The Myth Of Vitamin C Warding Off The Common Cold Clarified

Most people, when they feel like they are going to catch a cold, get their vitamin C fix. However, an expert has weighed in on the issue about whether or not this is simply an old wives' tale or a really effective advice.

Carol Haggans, a Scientific and Health Communications Consultant at the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, says that "For most people, taking vitamin C supplements regularly does not reduce the risk of coming down with a cold." However, Haggans adds that vitamin C still plays a vital role in strengthening the body's immune system. In fact, it could even be beneficial, CNN reports.

The myth of vitamin c effectively preventing the cold started way back in the 1960s when Linus Pauling, a renowned scientist, discovered that large doses of the vitamin prevented him from getting the cold for years. Because of his discovery and belief for its effectiveness, he published a book and his cold-remedy recovery instantly became common knowledge. Unfortunately, since his discovery, several studies have debunked Pauling's claims.

The NIH reveals that there is evidence which suggests that regularly consuming 200 mg of vitamin C a day "does not reduce the incidence of the common cold in the general population." Moreover, taking vitamin C every day also does not reduce the severity of the cold. In fact, taking more than what is needed may even lead to certain health problems.

Haggans explains that vitamin C has an upper limit and ingesting more than 2000 mg a day can result to diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps. However, taking vitamin C supplements is not necessarily a bad thing. Though it is very unlikely that it will impact whether or not you get sick and how sick you get, taking vitamin C is indeed linked to shorter illnesses. A key finding of the researchers is that taking vitamin C as a preventative supplement shortened the colds of adults by 8 percent and of kids by 14 percent.

Take note though that there are exceptions to the study which suggests vitamin C does not prevent colds. Haggans explains that there are certain people including skiers, marathon runners and those in the military that do have decreased chances of getting a cold. She says those who are under extreme weather conditions and undergo activities which compromise the immune system benefit from taking 250 to 1000 mg of vitamin C.

And while vitamin C may not have a lot of impact on the average person, it is still important that you meet the recommended daily intake to keep the immune system strong. Regardless of age and conditions surrounding the populations, though, one important thing to remember is that vitamin C is most beneficial when taken preventively. Once you feel like getting the sniffles, it is too late to expect the vitamin C to stop it, especially since there isn't any research that claims vitamin C can stop a cold once a person catches it.