Several studies suggest that taking 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day can help to ward off maladies such as allergies, heart disease, and cancer. Unfortunately, even the most healthful eaters have trouble getting 1,000 mg of vitamin C from food alone.

Vitamin C is easy to find in the supplement aisle of your local supermarket. But is a pill a safe and effective way to get your extra C?

Yes it is, for several reasons, according to ASU nutrition researcher Carol Johnston. She says a person cannot take a deadly overdose of vitamin C. Because the nutrient is water-soluble, any excess C in the body gets flushed out through the urine. This is not true of all vitamins, some of which can be dangerous at high doses.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which defines the Recommended Daily Allowance for each nutrient, advises people not to consume more than 2,000 mg per day of vitamin C. Very high doses of the nutrient can cause diarrhea. Most vitamin C supplements are sold in doses ranging from 250 to 1,000 mg—well within the government’s recommended limits.

Dosages are not the only thing that varies. Dozens of brand names vie for your dollars with claims that their products work the best. The most common claim is that one supplement is more “bioavailable” then the others, meaning that more of the vitamin gets into the bloodstream, where it is available for the body to use.

But Johnston says you shouldn’t break your budget on the fancy stuff.

“I did a study where we looked at different preparations, the costly ones versus the very inexpensive ones. There was no difference based on all the parameters I tested,” she says. “I tell people, ‘Don’t fall for it.’”—Diane Boudreau

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