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Vitamin C

Alternative Names: Ascorbic acid Recommendations: The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins, including vitamin C, is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid. Text Continues Below Vitamin C should be consumed every day because it is not fat-soluble and, therefore, cannot be stored for later use. The recommened daily intakes of dietary vitamin C (according to the U.S. RDA) are listed below. Pediatric Neonates 1 to 6 months: 30 mg Infants 6 to 12 months: 35 mg Children 1 to 3 years: 40 mg Children 4 to 6 years: 45 mg Children 7 to 10 years: 45 mg Children 11 to 14 years: 50 mg Adolescent girls 15 to18 years: 65 mg Adolescent boys 15 to18 years: 75 mg Adult Men over 18 years: 90 mg Women over 18 years: 75 mg Breastfeeding women: first 6 months: 95 mg Breastfeeding women: second 6 months: 90 mg Because smoking depletes vitamin C, people who smoke generally need an additional 35 mg/day.

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