Published on January 3, 2020
Since mid-2017, GrassrootsHealth has collected information about supplemental vitamin C intake on its health and lifestyle questionnaire. In today’s blog we will summarize this data to show how much supplemental vitamin C GrassrootsHealth participants are taking.
Among participants who reported an intake amount for supplemental vitamin C, 62% reported taking it and 38% reported not taking it. The chart below shows the distribution of average daily supplemental vitamin C intake amounts among vitamin C supplement users.
While the current RDA for vitamin C is 75 to 90 mg/day for most adults, among those who take supplemental vitamin C, a vast majority (88%) take 100 mg or more. Overall, about half (47%) take less than 1,000 mg/day and about half (53%) take 1,000 mg/day or more.
Vitamin D, omega-3s and other nutrients are important to measure!
Make sure you know your vitamin D level, and take steps to keep it within a target of 40-60 ng/ml or 100-150 nmol/L! Through GrassrootsHealth Nutrient Research Institute, you can also test your essential elements magnesium, copper, zinc and selenium, toxins such as lead, mercury and cadmium, as well as your omega-3 levels, inflammation levels and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level. Find out your levels today! Log on to the test selection page (click the link below) to get your tests and see for yourself if your levels can be improved.
Make sure you track your results before and after, about every 6 months!
Click Here to Access the Test Page
How can I track my nutrient intake and levels over time?
To help you track your supplement use and nutrient levels, GrassrootsHealth has created an online tracking system called myData-myAnswers. For each specific supplement, you can track what days you take it, how much, and many other details. This will help you know your true supplemental intake and what patterns of use work for you to reach and maintain optimum nutrient levels. Check it out today!
How Can You Use this Information for YOUR Health?
Having and maintaining healthy vitamin D and other nutrient levels can help improve your health now and for your future. Measuring is the only way to make sure you are getting enough!
STEP 1 Order your at-home blood spot test kit to measure vitamin D and other nutrients of concern to you, such as omega-3s, magnesium, essential and toxic elements (zinc, copper, selenium, lead, cadmium, mercury); include hsCRP as a marker of inflammation or HbA1c for blood sugar health
STEP 2 Answer the online questionnaire as part of the GrassrootsHealth study
STEP 3 Using our educational materials and tools (such as our dose calculators), assess your results to determine if you are in your desired target range or if actions should be taken to get there
STEP 4 After 3-6 months of implementing your changes, re-test to see if you have achieved your target level(s)
