Vitamin C: more than a cold remedy

Start with the essentials

Vitamin C supports collagen production and helps the body absorb iron from plant foods. Peppers, citrus fruit and kiwifruit are food sources.

For most people, taking vitamin C supplements does not prevent colds. Large amounts can cause diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

Start with what is already in your day

A food diary can make the topic more concrete: note fruit, vegetables and any supplements you used, rather than relying on a general impression that you ‘probably had enough’. It does not have to be a perfect nutrient calculation.

A product name can sound different from the nutrient it contains. When comparing your own records, keep the actual ingredient name next to the brand so you can recognise repeated ingredients.

Questions worth separating

‘What does this nutrient do?’ and ‘Will this product help my current problem?’ need different answers. General information about vitamin C cannot establish that a product will solve a particular person’s symptoms.

For a useful diary entry, write the product, the date, and what you noticed in your own words. Avoid changing several details into a single conclusion such as ‘this definitely worked’.

Source

NIH · Vitamin C

The essentials summarise the source above. Diary examples are written by Nobino and are not personalised recommendations from the source organisation.