3 Myths We've Busted On Vitamin C (Even We Were Surprised!)

Vitamin C is often referred to as an "old-school" vitamin. It's popular, it's basic, it's easy to understand…right? 

In fact, research shows that higher intakes (i.e., 200 to 1,000 milligrams or more each day) may provide better overall health outcomes, especially in regards to immune function and response2.* At least 200 milligrams per day seems to be the amount to keep your plasma (i.e., blood levels) saturated with vitamin C3.

And while it's clear that immunity and vitamin C status can be bolstered by high-potency vitamin C supplementation, Ferira says that's just the beginning.* Consider, for instance, cardiovascular health. "For things like blood pressure, [the research] shows incremental benefits at these higher-potency [vitamin C] doses,"* Ferira adds. Specifically, a large meta-analysis4 of almost 30 randomized controlled trials found that high-potency daily vitamin C supplementation (500 mg, 1,000 mg, and on up) resulted in improved systolic and diastolic blood pressure, a major cardiometabolic health indicator.* Furthermore, a clinical trial leveraging 1,000 mg per day of a vitamin-C-lipid-citrus bioflavonoid complex resulted in significant reductions in inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP).* Yet another metabolic health metric.

Vitamin C is perhaps most famous for supporting the immune system—but that's not the only benefit on its résumé, says Ferira. "Pigeonholing it as a temporary need or just for immunity purposes is another myth," she says. 

Don't get us wrong, immune support is essential (and not just when you're feeling crappy). But vitamin C is also required for successful collagen synthesis, and collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. "Everyone's talking about collagen," Ferira notes, and not just for its variety of beauty benefits. "Your gut, your eyes, your heart, your blood vessels…but for collagen to synthesize and cross-link correctly and serve as this architectural scaffolding," she notes, it needs vitamin C.* 

The final myth, Ferira says, is that you only need vitamin C sometimes. If you feel fine, you can do without it—this mindset is completely false. In fact, 42% of the U.S. adult population7 is living with vitamin C insufficiency, and almost half are failing to get enough vitamin C from their food each day. Even for those who do take a supplement, 33% of American adults8 are still falling short of their needs. 

And yet, Ferira often hears people say I look fine, I feel fine. I don't see the need. It's a common pattern with vitamin D, omega-3s, and multivitamins as well—if you don't notice anything wrong, what's the point? Well, vitamin C is one of those nutrients that can easily catch you off-guard. For example, my wife and mbg co-founder and co-CEO, Colleen, found out she had extraordinarily low levels of vitamin C. "As a healthy eater, I was shocked last year to find out from my doctor that I had hypovitaminosis C, aka vitamin C deficiency. It's more common than you might think," she previously shared.