Do you need to supplement with Vitamin C?
In general, I don’t believe in supplementing unless there is a valid concern that nutritional intake is inadequate or in case of treatment through supplementation. If, upon evaluation, I find sufficient reason to supplement with vitamin C, I would recommend a supplement with at least the RDA for that particular client and not more than 2000 mg/d. Another point I would consider is my clients iron intake. If it is low, I would recommend taking vitamin C, as it enhances non-heme iron absorption (1). I would also recommend to increase consumption of vitamin C food sources including bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, kiwis, oranges, pineapple, grapefruit and strawberries.
There are many different forms of vitamin C supplements but scientific research has not found any one form to be superior to the other in terms of absorption and effectiveness (1). I would recommend taking vitamin C together with vitamin E because the synergistic effect increases vitamin C's antioxidant powers.
Resources:
1. Gropper, S. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, Sixth Edition. Wadsworth, Belmont CA.