Is it true that… you should take vitamin C when you've got a cold?

"Vitamin C: The Cold-Fighting Myth"

For decades, the idea has persisted that taking high doses of vitamin C can prevent or alleviate cold symptoms. However, a closer examination of the evidence reveals that this is largely an urban myth.

The notion that vitamin C plays a crucial role in fighting off colds and flu originated from Linus Pauling, a double Nobel Prize winner who was a prominent advocate for the health benefits of vitamin C. His 1970 book "Vitamin C and the Common Cold" became a bestseller, sparking widespread interest in supplements. As a result, factories were built to meet the demand, with some manufacturers claiming that their products could boost immunity and shorten the duration of colds.

But is this really true? According to Daniel M Davis, head of life sciences at Imperial College London, research shows that taking vitamin C supplements makes little difference when it comes to catching a cold. In fact, studies have found that people who take vitamin C are just as likely to fall ill as those who don't.

While supplementation may offer some modest benefits in terms of reducing symptom duration by around 8% in adults, this effect is easily outweighed by the potential for adverse interactions with other medications or an excessive intake of sugar from consuming large amounts of orange juice.

So what should you focus on if you want to boost your immune system? According to Davis, vitamin D is a far more effective choice. "It's much more clearly established as important for immune health," he says. Vitamin D can be obtained through exposure to sunlight between March and October, or taken as a supplement during the winter months when levels are naturally lower.

In conclusion, while vitamin C does offer some benefits for overall health, its role in preventing colds is greatly exaggerated. By understanding the limitations of this myth and focusing on more effective strategies such as vitamin D supplementation, you can take a more informed approach to maintaining your immune system.

idk why ppl still think takin high doses of vit c'll prevent u from gettin sick lol 8% diff in symptom duration? not even worth it also, who knew orange juice could be so bad for u? excessive sugar intake is a real thing, fam anyway, vitamin d is def the way to go if u wanna boost ur immune system been saying it 4 years now

I remember reading about Linus Pauling's book back in 2008 I was like, "oh cool, vitamin C is gonna save me from the common cold!" But now that I think about it, maybe we were just swept up in the hype . I mean, have you seen those giant boxes of vitamin C supplements? They're basically just a bunch of empty calories . And don't even get me started on the orange juice... I used to love drinking OJ as a kid, but now I'm like, "hold up, that's just sugar and water" . Anyway, I guess it's good that we're getting more info on this whole vitamin C myth . Vitamin D sounds like a solid alternative, though. Who knew taking some sunshine in would be the key to boosting our immunity?

I gotta say, taking high doses of vitamin C just doesn't seem like it's gonna make a huge difference if you're already exposed to the common cold . I mean, we all know that sometimes no matter how healthy we are, we still end up getting sick . But hey, the idea that vitamin D is way more effective for immune health isn't surprising to me at all . I've been saying this for ages - get outside and soak up some sunlight during those winter months, it's like a free health supplement !

idk why people still think vitamin c is gonna save them from colds i mean my sister took like 1000mg every day for months and she still got sick like 3 times but hey at least her nose wasn't so runny or whatever anyway vitamin d is def the way to go imo especially since we can get it from sunlight lol who needs supplements when you've got nature on your side

Vitamin C just another myth perpetuated by overzealous supplements they built factories for nothing now what's the point in popping pills just gonna be some mediocre relief from symptoms meanwhile real game changers like vitamin D gettin lowkey overlooked need more sunlight exposure if u wanna boost immune system 8% reduction in symptom duration is cute but not exactly life changer

I'm still thinking about that article... Vitamin C was always touted as a magic bullet for fighting off colds & flu. I remember reading that book by Linus Pauling back in the day and thinking it made sense - who doesn't love the idea of boosting their immunity with a daily dose of citrus? But now, after re-reading this article, I'm not so sure...

I mean, 8% reduction in symptom duration just doesn't seem like enough to justify all the hype around vitamin C. And what about those adverse interactions with other meds or excessive sugar intake from juicing? That's a pretty big downside.

On the other hand, vitamin D makes total sense - I've heard so many people rave about how it helped them when they were feeling under the weather. So, yeah, I'm definitely switching to vitamin D supplements now!

I'm not sure about taking high doses of vitamin C tho it seems like it's just making some people feel better but not really preventing colds. Vitamin D makes sense tho like the article said we need it for immune health and sunlight is free

omg I was always told that drinking orange juice everyday would prevent me from getting sick lol now I'm like what about all those ads for Vitamin C supplements? and I never thought about the sugar thing, didn't realize it could be bad for you... maybe I should start taking Vitamin D instead? how do I get more of that sunlight though? is it true we're supposed to stay inside during the winter months or can we still go out and get some?

I'm like "okay, what's going on here? So we're supposed to believe that all those factories churning out vitamin C supplements are just for our own good? Like, someone's making bank off this myth and now it's being told is a lie? That's some suspicious stuff if you ask me. I mean, what about the people who were using these supplements all along? Were they just being misled? And why did it take so long to come out that vitamin C doesn't actually work? It feels like there's a cover-up here... maybe someone's trying to push vitamin D as a replacement or something? "

I think vitamin C got a bad rep here . I've had my fair share of colds and flu in the past, but I never took any supplements. I just drank lots of water and ate a balanced diet . And you know what? It worked! My body was able to fight off those germs without any help from vitamin C. Now that I'm older , I do take some vitamin D supplements during the winter months, but it's not because I believe it'll prevent me from getting sick. I just want to feel good in my bones .

I'm so done with people thinking that vitamin C is like a magic bullet for fighting off colds it's not even close! I mean, sure, it's got some benefits and all, but 8% reduction in symptom duration? That's barely worth mentioning and don't even get me started on the whole orange juice thing... I swear, if you're just gonna drink that much OJ to feel better, maybe you should be looking at your diet like a whole instead of trying to boost it with some supplements

And what's up with the hype around vitamin C in the first place? Like, Linus Pauling was a genius and all, but even he wasn't 100% sure about its benefits... I guess that just makes for better marketing anyway, now that we know the truth, can we please just focus on getting our vitamin D levels up instead? That's some solid science right there

I MEAN, COME ON PEOPLE! I KNOW WE'VE ALL BEEN TOLD THAT VITAMIN C IS THE SECRET TO FIGHTING OFF COLDs AND FLU, BUT IT'S TIME TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT! ALL THOSE SUPPLEMENTS AND ORANGE JUICE DRINKS WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING EXCEPT PUTTING EXTRA SUGAR IN OUR DIETS. AND NOW WE'RE TOLD THAT VITAMIN D IS THE REAL HERO? THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, I GUESS. AT LEAST IT'S NOT JUST A FAD LIKE VITAMIN C WAS. BUT SERIOUSLY, WHO KNEW?

I was surprised to learn that taking high doses of vitamin C doesn't really help prevent or alleviate cold symptoms . I mean, who hasn't been told to take a big ol' glass of OJ when they're feeling under the weather? But it's good to know the truth - sometimes myths stick around even after we find out they're not true . Vitamin D is definitely something I'll be paying more attention to now, especially during the winter months ️. It's always interesting to see how science helps us separate fact from fiction!