Associated symptoms
Large amounts of vitamin C can not only cause diarrhea. The strain on the gastrointestinal tract can also cause stomach cramps or nausea. These symptoms can even start before the diarrhoea starts.
Just like diarrhoea, these symptoms are usually only temporary. They subside again as soon as the intake of excessive amounts of vitamin C is stopped. Since vitamin C is often given as an acid, the stomach can react particularly sensitively.
Vitamin C is soluble in water. It reaches the kidneys with the bloodstream and is excreted there in the urine. In the process, part of the vitamin C is converted to oxaloacetate.
Oxaloacetate is a component of kidney stones. Vitamin C is therefore suspected of promoting the formation of kidney stones. How large this danger really is, however, has not yet been conclusively clarified.
Above all, too high doses of the vitamin over a longer period of time seem to play a role here. Abdominal pain can also be caused by an excessive intake of vitamin C. They usually occur shortly before or together with diarrhoea. Due to the diarrhoea, the excessive amount of swallowed vitamin C is usually excreted from the intestine again.
This should also relieve the stomach pain. Of course, this is not the case if vitamin C continues to be swallowed in large quantities despite the abdominal pain and diarrhoea. As a rule, abdominal pain occurs when taking vitamin C only in very high doses. They are usually only temporary and harmless.
Treatment/Therapy
Diarrhea is caused by excessive intake of vitamin C, mainly due to the high concentration of the vitamin in the intestine. Unabsorbed vitamin is excreted again and draws water with it. This causes the stool to liquefy.
At the same time, however, the excess vitamin C is also excreted. Once excreted, it can no longer cause further intestinal problems. Normally, no further therapy is necessary.
The intake of further vitamin C should be stopped if possible until the diarrhoea has subsided. Otherwise the symptoms may worsen or no improvement may occur. General measures for diarrhoea are a light diet that does not irritate the bowel further and plenty of fluids. Drinking enough to make up for the lost water is probably the most important household remedy.A doctor should be consulted, especially in cases of very severe diarrhea or diarrhea over a longer period of time. This is especially the case if the diarrhoea does not stop despite not taking any more vitamin C.
