Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant the body cannot make, needed for collagen, immune function and absorbing iron from plant foods1.
Needed to make collagen, a protein that supports connective tissue and helps wounds heal2.
Helps protect cells from free-radical damage and regenerates vitamin E1.
Improves absorption of non-heme iron, the form found in plant foods1.
Plays an important role in immune function1.
Required to make L-carnitine and certain neurotransmitters1.
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Red sweet pepper, raw, ½ cup | 95 mg |
| Orange juice, ¾ cup | 93 mg |
| Orange, 1 medium | 70 mg |
| Kiwifruit, 1 medium | 64 mg |
| Green sweet pepper, raw, ½ cup | 60 mg |
| Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup | 51 mg |
| Strawberries, sliced, ½ cup | 49 mg |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked, ½ cup | 48 mg |
| Cantaloupe, ½ cup | 29 mg |
| Potato, baked, 1 medium | 17 mg |
Heat and long storage destroy vitamin C, and steaming or microwaving may reduce cooking losses1. Amounts per serving from1.
The same reference table draws the reference lines on your charts in Ayuvo. Needs differ in pregnancy and breastfeeding, which are not covered here.
| Age | Women | Men | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 75 mg | 90 mg | 2,000 mg |
| 31–50 | 75 mg | 90 mg | 2,000 mg |
| 51–70 | 75 mg | 90 mg | 2,000 mg |
| 71+ | 75 mg | 90 mg | 2,000 mg |
RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is the daily amount that meets the needs of nearly all healthy people. Per day, for adults1.
Upper limit (UL) is the most per day that is unlikely to cause harm. Applies to food, drinks and supplements combined.
Signs like these have many possible causes. They are a reason to talk to a clinician, not to self-treat.
Deficiency is rare, but very low intake for many weeks can cause scurvy, which weakens connective tissue2.
Vitamin C has low toxicity, but high doses can cause stomach upset from unabsorbed vitamin C in the gut1.
Vitamin C status is usually assessed by measuring plasma vitamin C; white-blood-cell levels may be more accurate but are harder to measure reliably1.
Labs use different units and ranges. Your clinician reads a result alongside your history and other tests.
Supplements usually contain ascorbic acid, which is as bioavailable as the vitamin C naturally in foods1.
The most common form; as well absorbed as vitamin C from orange juice or broccoli1.
Sodium and calcium ascorbate; research has not shown any form to be better than others2.
One study found no difference in blood levels versus plain ascorbic acid1.
Supplements can interact with medicines. Talk to a clinician or pharmacist before you start one, especially at high doses.
For most people, regular vitamin C supplements do not lower the chance of catching a cold. People who take them regularly may have slightly shorter or milder colds. Starting vitamin C after symptoms begin does not appear to help.
Yes, vitamin C dissolves in water and breaks down with heat, so boiling and long storage lower the amount in food. Steaming or microwaving may reduce the losses, and many rich sources are eaten raw.
Half a cup of raw red sweet pepper has more vitamin C than a medium orange, and orange juice is similar to red pepper. Kiwifruit, green pepper, broccoli and strawberries are also rich sources.
Ayuvo charts vitamin C by day, week, month and year, with the reference lines from this page, personalised by age and sex where they differ. Supplements you log in Medications count too. Free, with no account.
Or read the code: Ayuvo is open source
Facts on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown. Intake numbers come from Ayuvo's shared reference table, which cites the sources marked for them.
General information, not medical advice. This guide is for healthy adults and does not cover pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or medical conditions. It cannot diagnose or treat anything. Talk to a clinician before starting high-dose supplements, or if you think you may have too little or too much of a nutrient. Spotted an error? Email us.