The Best Time to Take Vitamin C, According to Experts

4 min read

We talk about vitamin C a lot, especially when it comes to bolstering our immune systems. But this nutrient is super-important for a variety of your body functions. It turns out ascorbic acid (the other name for vitamin C) is key for making collagen, a key protein which connects tissue in your body.

“Vitamin C is best known for its immune-boosting abilities, but it also supports wound healing, enhances iron absorption, and acts as a powerful antioxidant to protect cells from damage,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, a registered dietitian, food expert, and author in Chicago.

Our registered dietitians in the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab review and evaluate every single supplement we recommend in accordance with our dietary supplement methodology. We then have a registered dietitian on our Medical Review Board review each article for scientific accuracy. A supplement should do just that: supplement the diet, not replace high-quality, nutritious food and important healthy lifestyle practices. Check with your healthcare provider before starting any dietary supplement regimen.

Who should take vitamin C?

If you’re like lots of people, you probably figure a cup of orange juice at breakfast takes care of your daily vitamin C requirement—and you might be right. An 8-ounce serving of OJ contains 124 mg of vitamin C, well above the recommended daily 75 mg for women and 90 mg for women, as outlined by the National Institutes of Health. (If you’re pregnant, you need 85 mg per day, and 120 mg if you’re breastfeeding.)

Although it’s readily available in foods and beverages, you may still benefit from a vitamin C supplement. Your body doesn’t store vitamin C, because it’s water-soluble, so you need to keep giving it a steady supply. So some people may not get enough from their diet. Also, smokers are especially at risk for vitamin C deficiency, and need about 35 more mg per day. Those exposed to secondhand smoke may need a boost, too. If you have intestinal malabsorption, a metabolic condition such as cachexia, certain cancers or kidney disease, you may not be getting enough vitamin C, either.

If you’ve got risk factors, or you’ve been diagnosed with vitamin C deficiency, talk to your health care provider about a vitamin C supplement, which comes in pill form.

Vitamin C deficiency symptoms

Early symptoms of vitamin C deficiency (after weeks or months of lack of consumption) include:

Lack of energyFeeling weakFeeling irritableWeight lossMuscle painJoint pain

After a few months without enough vitamin C, scurvy can develop, which is a severe form of vitamin C deficiency. Symptoms of scurvy include:

AnemiaBleeding gums that may turn purpleLoose teeth, or teeth falling outBleeding under your skinA skin rashWounds that don’t heal or reopenRough skin with scalesLeg swellingA change to your hair’s texture, so it curls in corkscrews.Does vitamin C reduce your risk of disease?

According to data from Mayo Clinic , while vitamin C has not been shown to prevent conditions, it may lower your chances of developing:

Some cancers, including breast, colon, and lung cancerAge-related macular degenerationCataractsWhen is the best time to take vitamin C?

If you’re spending money on a supplement, you want to make sure you’re getting the most you can out of it. So when is the best time to take vitamin C? “In my opinion, there is no best time to take vitamin C—usually, whenever you remember,” says Anita Mirchandani, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., a dietitian and personal trainer in New York City.

Taking vitamin C with breakfast could be a good idea, though. “It’s usually easier on the stomach if you take it with food,” says Laura Iu, R.D., a certified intuitive eating counselor and owner of Laura iu Nutrition in New York City. “Vitamin C can also help with immune function, fatigue and iron absorption if you take it at meal times.”

Also, you can ask your doctor if it’s okay to take vitamin C at the same time you take other supplements, for best results. “If you’re iron deficient and need to take iron, (you could) take it with vitamin C to enhance the iron absorption,” says Mirchandani.

What’s the right way to take vitamin C?

“Since vitamin C is water-soluble, all you need is water to take it,” says Blatner. “For best absorption, aim for 500 mg at a time,” she says. Taking larger amounts of vitamin C might require a more targeted dosing strategy. “If you’re taking higher doses, consider splitting them up throughout the day or choosing a liposomal form of vitamin C, which has better absorption at higher doses,” Blatner adds. “Aim to not go above 2 g/day (2,000 mg/day) because that’s considered the safe upper limit.”

Again, talk with your health care provider to know the dosage that’s right for you. Mayo Clinic reports that taking too much vitamin C can lead to diarrhea, nausea, heartburn, stomach cramps, vomiting and headache.

Foods packed with vitamin C

Mayo Clinic also notes that for most people, a healthy diet alone can supply enough vitamin C. “Aim to get at least 90 mg per day of vitamin C from food,” Blatner recommends. She suggests the following excellent food choices:

Red bell pepper (½ cup, raw): 95 mg (106% daily value)Orange (1 medium): 70 mg (78% daily value)Kiwi (1 medium): 64 mg (71% daily value)Broccoli (1/2 cup cooked): 51 mg (57% daily value)Strawberries (½ cup): 49 mg (54% daily value)The bottom line

Vitamin C does your body good in a number of ways, so your key concern should be getting enough of it. As long as you’re consistent about taking your vitamin C supplement, don’t spend a ton of time worrying about when you have to do so. “It’s more important to get enough vitamin C than it is to worry when to take your supplement.” As Iu sums it up: “The best time to take vitamin C is all about what works for you.”