Taking a lot of vitamin C is not always healthy

2001/02/09 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Osasuna

Excessive consumption of vitamin C can be harmful to health, especially if taken in combination with certain medications. Therefore, never on the prospect of a drug "Risk Care. If you read "It could interact with orange water," don't think it's the day of the innocent.

In the UK it was decided to remove two antihistamines from the market due to cardiac problems that occurred with the Arabi apple. Aronson, of the University of Oxford, warns that vitamin C containing citrus is undeniable, but can also cause damage.

It has been more than 250 years since Richard Mead declared that vitamin C or ascorbic acid was effective against scurvy. Citrus fruits are still very healthy: oranges and lemon water are taken to avoid waterfall, asthma, cancer, coronary diseases, hypertension, cataract, etc. According to Aronson, there is more and more tendency to consume too much vitamin C. However, once the body has covered its needs, the rest does not benefit. And it is that what is left over has to be expelled by the body, which means work and discomfort.

In the United States, 40% of adults receive mineral supplements and vitamins, of which 91% is vitamin C. However, the needs of this vitamin are easily covered within the normal diet. According to your needs, the recommended daily dose is 40-100 mg and 100 g Arabi, apple, lemon or orange have about 50 mg. In addition, citrus fruits are not the richest foods in this vitamin, for example, parsley or kiwi have much more.

Knowing all this, citrus fruits could be demystified and remember that they can be dangerous, especially if drug interactions occur. For this reason, oranges and arabi apples have been the subject of debate on several occasions. The most common interaction occurs with the enzyme P450 cytochrome. It is found in the intestinal wall and metabolizes various drugs, that is, it transforms them. If citrus fruits prevent their effect, the molecules pass directly to the blood and, having not undergone modifications, they risk being very harmful.

As a curiosity it can be mentioned that the harmful effects of the Arabi apple were discovered by chance. In a test, this fruit was used to disguise the flavor of a drug and then saw its harmful effects. It has been observed that it also interacts with other medications: some sedatives, immunosuppressants and antihistamines. However, they still do not know what are the concrete elements that interact.