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The tolerable upper intake level (UL), or upper limit, for vitamin C is 2,000 mg a day for adults 19 and older. That is the most a day that is unlikely to cause harm for almost everyone; above it, the chance of side effects goes up. It is a ceiling, not a target. The limit counts vitamin C from food, water and supplements together.
Check your amount
Servings a day
This limit is the same for adults 19 and older, including pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Type the amount from your label to compare it with the upper limit.
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Vitamin C upper limits by age
| Age | Males | Females | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | Not set | Not set | – | – |
| 7-12 months | Not set | Not set | – | – |
| 1-3 years | 400 mg | 400 mg | – | – |
| 4-8 years | 650 mg | 650 mg | – | – |
| 9-13 years | 1,200 mg | 1,200 mg | – | – |
| 14-18 years | 1,800 mg | 1,800 mg | 1,800 mg | 1,800 mg |
| 19-30 years | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg |
| 31-50 years | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg |
| 51-70 years | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg | – | – |
| 71+ years | 2,000 mg | 2,000 mg | – | – |
No upper limit could be set for babies; the National Academies say their intake should come from food and formula only.
How much Vitamin C you need
| Age | Males | Females | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 40 mg* | 40 mg* | – | – |
| 7-12 months | 50 mg* | 50 mg* | – | – |
| 1-3 years | 15 mg | 15 mg | – | – |
| 4-8 years | 25 mg | 25 mg | – | – |
| 9-13 years | 45 mg | 45 mg | – | – |
| 14-18 years | 75 mg | 65 mg | 80 mg | 115 mg |
| 19-30 years | 90 mg | 75 mg | 85 mg | 120 mg |
| 31-50 years | 90 mg | 75 mg | 85 mg | 120 mg |
| 51-70 years | 90 mg | 75 mg | – | – |
| 71+ years | 90 mg | 75 mg | – | – |
* Adequate Intake (AI): the amount set when there isn’t enough evidence for an RDA.
What counts toward the Vitamin C limit
The limit counts vitamin C from food, water and supplements together.
What happens with too much Vitamin C
The National Academies set the adult UL at "2,000 mg/day based on the adverse effect of osmotic diarrhea" (DRI for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids, 2000, Summary). The report adds that healthy people "should be advised not to exceed the UL routinely."
Sources: Health Canada, Dietary Reference Intakes tables (the joint U.S.-Canada values); National Academies, Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019), DRI summary tables; National Academies, Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids (2000). Limits checked November 8, 2026. More from the NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin C fact sheet.
If you think you or a child took too much of a supplement, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (U.S., free, 24 hours) or use poison.org. In an emergency, call 911.
General information, not medical advice. Your doctor may recommend a different amount, for example to treat a deficiency. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication or have a medical condition.