What happens if you eat a lot of ascorbic acid? About an overdose of ascorbic acid. What happens if you eat too much.

Overeating threatens us with excess weight - everyone knows about it. However, few people realize how serious this matter is - and most often we allow ourselves to eat “one more piece.” Eating “extra” food is fraught with dire consequences not only for weight. Why can’t you eat a lot, and what does overeating lead to?

The more we eat, the more our stomach stretches. The walls of the stomach can stretch to unimaginable sizes - with regular overeating, the stomach can hold 5 liters of liquid/food! If you constantly eat a lot, this will lead to the feeling of hunger haunting you - after all, a distended stomach will simply be impossible to fill! This is where problems with excess weight arise - it seems to a person that he eats little (“After all, I’m always hungry!”), but in fact, he simply cannot fill his stomach, but he gains weight at a rapid pace.

Another reason why you shouldn’t eat a lot is that it has an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the pancreas. It literally works to its limits, trying to process incoming fats; “traffic jams” often appear in it, subsequently leading to pancreatitis.

Overeating leads to the sedimentation of excess cholesterol in the gallbladder, which leads to the occurrence of cholelithiasis. Cholesterol also enters the blood, from where it goes directly to the liver - this leads to fatty infiltration of the liver, which in especially severe cases can provoke the development of cirrhosis of the liver.

Thus, overeating affects not only our appearance. Adherents of the theories “I love myself the way I am” and “All fat people are kind” should seriously think about their health.

There are a number of foods that should be consumed in very limited quantities - and not so much for fear of getting extra calories, but for completely different reasons. We will tell you why you should not eat a lot of nuts, eggs and sweets.

Why can't you eat a lot of eggs?

The standard breakfast for most of us is scrambled eggs. We often use eggs when preparing salads, and baking is almost impossible without the participation of eggs.

However, eating eggs in large quantities is harmful. Why can't you eat a lot of eggs?

Firstly, they are allergenic products, so they should be used with caution by children (in baby food It is recommended to use less allergenic egg yolk).

Secondly, many scientists insist that eggs contain too much cholesterol, so it is not recommended to eat more than 3 eggs per week. On the other hand, if we're talking about not about scrambled eggs in lard, but about a boiled egg, then its harm is significantly reduced.

Thirdly, more recently, scientists have established a relationship between too frequent use eggs and the development of type 2 diabetes. The thing is that the abuse of eggs leads to an increase in blood glucose.

However, eggs mainly pose another, more real, danger. Its name is salmonellosis. It is this reason why you can’t eat a lot of eggs that is decisive in various “egg” prohibitions. To reduce the risk of salmonellosis infection to a minimum, you should strictly follow a number of rules:
- before cooking, wash the eggs thoroughly with soap or vinegar;
- you need to cook the eggs for at least 10 minutes;
- it is not recommended to consume raw eggs of dubious origin if the need for consumption nevertheless arises raw egg, it should be as “fresh” as possible;
- Eggs with damaged shells should be thrown away.

You shouldn’t completely give up eating eggs - they contain many useful substances: vitamins A, E, B3, B12, D, calcium, choline, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, amino acids and antioxidants. Eating 2-3 eggs a week improves mental activity and strengthens the immune system.

Why can't you eat a lot of sweets?

Another pressing question tormenting all the sweet tooths of the world. Why do such delicious sweets turn out to be so harmful? What kind of injustice?

Sweets have a high glycemic index - an indicator of the increase in insulin levels in the blood after glucose enters it. Sweets quickly satisfy the feeling of hunger, but just as quickly they cause it.

Eating sweets in large quantities provokes an increased concentration of glucose in the blood. Excess glucose can provoke hyperglycemia, causing apathy, increased fatigue, and depression.

An excess of glucose, in turn, causes the production of the hormone insulin, which “carries” glucose from the blood to all tissues of the body. And this is another reason why you shouldn’t eat a lot of sweets. After all, insulin has another function - it accelerates the synthesis of proteins and fats. If the muscles are not damaged, the person does not have muscle injuries, then insulin “directs” its action to the synthesis of fat cells. And here it’s just a stone’s throw away from excess fat deposits and the emergence of the problem of excess weight.

In addition, sweets can cause psychological addiction. It seems to a person with a sweet tooth that without a piece of cake or a bar of chocolate, he simply cannot be a happy person. In fact, this is a myth - and to get rid of sweet addiction, it’s worth finding something else in this life that can evoke positive emotions.

Another compelling reason why you shouldn’t eat a lot of sweets is the content of various harmful additives in modern sweets: dyes, preservatives, thickeners. They have an extremely negative impact on work digestive system, can lead to gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis, and stomach ulcers. Abuse of sweets has a bad effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails.

However, eating sweets in small quantities is beneficial. Moreover, you should give preference to sweets with minimal content of harmful additives. Ideally, these should be homemade sweets and baked goods.

Why can't you eat a lot of nuts?

Walnuts are considered a product rich in various beneficial substances. They include calcium, fluorine, zinc, copper, iron, cobalt. Walnut kernels, as well as nut oil, are prescribed to patients with anemia, liver disease, atherosclerosis, colitis, and hypertension. Nuts are good for pregnant women and children to eat.

First of all, walnuts can cause severe allergies - therefore they should not be eaten by people with increased sensitivity to vegetable proteins.

Walnuts are contraindicated for a number of diseases: psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema - and can cause their aggravation even with minor ingestion.

To minimize the harm of walnuts - and vice versa, enhance their positive effects - it is recommended to consume them with dried fruits and in small quantities (up to 100 g per day).

Eating large quantities of eggs, sweets and walnuts is dangerous to your health. Small portions of these products, on the contrary, will only bring benefits. Know moderation in everything and be healthy!

Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is a favorite drug for many. Available in tablets that taste good. Vitamin C is involved in many biochemical and hormonal processes in the body, but in large doses it is harmful to humans. In this article we looked at what will happen if you eat a lot ascorbic acid, what symptoms will appear, how to provide first aid and in what cases to consult a doctor.

Effect of vitamin C and indications for use

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. In nature, it is found in most fruits, berries and vegetables. Its highest concentration is in citrus fruits, kiwi, currants and raspberries. Ascorbic acid is essential for humans. It is not deposited (deposited) in the body, so it must be supplied daily in small quantities. With a balanced, nutritious diet, a person needs enough vitamin C, which he consumes with food.

Please note that smokers suffer from ascorbic acid deficiency. Nicotine neutralizes it and removes it from the body.

The main functions of vitamin C in the human body:

participation in metabolic processes;
antioxidant activity;
providing immune protection against pathogenic viruses and bacteria;
an important role in the production of collagen - a protein that is responsible for the elasticity and youth of the skin, the functionality of cartilage and bone tissue;
protecting teeth from caries;
neutralization and removal of heavy metals from the body, for example, copper, mercury, lead;
stimulation of hormone production by the thyroid and pancreas;
regulation of the sex hormonal glands and pelvic organs.

The main indications for taking ascorbic acid include:

influenza and acute respiratory viral infections;
smoking;
lack of vitamin C in the body;
Addison's disease;
nosebleeds, internal bleeding and overdose of anticoagulants, blood thinners;
pathology of the liver, kidneys;
overdose alcoholic drinks, treatment of binge drinking;
treatment of chronic bacterial infection;
thyroid diseases;
periods of increased mental and physical stress, exhaustion;
recovery period after fractures, infectious pathologies.

The main causes of ascorbic acid overdose

Many people perceive sweet vitamin C not as medicine, but as delicious candy, buy them for children in the form of sweets and do not even think about the dangers and consequences.

Taking vitamin C without first consulting your doctor. These drugs are a complete medicine, the dosage and duration of treatment of which should be discussed with the doctor. Average daily dosage ascorbic acid for a child is 0.05-0.1 g, for adults - 0.1-0.2 g. It can be changed by the attending physician.
Storing vitamin preparations in places accessible to children. Ascorbic acid is available in tablets that taste good. They can be flavored with fruit additives. Children can eat an entire package of medicine.
Combining preparations with vitamin C and fruits that contain large amounts of it. It’s not easy to overeat oranges and tangerines until you develop an overdose of vitamins. But in combination with vitamin preparations, eating fruits can lead to exceeding the daily norm of ascorbic acid.

Symptoms of ascorbic acid overdose

Vitamin C overdose can be acute or chronic. Both conditions are dangerous. With them, many organs and systems suffer, disruptions occur in metabolic and hormonal processes.

Clinical picture of acute overdose

Single consumption of large amounts of ascorbic acid in a dosage above 2 grams per day leads to acute poisoning.

Its symptoms develop during the first hours and resemble acute food poisoning. These include:
severe abdominal pain. Initially, it is localized in the stomach, then spreads throughout the abdomen;
nausea and vomiting;
diarrhea;
urticaria - an itchy allergic rash on the body in the form of red spots that can merge with each other;
headache and general weakness;

tachycardia - rapid heartbeat.

Please note that with a severe allergic reaction, angioedema may develop, a life-threatening condition. Against the background of the rash, swelling of the subcutaneous tissue develops. With swelling of the tongue and mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, breathing problems develop.

Clinical picture of chronic hypervitaminosis of ascorbic acid With long-term use of high doses of ascorbic acid (liminal permissible, not provoking acute poisoning), acute changes in the functioning of many organs and systems develop, caused by hypervitaminosis of vitamin C.

Symptoms increase slowly, and at first the person does not notice them.

Signs of ascorbic acid hypervitaminosis include:
sleep disturbance, a person complains of insomnia;
emotional instability, the patient may become hot-tempered and easily excitable;
hypertension – increased blood pressure;
a tendency to increase blood glucose, it develops as a result of impaired functioning of the pancreas, which normally produces insulin, the hormone responsible for the absorption of sugar;
chronic gastritis – inflammation of the gastric mucosa;
peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum;
the appearance of swelling on the face, legs, due to a malfunction of the kidneys;
deterioration of the condition of the skin, hair, nails.

First aid for overdose

In case of acute poisoning with ascorbic acid, you should immediately seek medical help. This condition can be complicated by a severe allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock and acute renal failure.

An ambulance should be called as soon as possible, preferably immediately after ingesting a dangerous dose of ascorbic acid.

Is it possible to help a poisoned person yourself? First aid can be provided while waiting for doctors to arrive, but it cannot replace medical treatment.

After calling the EMS team, you need to take the following actions:

Rinse the person's stomach. This unpleasant procedure is necessary to remove the remaining vitamins that have not yet been absorbed into the bloodstream. In order to independently cleanse the gastric cavity of the drug, you need to drink a liter of water in one gulp (0.5 liters for children) and throw it up. This procedure should be repeated several times.
Give the patient sorbents to drink. These medications help detoxify and remove toxins from the digestive system. You can use any sorbents that you have at home, for example, sorbex, smecta, atoxil, enterosgel, activated carbon.
Provide the patient with plenty of fluids. Ascorbic acid is excreted by the kidneys, and drinking fluids will speed up this process. You can drink plain or mineral still water.

You can also collect the patient’s necessary things and documents for hospitalization, and find his medical card.

Medical treatment of acute ascorbic acid poisoning

EMS doctors carry out the first medical care at home. They assess the condition of the poisoned person, collect anamnesis, check the pulse, arterial pressure, respiratory rate and saturation level. You should name the approximate amount of vitamin the patient took, the time when this happened, and the amount of assistance you provided. Doctors also need to be told what chronic diseases whether the person is sick, what medications he takes on an ongoing basis, what medications or substances he is allergic to.

After the examination, doctors will connect the patient to an IV, administer antihistamines and corticosteroids, and then take him to the toxicology department.

Patients in serious condition are hospitalized in intensive care.

The length of hospital treatment depends on the patient's condition. Mild ascorbic acid poisoning lasts several days.

Treatment of chronic hypervitaminosis

If you suspect ascorbic acid hypervitaminosis, you should immediately stop taking it and seek help from your general practitioner or family doctor.

During the recovery period, you should avoid eating fruits that contain this vitamin in large quantities. The doctor may prescribe antihistamines and sorbents. Typically, symptoms of hypervitaminosis disappear within a few weeks. To exclude damage internal organs

and the development of complications, the doctor prescribes a series of examinations, which consist of:
general urinalysis, hypervitaminosis of ascorbic acid can cause urolithiasis;
Ultrasound of the kidneys - to identify stones;
blood pressure monitoring;

blood test for glucose. Ascorbic acid in large quantities is harmful to the body. It can cause an acute allergic reaction, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, and hypertension. Vitamin C can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.

(1 This biologically active substance is involved in many metabolic processes and regulates the immune and endocrine systems. In large quantities, ascorbic acid can cause disruption in the functioning of the entire body. 2,00 ratings, average:

out of 5)

Ascorbic acid is essential for human health. It strengthens the body and helps fight colds. But not everyone knows that this seemingly harmless substance can cause harm. This is possible if you do not follow the dosage of the drug. To avoid trouble, you should adhere to the correct dosage and follow your doctor's recommendations. You need to have an idea of what will happen if you eat a lot of ascorbic acid.

What are the dangers of overdose?

increased sweating;
nausea;
dizziness;
diarrhea;
headache;
vomit;
cramps in the stomach.

An excess of vitamin C in the body can cause an allergic reaction in the form of skin rashes, this is especially true for children.

High doses of vitamin C have a negative effect on kidney health.

You should not take ascorbic acid together with aspirin. Aspirin weakens the effect of vitamin C. In addition, this combination can lead to stomach ulcers.

Consequences of overdose

Failure to comply with the dosage may lead to more serious consequences. If a person has some chronic diseases, then exceeding the daily norm of ascorbic acid can lead to an exacerbation of ailments.

People who have the following diseases should be especially careful when taking the medicine:

thrombophlebitis;
thrombosis;
diabetes;
high blood pressure.

Ascorbic acid has the property of thickening the blood; this does not have the best effect on the condition of the human body with the above diseases.

With prolonged and uncontrolled use of ascorbic acid, a persistent allergic reaction to this substance can develop. Moreover, it will manifest itself not only in ascobin, but also in foods and fruits containing vitamin C.

An overdose of vitamin C is dangerous for pregnant women. Their metabolism may be disrupted. In addition, ascorbic acid penetrates the placenta to the fetus and can form an allergy in it, the so-called ascorbic disease. This cannot be allowed.

Causes of overdose

increasing the daily dose in winter or spring to prevent vitamin deficiency;
taking ascoribic acid together with multivitamins;
reception medicine together with products that contain large amounts of vitamin C.

Daily norm

The human body constantly needs vitamin C. The lack of this substance can be replenished by eating vegetables and fruits with a high content of this substance. You can also additionally take ascorbic acid, available in the form of tablets or dragees.

To prevent an overdose, you need to know how much ascorbic acid a person needs. The daily dose of vitamin C is:

in an adult no more than 90 mg;
for pregnant women and nursing mothers – 120 mg;
For children, 30 mg per day will be enough;
Babies do not need to be given additional vitamin C; they get their norm from their mother’s milk.

If a person’s menu is rich in vegetables and fruits that contain vitamin C, there is no need to take additional ascorbic acid. This should be done only when influenza epidemics occur in order to strengthen the body and increase resistance to the disease.

If a person takes more than 1 gram of ascorbic acid per day, this is considered an overdose, which can lead to disorders in the body.

Positive properties of vitamin C

If you follow the norm and consume ascorbic acid in the right doses, it will help maintain a person’s health in excellent condition. Positive influence vitamin C is as follows:

strengthens the immune system;
accelerates hemoglobin biosynthesis;
improves skin structure;
has a positive effect on the condition of nails and hair, giving them strength;
improves bone tissue;
strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
is an antioxidant and protects against the effects of free radicals.

Ascorbic acid helps remove poisons and toxins from the body. They attach to the vitamin and are excreted in the urine.

Ascorbic acid is useful substance which every person needs. Therefore, in some cases, doctors prescribe their patients to take vitamin C in a certain dose, which is not recommended to be exceeded.

When taking vitamin C, you need to take into account the fact that it is found in some foods. The course of treatment should be supplemented with products, but they should not be consumed in large quantities.

Vitamin C is present in many fruits, berries, vegetables, and herbs.

Where is vitamin C found?

To prevent an overdose of ascorbic acid, it is important to consider that it is found in many fruits and berries. In the summer, when a person’s diet begins to be actively replenished with fresh vegetables and fruits, additional intake of ascorbic acid is not required. But in winter and spring, when a person in most cases begins to develop vitamin deficiency, one cannot do without vitamin C.

Large amounts of vitamin C are found in:

rose hips, and in dried berries there is three times more of it than in fresh fruits;
chili pepper and red pepper;
sea buckthorn and black currant;
Brussels sprouts and broccoli;
parsley and spinach.

All citrus fruits contain a lot of this vitamin, especially lemon.

What to do in case of overdose

If the daily norm of ascorbic acid content is exceeded and the patient develops symptoms of an overdose, it is necessary to begin taking measures.

Ascorbic acid tends to dissolve in water and is excreted from the body along with urine. Therefore, in case of overdose, you need to drink as much liquid as possible to speed up the removal of the drug from the body.

Ascorbic acid poisoning occurs when the daily dose exceeds 20 grams. In this case, the patient needs to drink a lot of liquid and induce vomiting. Sorbents such as activated carbon or Smecta will help cleanse the body.

Correct dosage

To avoid unpleasant symptoms, intake of ascorbic acid should be normalized. For adults, no more than two tablets per day will be enough; for a child, one tablet per day will be enough. Parents should explain to their children that ascorbic acid, although sweet, is not a candy, therefore, it should not be eaten in large quantities.

This medicine in tablet form must be taken after meals.

Ascorbic acid is an ideal remedy for strengthening the body and increasing immunity. An overdose of ascorbic acid can occur if the norms for taking the drug are not followed. In this case, the person will feel unwell and instead of benefiting, the vitamins will cause harm.

When scientists discovered ascorbic acid in the twenties of the last century, they had high hopes for the compound. And they were not mistaken. Vitamin C has brought a lot to humanity useful actions. And at the same time, almost no one knew what the risk of an overdose was.

After much research, it became clear that ascorbic acid is both beneficial and harmful to people. Let's find out what's what.

Why is ascorbic acid harmful?

Yes, yes, that’s what we used to call flat white tablets or round yellow dragees. Remember how coveted they were in childhood. And, having discovered the treasured bottle at home, who refused to gobble up several things at once? So how could we harm ourselves?

Ascorbic acid itself is harmless. Its overdose brings unpleasant consequences. And only when using a synthetic product (injections or tablets). Excess vitamin contained in vegetables and fruits is almost completely eliminated by the body.

So, the harm of ascorbic acid:

It greatly increases blood clotting. Therefore, there is a high risk of blocking all vessels with large and small blood clots. Who hasn't heard the terrible word thrombus?
Excess ascorbic acid causes severe pain in the stomach. Heartburn, pain, and nausea may occur. Because acid quickly eats away the walls of the stomach.
Promotes the formation of sand and stones in the kidneys. This is with regular overdose.
The functioning of the pancreas is disrupted.
An excess of ascorbic acid disrupts metabolism in pregnant women. And this is fraught with unpleasant consequences for the unborn child. He may already be born with allergies.
An allergic reaction may occur.

Who benefits from ascorbic acid?

However, despite all the unpleasant moments described above, beneficial features ascorbic acid is simply invaluable. Naturally, only a qualified specialist can accurately prescribe the dosage required for the correct effect.

So, the benefits of ascorbic acid:

Recovery. Vitamin C takes an active part in the synthesis of collagen fibers. Thanks to it, cuts and wounds heal faster. Bones also heal much better if you take ascorbic acid.
Hematopoiesis. No, of course not directly. But by helping the absorption of iron in the body, ascorbic acid is indirectly related to the synthesis of hemoglobin.
Boosting immunity. This is due to the fact that ascorbic acid helps the body produce antibodies. Therefore, vitamin C is the primary remedy for flu and colds.
Participation in metabolism. Ascorbic acid enhances the effect of essential vitamins (A, E), which allows you to bring your metabolism to an almost ideal state.
Cleansing blood vessels. Recently, everyone knows about the terrible cholesterol. But it is not scary for those who like to indulge in ascorbic acid. Vitamin C significantly strengthens the walls of blood vessels, making them strong and elastic. And, like a hard brush, it removes all plaques and blockages from the cardiovascular system.
Help with poisoning. Ascorbic acid has the ability to bind and remove free radicals and heavy metals from the body. Therefore, it is often prescribed for many types of food poisoning.

And, oddly enough, without ascorbic acid, all the cartilage in the body becomes fragile and crumbles. Remember what old heavy smokers look like. They're haggard appearance, plus it is very difficult for them to move.

This is because one smoked cigarette neutralizes about 25 mg of vitamin C in the human body. And without it, normal absorption of other vitamins and good functioning of the cartilaginous body of the joints are impossible.

As you can see, the benefits of ascorbic acid in some cases are incomparably great. And harm often comes only from excessive use.

How to understand that you lack vitamin C

There are several external signs by which it can be determined that there is an acute shortage of ascorbic acid in the human body. These include:

constant pain in feet and heels
general malaise similar to flu symptoms
wounds and cuts do not heal for a long time
pale skin
strange anxiety and disturbing dreams
wobbly teeth, bleeding gums
general weakening of the immune system, tendency to colds

But it should be noted that only external signs are not enough. To make an accurate diagnosis, you need to contact a qualified specialist. Because the signs listed above may be symptoms of serious diseases, and not just a lack of vitamin C. And you certainly cannot self-medicate by simply eating ascorbic acid. In some cases, a vitamin supplement may not only be useless, but also cause even more harm.

Is it possible to take ascorbic acid with medications?

Some doctors are categorically against such a combination of drugs. And yet, the vast majority of doctors allow you to combine medications and ascorbic acid for simultaneous use. But, with a certain caveat. It is forbidden to take vitamin C with medications containing:

folic acid
iron
caffeine
B vitamins

More detailed information can always be found in the instructions for use of the drug.

What to do if a child has eaten a lot of ascorbic acid

Remember, at the beginning of the article, we recalled how in childhood we often tried to get our hands on the coveted bottle? What to do if your child succeeds?

Do not panic. Ascorbic acid is not poison. Therefore, without hysterics, you will scare the child. First, try flushing your baby's stomach. As usual - warm water and vomiting. After cleansing, give your child any adsorbent that is in your home medicine cabinet. And make me drink more clean water. The first will absorb excess vitamin C, the second will help the body remove ascorbic acid residues. The most common way is through the toilet.

Interesting facts about ascorbic acid

Did you know that you shouldn’t suddenly stop drinking vitamin C? It is necessary to gradually reduce the dosage so that the body learns to cope without the tablet form. Otherwise, you can provoke some unpleasant types of recoil from the body. For example, you may become susceptible to certain diseases.

By the way, many doctors around the world have recognized that regular intake of competent doses of ascorbic acid significantly reduces the risk of cancer. But it doesn’t completely rule it out.

Of course, ideally this vitamin should enter the human body with food. Then there will be no need for additional doses. But, who knows how to accurately calculate the dose based on currant berries or slices bell pepper? Besides, where can you get good fresh fruits and vegetables in winter? After all, they are the main natural source of ascorbic acid.

No, canned and frozen will not work. They contain a negligible amount of vitamin C. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend taking pharmaceutical vitamin preparations at least in the cold season.

Now you know what role ascorbic acid plays in the human body. You also know the benefits and harms. Therefore, do not eat vitamin by the handful and do not stuff your children without the advice of a competent specialist.

Video: what happens if you eat a lot of ascorbic acid

Today, a good half of humanity takes vitamin complexes, and, unfortunately, this intake is not always controlled by doctors. The most accessible vitamin that is usually consumed for any disease is vitamin C. What happens if you eat a lot? With uncontrolled use of tablets, drops, an overdose occurs. Of course, ascorbic acid is necessary for the body, as it helps strengthen teeth and bones, promotes collagen synthesis, improves immunity, and stimulates the production of steroid hormones.

Ascorbic acid is most often taken at the first signs of a cold, preferring “shock” doses. Unfortunately, such neglect of dosages leads to many health problems, and it is necessary to treat not only colds, but also a number of other unpleasant symptoms. To prevent an overdose of ascorbic acid, you must carefully read the instructions.

If we consider the dosage in more detail, then:

Infants do not require additional intake of the substance.
Children under three years old - up to 15 mg per day .
For children from three to seven years old, the daily norm should not exceed 20 mg;
Junior schoolchildren - 25 mg per day ;
Teenagers already need 75 mg ascorbic acid per day;
Women need to consume 75 mg per day. During gestation, the body's need increases up to 85 mg per day, and during breastfeeding - up to 90 mg;
The need of an adult man is 90 mg per day.

When is hypervitaminosis C possible?

An overdose of ascorbic acid occurs if at one moment you take a dose 20 times more than the permissible limit. A small excess of the vitamin will not lead to an overdose, as it will be eliminated almost immediately through the kidneys.

Most often, patients experience mild hypervitaminosis C, the symptoms of which are difficult to differentiate:

dizziness, nausea, vomiting ;
fast fatiguability ;
menstrual irregularities ;
allergies;
digestive disorders .

Longer incorrect use of ascorbic acid is manifested by symptoms of diseases that can be identified after examination by a doctor:

damage to white blood cells caused by increased oxidative reactions in the body ;
adrenal atrophy ;
complications with thrombophlebitis ;
gastritis.

It is worth mentioning separately the allergies that can develop to ascorbic acid. And although doctors believe that an allergic reaction to the substance is extremely rare, the possibility of its occurrence cannot be ruled out.

In most cases, allergies affect people who have a deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, a special blood enzyme.

Symptoms most often resemble common allergies:

skin rash;
tongue swelling;
itching of the skin ;
eye redness, watery eyes ;
difficulty breathing .

Consequences of an overdose of vitamin C

What happens if you eat a lot of ascorbic acid? If you constantly abuse ascorbic acid, you will not be able to avoid unpleasant symptoms. First of all, this is discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract, increased gas formation. When vitamin C is taken simultaneously with aspirin, the mucous membranes of the stomach are severely irritated, which eventually leads to ulcers. Hypervitaminosis C leads to impaired absorption of B vitamins, especially.

In pregnant women, uncontrolled consumption of vitamin C leads to congenital pathologies in the child, and the risk of developing rebound scurvy in the newborn increases. If a woman eats a lot, she is at risk of miscarriage. Symptoms of an overdose of a substance in the body of the expectant mother may include vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps, and weakness.

Children who so much like the taste and form they associate with candy are also dangerous to get carried away with delicious vitamins. In addition to stomach upsets, the child may get sprinkled with: a small rash and small blisters will appear on the skin. To prevent possible poisoning with ascorbic acid in children, you should store the drugs out of reach and monitor the intake of ascorbic acid yourself.

Prevention of hypervitaminosis C and its treatment

To ensure that consuming the vitamin does not cause problems, follow these rules:

Take medications only as directed . Pregnant women and patients during lactation should definitely consult a doctor.
Try to reduce your drug use in the summer , since during this period in order to compensate for the lack of ascorbic acid, you can eat a lot fresh vegetables and fruits.
Drink plenty of water . Ascorbic acid is quickly eliminated from the body, and drinking 2 or more liters of water per day almost completely eliminates overdose and any allergic reactions. However, this recommendation does not apply in case of a single overdose of the drug.

If a single dosage exceeds daily norm more than 20 times, it is necessary to prevent the vitamin from entering the bloodstream and being absorbed in the body. To do this, you need to immediately cleanse the stomach by inducing artificial vomiting. After completely cleansing the stomach, it is recommended to drink any adsorbent, for example, activated carbon.

If you have eaten a lot of vitamin C and this has caused an allergy, then drug treatment is prescribed only in severe cases. With mild and average shape allergies, to eliminate painful symptoms, simply stop taking ascorbic acid. If you are concerned that you may be allergic to ascorbic acid, heat foods containing high levels of this substance. It almost completely destroys vitamin C.

If you still had to resort to drug treatment, then, as a rule, doctors recommend taking:

Antihistamines - Tavegil, Allertek, etc.
Enterosorbents- Polyphepan, Polysorb.
Glucocorticosteroids - Dexamethasone.

In the future, the issue of prevention and treatment of vitamin C overdose in patients should be treated more carefully. It is better to completely avoid taking multivitamin complexes, opting for regular foods rich in vitamin C. If you eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, you don’t have to worry about getting a cold or flu in the winter.