When you feel the sniffles coming on, you should reach for the OJ, right? Not so fast! We asked the experts whether this was an old wives’ tale, or actually sound advice. The verdict: “For most people, taking vitamin C supplements regularly does not reduce the risk of coming down with a cold,” says Carol Haggans, MS, RD, a Scientific and Health Communications Consultant for the NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements.
Yet, vitamin C does still play an essential role in supporting your immune system,according to research. And under certain circumstances, it could be beneficial for you, says Haggans.
The Legend of Vitamin C
The myth of vitamin C preventing the common cold began back in the 1960s and 1970s when a renowned scientist named Linus Pauling discovered that mega-doses of vitamin C allegedly prevented him from catching a cold for years. According to The Atlantic, “Pauling believed that the common cold would soon be a historical footnote.” Pauling published a best-selling book, and his cold-busting recommendation quickly became common knowledge — though research both before and since has repeatedly refuted Pauling’s claims.
According to the NIH, “Overall, the evidence to date suggests that regular intakes of vitamin C at doses of at least 200 mg per day do not reduce the incidence of the common cold in the general population.” Taking vitamin C regularly also doesn’t reduce theseverity of a cold. Moreover, taking too much vitamin C can cause problems. “Like most vitamins and minerals, vitamin C does have an upper limit,” Haggans notes. More than 2,000 mg per day can cause nausea, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
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