Are the UK’s vitamin C recommendations evidence-based? A critical comment

There is substantial international variation in recommended vitamin C intake levels. In the USA, the recommendation is 90 mg/d for men and 75 mg/d for women, while in the UK, the current recommendation – established in 1991 – is only 40 mg/d for adults. This UK level was based on the 1953 Sheffield study, which found that 10 mg/d prevents scurvy, with 40 mg/d chosen as the recommended level for yielding somewhat higher plasma levels. In this commentary, we argue that the UK recommendation overlooked key evidence available at the time. Specifically, at least six controlled trials published before 1991 reported benefits from vitamin C supplementation in participants whose baseline vitamin C intake was already 40 mg/d or higher. One randomised controlled trial, published in 1993, found benefits from vitamin C supplementation even at a baseline intake of about 500 mg/d; however, this trial involved ultramarathon runners, and the findings should not be broadly generalised. Nonetheless, such results challenge the assumption that 40 mg/d is universally adequate to maintain full health. We also highlight that the UK recommendations were narrowly focused on preventing dermatological symptoms of scurvy, despite strong evidence – even at the time – that vitamin C deficiency can also cause cardiac dysfunction and greater morbidity due to respiratory infections. We conclude that the current UK vitamin C recommendation should be re-evaluated in light of controlled trial evidence and broader clinical outcomes.