How Much Vitamin C Do You Need?

   There has been some controversy over the year of amount of how much vitamin C we need. We have know for a long that vitamin C is essential.  Vitamin C has been paramount in combating against scurvy, which is a disease of lack vitamin C, which symptoms include malaise and lethargy, followed by formation of spots on the skin, spongy gums, and bleeding from the mucous membranes. When British sailors went out sea they always carried limes to help fight the disease which is why British sailors are called "limeys".  Vitamin C was not linked to scurvy until 1932, it was understood before this time that limes stopped scurvy, so the rolled with it. Function of vitamin C is quite important for life on a cellular and molecular level. Vitamin C functions in the synthesis of collagen, which is found in all connective tissue, it has been show to be a potent antioxidant, and is vital in many enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body. It has been shown the  be a natural antihistamine, which decreases and allergic reaction, and important in the immunological response.  


     The current recommend does (RDA) for adults has in the U.S. has been 90mg a day, which in my opinion is a lower standard since other western societies recommend and use more, for instance, in 2004, a Canadian Community health survey reported that Canadians of 19 years and above have intakes of vitamin C from food of 133 mg/d for males and 120 mg/d for females;these are higher than the RDA recommendations. Why not take more than the recommended dose since moderately higher blood levels of vitamin C measured in healthy persons have been found to be prospectively correlated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and heart disease, and an increase life expectancy. The same study found an inverse relationship between blood vitamin C levels and cancer risk in men. Some radical, and I believe revolutionary thinking came from Linus Pauling whom won the Nobel prize that asserted that chronic long term low blood levels of vitamin C ("chronic scurvy") is a cause of atherosclerosis, Mr. Pauling recommended vitamin C mega-doses up to 10 grams a day as a cure for cancer, he himself took 2-3grams a day. Many studies done by him and his counterpart show some promise but the results were quickly recanted, sabotaged, and ridiculed by other medical doctors as false.  A natural cure for cancer, mainstream medicine could not let this be so easy and simple. Mr. Pauling did live to be 93 so maybe he was on to something with mega-dose. So what's the harm of taking a more than the recommended dose, mild nausea or diarrhea, benefits, perhaps cancer fighter, living longer.