How Much Vitamin C Do You Need During Pregnancy?

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Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system, and it also aids in the production of collagen for your tendons, bones, and skin during pregnancy. Consume citrus fruits and other vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables throughout pregnancy to ensure adequate vitamin C intake. You generally don’t need to take a vitamin C supplement because you can obtain enough vitamin C from your food and your prenatal vitamin.

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Why is vitamin C important during pregnancy?

Both you and your baby require vitamin C on a regular basis because your bodies utilize it to produce collagen, a structural protein found in cartilage, tendons, bones, and skin. Vitamin C is also essential for maintaining a healthy immune system.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is required for tissue repair, wound healing, bone development and repair, and healthy skin. Vitamin C aids the immune system and functions as an antioxidant, protecting cells from harm.

Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of iron, particularly from vegetarian sources.

Fatigue, gum inflammation, slow-healing wounds, bruises, and dry skin are all symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency.

How Much Vitamin C Do You Need During Pregnancy?

The amount of vitamin C in Emergen-C products varies, but their immune-boosting versions include the most, at 1,000 milligrams per serving. In the meantime, their energy vitamins and probiotics range from 250 to 500 milligrams.

According to the Office of Dietary SupplementsTrusted Source (ODS), pregnant women over the age of 19 should consume 85 milligrams of vitamin C per day, while lactating women over the age of 19 should have 120 milligrams per day. If you’re under the age of 19, the figures are significantly lower — 80 and 155, respectively.

The producers of Emergen-C recommend that no one eats more than 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day without experiencing negative effects. According to the ODS, this is also the maximum daily limit (UL) for pregnant and nursing women over the age of 19.

Short-term usage of more than 2,000 milligrams per day may not cause any concerns other than moderate digestive distress, but long-term “megadoses” of vitamin C may induce kidney stones or increased iron absorption, according to some study.

Pregnant women should eat foods high in vitamin C.

When you hear the word “vitamin C,” you probably think of oranges, but there are many other excellent C-rich fruits and vegetables to consider. Remember that vitamin C does not last as long when cooked, so consume part of your C meals raw every day.

Here are a few healthful snacks to help you full up:

12 cup raw red bell pepper: 95 mg
Orange juice has 93 mg every 34 cup.
70 milligrams per medium fruit orange
Grapefruit juice has 70 mg every 34 cup.
64 milligrams per medium kiwifruit
60 milligrams per 12 cup raw green bell pepper
Broccoli has 51 mg per 12 cup cooked.
Strawberries contain 49 milligrams every 12 cup sliced.
12 cup cooked Brussels sprouts: 48 mg
Grapefruit has 39 milligrams per half medium fruit.

Because vitamin C aids iron absorption, it’s a good idea to consume C-rich meals with iron-rich ones, such as chicken with red bell peppers or fish with Brussels sprouts.

Conclusion: Do you require a vitamin C supplement when pregnant?

A separate supplement is generally unnecessary. Vitamin C is easily obtained from fruits and vegetables, and it is also present in prenatal supplements.

Taking excessive amounts of vitamin C when pregnant is not advised. The maximum daily dose considered safe for women 18 and younger is 1800 mg and 2000 mg for women 19 and older. Excessive vitamin C might cause stomach irritation, and additional research is needed to determine how these supplements may impact pregnancy outcomes.

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