How much vitamin c should a teenager have per day?

Do you feel like you’re always tired and sluggish? Do you get sick often? Fear not, my fellow teens! We have the solution to all your problems. In this ultimate guide, we will be discussing everything there is to know about vitamin C and how it can help us live our best lives.

Why Is Vitamin C So Important?

Before we dive into how much vitamin C a teenager should have per day, let’s talk about why it’s so important. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that plays many roles in our body. It helps produce collagen, which improves skin health and assists in wound healing (because nobody wants a nasty scab on their face). It also aids in iron absorption (so no more feeling faint during P.E.) and supports the immune system (goodbye sniffles).

However, here’s the catch: Our bodies cannot produce vitamin C on their own; hence we need to obtain it from food sources or supplements.

So How Much Should A Teenager Have Per Day?

Now that we’ve established why vitamin C is vital let’s discuss dosage requirements for teenagers:

  • For males between 14-18 years old – 75 mg per day
  • For females between 14-18 years old – 65 mg per day

These are just general guidelines based on average population needs. However, if one has an existing medical condition or is deficient in vitamin c they might require higher dosages recommended by their doctor.

But I’m Not Good At Math!

Don’t worry if math isn’t your strong suit (it definitely isn’t mine). Here are some common foods with high amounts of vitamin c:

Food Serving Size Amount of Vitamin
Orange Juice One cup 124mg
Red Peppers Half cup 95.5mg
Kiwi One medium 64mg
Strawberries One cup 98mg

So as long as we’re including Vitamin C-rich foods in our diet, hitting the recommended daily intake shouldn’t be too complicated.

But What If I’m Not Getting Enough?

We’re all guilty of not eating enough fruits and vegetables (I’d pick chicken nuggets over celery sticks any day) but missing out on vitamin C can lead to some nasty consequences:

  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Irritability
  • Joint pain (no more Fortnite for us)

Worst-case scenario: scurvy. Yup, you read that right – this disease was common during the Age of Exploration when sailors went months without fresh produce aboard their ships. Symptoms included swollen bleeding gums, loss of teeth and even death!

Luckily for us, things aren’t so dire since food is readily available to us nowadays. So unless you’re currently stranded on an island alone or living through a Zombie Apocalypse sceanrio it’s improbable if one regime will face such grave situations.

The Benefits Of Supplements

While it’s always better to get your vitamins from natural sources (say bye-bye to those powdery supplements people take with water), taking a quick supplement could come handy at times (like after munching wawa chips straight for two hours straight.. yes we’ve all been there) especially if you have trouble including enough fruits and veggies in your diet.

One thing to note would be that high doses of vitamin c via supplements may cause stomach upsets like nausea or cramping leading again back towards natural sources being the ideal choice..

In Conclusion…

Eating healthy isn’t just about maintaining our physique; It also impacts how we feel emotionally and mentally! By adhering to the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, we could see a positive difference in our health and well-being. So stock up on those oranges (or raid your parents’ kitchen for kiwis and strawberries) – here’s to healthy living!

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