesn’t magically boost immunity like a superhero. It supports the basics: helps skin act as a barrier, keeps immune cells active, and helps clear out old cells. It’s not a replacement for sleep, exercise, or managing stress—but it’s a quiet teammate in the whole system.

And don’t forget food sources of vitamin C, natural, whole-food options that deliver the nutrient with fiber and other antioxidants. Also known as dietary vitamin C, they’re better than pills because they come with co-factors your body uses. A single red bell pepper has more than an orange. Kiwi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and even potatoes add up. Cooking destroys some vitamin C, so eat raw or lightly steamed when you can.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t a list of miracle cures. It’s real talk about how vitamin C fits into bigger health pictures—like how it interacts with other nutrients, what happens when you take it with iron, why some people need more, and how it plays a role in skin health, wound healing, and even chronic disease prevention. No hype. Just facts tied to what matters for your day-to-day health.