Can vitamin C supplements replace oranges?
Vitamin C supplements do not accomplish in our body what fresh oranges do; make an effort to get your vitamins from fresh foods. However, if you decide to continue taking vitamin C supplements, keep the following in mind: 1. Do not exceed 2 grams of vitamin C a day because when quantities exceed the body needs, it can become a pro-oxidant in the body. If you decide to discontinue your intake of large doses of vitamin C supplements, don’t stop all of the sudden; do it gradually to prevent a deficiency. 2. Vitamin C supplements are dangerous for people with iron overload because it enhances iron absorption and releases iron from body stores. Free iron in the body causes the kind of cellular damage typical of free radicals.