Medical Mythbuster: Does Taking Vitamin C Help You Avoid Getting a Cold?

Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is important in your diet. However, most doctors and scientists believe taking vitamin C won’t help you in preventing a cold. There’s no doubt that many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin C can help ward off a cold; and the theory has been tested in several studies involving children and adults. However, no conclusive studies have shown that large doses of vitamin C can prevent colds. There is some evidence that it may help to shorten the length of time you are sick and reduce the severity of symptoms slightly. So, if you get a cold, feel free to drink all the orange juice you want. Fruits and vegetables such as raspberries, bell peppers, pineapple, broccoli, spinach and tomatoes are also great sources of vitamin C.

3 Responses

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  1. Posted by Stephen Simmons

    Thirty years ago I was constantly getting runny nose, runny eyes rip roaring head colds. I was miserable. One day while talking with our farrier he noticed how miserable I was and told me he had the same trouble with frequent colds until he started taking vitamin C. I immediately started taking a high dose vitamin C and haven’t had a cold since.

    Don’t believe the above article, Vitamin C works.

    January 29, 2016 8:59 am Reply
  2. Posted by Elman brozovsky

    When I was in Texas the local hospital sent a brochure out that said that the only commonly used over the counter or household remedy (besides rest and plenty of fluids) that actually worked to shorten a cold is chicken soup.

    I personally tried taking 30,000 or more mg of vitamin C with no effect until I found some that my body recognized as food instead of a drug. Two to three thousand mg of vitamin C taken in the form of food such as mentioned above, nearly always was sufficient for me to stop a cold. But ten times that much in the form of ascorbic acid, Ester C, etc., did not work.

    January 28, 2016 4:16 pm Reply
    • Posted by Reliant Medical Group

      Thank you for sharing your experiences, Elman!

      January 28, 2016 4:56 pm Reply

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