Is Vitamin C really good for the common cold? (Vitamin C for the Common Cold) Let's find out the truth!

Most of us run for vitamin C at the first sign of a cold, don't we? Some people take vitamin C pills, others drink drinks like orange juice, cough drops, teas, and other things to get vitamin C. This habit has been around since the 1970s. But despite its popularity, experts say there's very little evidence to prove that vitamin C actually helps with colds. So let's get straight to the point.

What is this vitamin C?

Simply put, vitamin C is an essential vitamin that keeps our bodies healthy and strong. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant, meaning it helps prevent damage to the cells in our body.

Vitamin C helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, and blood vessels in our body. In addition, vitamin C is essential for making collagen, a protein that is important for healthy skin, and for the body to properly absorb the iron in the foods we eat.

We can naturally obtain vitamin C from vegetables and fruits. We especially get vitamin C from citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, and limes, as well as fruits like guava, guava, and guava. In addition, you can also get vitamin C pills and chewable tablets from pharmacies.

So, can't vitamin C prevent or cure colds?

This is the biggest question everyone has. Vitamin C has been studied for years as a treatment for the common cold. But the results have been conflicting. Overall, experts say that vitamin C has no significant benefit in preventing the common cold or reducing its symptoms.

For example, in a large study conducted in 2007, researchers analyzed more than 60 studies conducted over the past 60 years to see if taking 200 milligrams or more of vitamin C per day could reduce the frequency, duration, or severity of colds.

However, if someone who takes vitamin C every day gets a cold, the duration of the cold can be reduced very slightly. That is, by about 8% in adults and 14% in children.

What do these percentages really say?

Let's understand this a little more simply.

• An adult who usually suffers from a cold for about 12 days a year, even if they take high-dose vitamin C every day throughout the year, they will have to suffer from a cold for about 11 days. That's only one day less.
• Also, a young child who gets sick with colds about 28 days a year can reduce that number to about 24 days even if they take vitamin C daily. That's a difference of about four days.

In 7 other studies, vitamin C as a treatment for the common cold was found to be no more effective than a placebo.

So what is the advantage for the players?

Here's something special: It's been found that people who do a lot of physical activity, like marathon runners and those who exercise a lot, take vitamin C every day, and their risk of catching a cold is reduced by half (50%) . But this doesn't apply to those of us who live a normal life.

Is it safe to take vitamin C? Are there any side effects?

Generally, the vitamin C you get from natural foods like fruits and vegetables won't harm you. Also, taking vitamin C supplements in the recommended amounts is safe for most people.

The recommended daily allowance ( RDA ) for an adult male is 90 milligrams, and for a woman it is 75 milligrams.

However, taking too much vitamin C can be dangerous. Taking more than 2,000 milligrams per day for an adult can cause side effects such as kidney stones, nausea, and diarrhea .