'IN“Itamin C is important for your health in many ways,” says Daniel M. Davies, head of biological sciences at Imperial College London. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from harmful unstable compounds that arise from toxins and impurities. It helps the body absorb iron and is also used in the production of collagen. “But the idea that taking high doses of vitamin C – or drinking lots of orange juice – will prevent colds or help you recover faster is a myth.”
Davis, author Self Defense: A Myth-Busting Guide to Immune Health, explains that popular belief in vitamin C's ability to fight colds has persisted for more than 50 years, “largely solely due to the evangelical views of one man: Linus Pauling.”
A two-time Nobel Prize winner and one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century, Pauling made major contributions to our understanding of vitamins. However, he exaggerated the benefits of vitamin C. Pauling's 1970 book, “Vitamin C and the Cold,” became a bestseller, Davis explains, generating such high demand that factories were built to keep up with the production of dietary supplements.
In truth, research shows that people who take vitamin C supplements are just as likely to get colds as those who don't. Although supplementation may slightly shorten the duration of symptoms (by about 8% in adults), the effect is modest.
“It's also difficult to interpret these data,” says Davis, “because people who regularly take high doses of vitamin C are often more health-conscious overall.”
Instead, he recommends focusing on vitamin D if you want to fight disease. “It’s much more clearly established that it’s important for immune health,” he says. Vitamin D is available through exposure to sunlight. from March to Octoberbut the NHS suggests that people can take it as a supplement in winter.
