Vitamin C serum

What it is

Vitamin C is a vitamin that dissolves in water, and the body needs it for normal growth and development.

Source: MedlinePlus (NIH): Vitamin C: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗

How it's thought to work

• Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, a protein used to build skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels.
• Vitamin C is an antioxidant, a nutrient that blocks some of the damage caused by free radicals.
• Vitamin C helps the body absorb more iron.

Sources: MedlinePlus (NIH): Vitamin C: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗ · Mayo Clinic: Vitamin C - Mayo Clinic ↗

What the research has found so far

On Vitamin C serum and aging, PubMed lists 32 trials in people, 17 studies that watched people over time, 16 animal and lab studies. See the counts and searches

Side effects and risks

Too much vitamin C can cause upset stomach, vomiting, and loose stools.

Source: Mayo Clinic: Vitamin C - Mayo Clinic ↗

Who should be careful, and drug interactions

• Large doses are not recommended during pregnancy because they can lead to a vitamin C shortage in the baby after delivery.
• High doses can cause hemolytic anemia in people with G6PDH deficiency, an inherited condition.
• In people with hereditary hemochromatosis, long-term high doses could worsen iron overload and cause tissue damage.
• High levels of vitamin C might affect results of certain tests, such as blood sugar screening or stool tests for hidden blood.
• There is worry that vitamin C and other antioxidants during chemotherapy might keep the medicines from working well.
• Taking vitamin C with statins and niacin could keep those medicines from working as well as expected.
• Taking vitamin C with birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy might raise estrogen levels.

Sources: MedlinePlus (NIH): Vitamin C: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗ · Mayo Clinic: Vitamin C - Mayo Clinic ↗ · NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C - Health Professional Fact Sheet ↗

Amounts used in studies

What studies or labels describe, not a recommendation.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin C is 90 mg for adult men and 75 mg for adult women. The upper intake level for vitamin C ranges from 400 to 2,000 mg, depending on age.

Sources: Mayo Clinic: Vitamin C - Mayo Clinic ↗ · NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C - Health Professional Fact Sheet ↗

Roughly what it costs

We don't have prices for this yet.

Questions to ask your doctor

• Is Vitamin C serum a sensible option for me, given my health and the medicines I take?
• Could Vitamin C serum interact with any medicine or supplement I already take?
• What side effects should I watch for, and when should I stop or call you?
• Would Vitamin C serum be used for its approved purpose, or off-label for aging?
• How would we tell whether it is helping, and when should we review it?