Vitamin and minerals are required by every human body for normal functioning of body organs. Food and Drug Administration of US have defined optimal amounts of required vitamins and minerals. This list of defined optimal amounts is known as Recommended Dietary Allowances or Recommended Daily Allowances. It is recently known as Dietary Reference Intake.
Vitamin C can be consumed in the form of natural food sources, powdered form, gummy and chewable, tablets, injections or Vitamin C drops. The main objective is to intake the optimal amount of Vitamin C required by the body.
Vitamin C dosage for adults is about 50-60 mg per day for adults but dosage up to 2000mg per day is considered to be safe. Vitamin C 500 mg per day reduces the severity and duration of cold as well severity of allergic reactions. Beyond the level of high dose Vitamin C, the individual may experience the symptoms of Vitamin C overdose.
Oral contraceptives, smoking and other health conditions like stress destroy the presence of Vitamin C in human body. These individuals and others suffering from various health disorders, therefore, require high doses on Vitamin C to meet the body requirements and fight against infections and allergies. Individuals suffering from mild cold require 4-15gm per hour, with influenza require 100-150gms per hour, with viral require 100-200gm per hour, with food allergies require nearly about 5-50gms per hour and those with burn, injury or surgery require about 25-150gms per hour.
Vitamin C dose for small babies is 35 mg per day and small children nearly 40-45 mg per day. Pregnant women require about 75-90mg per day because they have to compete with the challenges of pregnancy. Vitamin C participates in the formation of collagen in the fetal membrane. Lack of this vitamin will result in premature delivery. Lactating mothers require nearly about 70mg per day to meet the vitamin requirements of their babies. This is because babies are breast fed and they receive all the nutrients from mother's milk.