Vitamin C Recommendations for Children

Age-Specific Dosing Guidelines

• The Institute of Medicine recommends a daily vitamin C intake of 45 mg for a 12-year-old male, which is sufficient to maintain adequate tissue saturation and prevent deficiency states 1
• The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C in children aged 9-13 years is 45 mg/day, according to the Dietary Reference Intakes established by the Institute of Medicine 1

Dietary Sources to Meet Requirements

• One medium-sized orange provides sufficient vitamin C to meet the daily requirement for this age group 2

Clinical Considerations

• Supplementation is generally unnecessary for healthy children consuming a balanced diet 1
• Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD stages 2-5) may require supplementation if dietary intake fails to meet 100% of the DRI or if clinical evidence of deficiency exists 1

Special Circumstances Requiring Higher Doses

• For children requiring parenteral nutrition, the recommended dose is 80 mg/day for those over 12 months of age 3, 4
• Children on dialysis require water-soluble vitamin supplementation, but caution must be exercised to avoid exceeding the tolerable upper limit when combining dietary and supplemental sources 1

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Healthy children eating a varied diet should not be routinely supplemented with vitamin C, as this provides no additional benefit and may lead to unnecessary expense 1