Vitamin C - Myths and Facts (Part 3)

HOW MUCH VITAMIN C DO YOU NEED?
The amount of vitamin C you need depends on your age, gender and other factors, such as smoking pregnancy. Below is the Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamin C:

 

Infants
•0 - 6 months: 40* mg/day	•7 - 12 months: 50* mg/day
*Adequate Intake (AI)
Children
•1 - 3 years: 15 mg/day	•4 - 8 years: 25 mg/day
•9 - 13 years: 45 mg/day
Adolescents
•Girls 14 - 18 years: 65 mg/day	•Boys 14 - 18 years: 75 mg/day
Adults
•Women age 19 year and older: 75 mg/day	•Men age 19 and older: 90 mg/day
Pregnant Women
•14 - 18 years: 80 mg	• Over 18 years: 85 mg
Breastfeeding Women
•14 - 18 years: 115 mg	•Over 18 years: 120 mg

Smokers or those who are around secondhand smoke at any age need an additional 35 mg per day. For most people, a healthy and balanced diet should provide an adequate amount of vitamin C you need, so there is no need to take excessive vitamin C supplements.

References:

1. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-QuickFacts/
2. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/1001.html  
3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002404.htm
4. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY21500.pdf
5. http://www.aoa.org/x11814.xml
6. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminc
7. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002145.htm
8. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-c-000339.htm
9. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/index.html