비타민 C 과다 복용Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so it does not accumulate in the body and is excreted. Accordingly, megadose therapy, which causes vitamin C overdose, is becoming very popular.
Megadose therapy refers to taking an overdose of vitamin C, which is 10 to 200 times more than the recommended daily intake of 100 mg, by injection or taking it as a supplement.
However, taking high doses of vitamin C can cause side effects, so it is not highly recommended among experts. The most common side effects include gastrointestinal upset. It occurs when vitamin C that is not absorbed in the body due to excessive intake causes an osmotic effect, and is more likely to occur when consuming more than 2,000 mg at a time. It is mainly accompanied by symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Another common side effect is kidney stones. Vitamin C generates oxalic acid during the metabolic process. At this time, calcium oxalate, which is formed when oxalic acid, a metabolite of vitamin C, and calcium meet, causes kidney stones. Calcium oxalate is also contained in foods such as spinach and cabbage, but in most cases, side effects occur when high doses of supplements are taken separately.
Additionally, iron excess can cause damage to the heart, liver, pancreas, and thyroid gland, and can cause cystitis.
To prevent these side effects, you need to know how to consume vitamin C safely. First of all, you need to consume the right amount. In general megadose therapy, approximately 1,000 to 20,000 mg is administered and consumed, but in terms of absorption rate, 200 to 500 mg is most appropriate. This is because the absorbed amount remains constant even if overdose occurs due to the phenomenon of maintaining blood concentration.
Next, you need to check the type. Vitamin C can be largely divided into synthetic vitamin C and natural vitamin C. The absorption rate of natural vitamin C is about 2 to 3 times higher than that of synthetic vitamin C. In addition, its bioavailability is about 12 times higher than that of synthetic vitamin C, and amla vitamin C in particular is known to have the highest bioavailability.
If you are considering supplementing with vitamin C for skin care or antioxidant purposes, choose natural vitamin C with a high absorption rate, such as Amla Vitamin C, but safely consume about 200 to 500 mg per day.
[BioTimes = Reporter Jinju Choi] news@biotimes.co.kr
