Fast Five Quiz: Vitamin C

Although the acute toxic dose for vitamin C has not been determined, the chronic toxic dose is more than 2 g/day. The effects of vitamin C toxicity can include the following:

• Renal colic (ie, nephrolithiasis)

• Diarrhea

• Nausea

• Rebound scurvy (in infants born to women taking high doses)

• Hemolysis (if glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is present)

• Dental decalcification

• Increased estrogen levels

• Occult rectal bleeding

Although high vitamin C intake does not appear to cause excess iron absorption in healthy individuals, chronic consumption of high doses of vitamin C may result in tissue damage due to iron overload in those with hereditary hemochromatosis.

Patients with suspected vitamin C toxicity should undergo urinalysis, renal function testing, and serum iron level assessment. If potentially lethal co-ingestions are present, perform gastric lavage if the patient presents within 1 hour postingestion. Always check whether the vitamin overdose included iron supplements and manage such an overdose aggressively.

Read more about the workup of vitamin toxicity.

Medscape © 2021 WebMD, LLC

Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Romesh Khardori. Fast Five Quiz: Vitamin C - Medscape - Jun 24, 2021.