I Take 4000mg Daily. 2000 with breakfast and another 2000 with my last meal around 5PM.
That is FAR above the recommended dosage.
The recommended dose
The official RDA for vitamin C sits at around 90mg for men and 75mg for women.
That’s just enough to prevent scurvy. Yeah, scurvy… You’re not a pirate in the Carribbean. Forget about scurvy.
Preventing a deficiency disease isn’t the same as optimizing health. I go a bit above the upper end.
Modern research suggests these recommendations are totally inadequate for:
Enhanced immune function[1]
Collagen synthesis and skin health[2]
Reducing oxidative stress in high-performance lifestyles[3]
Many studies show that a higher dose can be beneficial and if you go too high, then it’ll just get excreted. Overdosing Vitamin C is incredibly diffuclt.
I upped me intake after turning 40. The immune system is a bit less functional then, and you totally need that extra boost. Result? I got that popular flu-like virus once, took me 2 days to recover. No regular flu since 2020. Mild cold once every 4-5 years.
Then there’s the stress part. I work a little more than I would want to and I exercise a lot. All of that leads to stress and vit C helps alleviate that a bit.
I’m also using it topical through a serum on my face and so far the results have been pretty great.
The Science Behind Higher Doses
I found three main science based reasons for a higher than normal intake. Compiled them for you below in as non-jargon language as possible. Enjoy:
Immune Function
Vitamin C is crucial for immune cell function. During illness or stress, your body’s vitamin C levels can drop rapidly. Studies show that therapeutic doses (500-2000mg daily) significantly enhance immune response and reduce duration of illness[1].
I’m not much of an illness type, but I do get stress, often subconsciously from overstimulation and working too much.
Collagen Production
Your skin, joints, and connective tissue rely on vitamin C for collagen synthesis. Higher intake (1000-2000mg+) supports better skin elasticity and wound healing[2].
I am noticing improvements here. Small but steady.
Antioxidant Protection
Vitamin C neutralizes free radicals that damage cells and accelerate aging. In our modern environment—pollution, stress, intense exercise—oxidative stress is constant. Higher doses provide better protection[3].
This is my main reason for upping the intake.
The standard 500-2000mg range is a good baseline, but several factors pushed me higher:
Why I Take 4000mg Daily
Bioavailability limits: Your body absorbs vitamin C through active transport, which saturates around 200mg per dose. Taking multiple smaller doses throughout the day (I split mine into 2x 1000mg but planning to go 4 x 1000) maximizes absorption[4].
Individual variation: Some people are poor absorbers. Genetics, gut health, and lifestyle factors affect how much you actually utilize.
Stress and performance demands: High-intensity training, travel, work stress all increase vitamin C requirements beyond baseline.
I take the liposomal kind. Won’t name the brand but it was heavily researched for contamination. Many brands can’t produce the purity tests and those brands I skip almost immediately.
I track it with Longevity Deck (free) app by creating stacks of supplements I take morning and evening that get auto added automatically. Those that can also sync back to Apple Health.
That way I have easy to export daily data that show how these supplements affect my life.
Important Considerations
Potential Risks
Digestive issues: Doses above 2000mg can cause loose stools in some people (the „bowel tolerance” threshold varies)
Kidney stones: Rare, but possible in susceptible individuals
Medication interactions: Check with your doctor if you’re on blood thinners or other medications
What Works for Me Might Not Work for You
Start lower (500-1000mg daily) and increase gradually. Watch for digestive comfort and benefits. Some people thrive at 2000mg, others need more.
I upped my dose to 1000mg first. Then realized there are no side effects even at 2000. That means I’m not prone to digestive disruptions. In the winter months I upped it to 4000 for improved immunity and paired it with AHCC.
Form Matters
Standard ascorbic acid works well, but liposomal vitamin C offers better absorption if you have digestive sensitivities[5]. I use Liposomal exactly because of that better absorption. Don’t want to stress my digestive system more than it needs to be stressed.
The Bottom Line
The RDA keeps you from getting scurvy. But optimal health requires more. Much more.
If you’re:
Training hard
Under chronic stress
Aging (vitamin C needs increase with age)
Eating a low-fruit/vegetable diet
…you likely need significantly more than 90mg.
I landed on 4000mg through experimentation and tracking. Your optimal dose might be different. The key is moving beyond „adequate” and finding what makes you feel genuinely better.
I tick most of the above boxes myself too. I work out a lot (6-7 times per week), I am under stress from work and cognitive overloads. And I am over 40. See? It just makes sense to up the dose for me.
This is NOT medical advice. Consult your doctor when changing dosages or trying any new protocols. I am only sharing my personal take on what I am doing currently.
