Can excessive amounts of Vitamin C cause me to have a miscarriage?

While there is some speculation and mixed findings, the current evidence does not strongly support the idea that excessive amounts of vitamin C directly cause miscarriages. Here are some key points:

High Doses of Vitamin C

• A study on rats suggested that high doses of vitamin C (over 1000 mg) might suppress progesterone production from the corpus luteum, which is crucial for maintaining early pregnancy. However, this is based on animal studies and not directly applicable to humans1.

Human Studies

• In human studies, there is no clear evidence that high doses of vitamin C increase the risk of miscarriage. For example, one source notes that while vitamin C has not been well studied in relation to miscarriage, taking recommended amounts of vitamin C is unlikely to increase the chance of miscarriage5.

Other Pregnancy Complications

• Excessive vitamin C intake has been linked to other pregnancy complications such as preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and gestational hypertension, but these are distinct from miscarriage24.

In summary, while high doses of vitamin C may have various adverse effects during pregnancy, there is no robust evidence to suggest that it directly increases the risk of miscarriage. However, it is always advisable to follow the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C and consult with a healthcare provider regarding any supplement use during pregnancy.