vitamin
Vitamin C supplements
Half of the 18,583 vitamin C supplements in the NIH label database that print an amount list 100 mg or less per serving; the middle half list 60 mg to 270 mg, and 1 in 82 of the 18,422 with a plausible amount give more than the adult upper limit at the most servings their labels direct (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026). The 775 products whose only supplement ingredient is vitamin C list a median of 500 mg, and 1 in 15 of them give more than the upper limit.
- Products listing it
- 19,91918,583 print an amount; 1,244 list it inside a blend without an amount
- Median per serving
- 100 mgmiddle half 60 mg to 270 mg
- FDA Daily Value
- 90 mgthe median is 111% of it
- Adult upper limit (IOM)
- 2,000 mg224 products go above it a day
How much vitamin C do supplements contain?
The median product lists 100 mg per serving. One in ten lists 21 mg or less, one in ten 750 mg or more. The amount printed most often is 60 mg (2,234 products).
Products by amount of vitamin C per serving
18,583 products, log scale; extreme 0.2% at each end left out of the drawing.
Source: Supplement Facts rows of every product's current label, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; amounts in one measure (weight).
How do the amounts compare with the Daily Value and the upper limit?
The FDA Daily Value for vitamin C is 90 mg (adults and children 4 and older). The median product gives 111% of it per serving; the 90th percentile 833%.
The adult Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 2,000 mg a day (total intake from food, water and supplements). At the most servings their labels direct, 224 of the 18,422 products with a plausible amount (1.2%) give more than that from the supplement alone (what counts as plausible).
The upper limit is for total intake from food, water and supplements unless stated, and does not apply under medical supervision. A label amount is what the maker printed. This is data, not advice: the NIH ODS fact sheets explain what each nutrient does.
Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv) (Daily Values); Institute of Medicine, DRI summary tables (2011) (upper limits); on reading them, the FDA's Daily Value page.
Which products list the most vitamin C?
On-market products, per serving, with a plausible amount: the rule leaves out likely entry slips, such as an amount far beyond every other label with no %DV or strength on the label to back it (each product page still shows its own amount, marked).
- Ultra Preventive Forte-Chel (Capsules)Douglas Laboratories3,000 mg
- Ultra Preventive Forte-ChelDouglas Laboratories3,000 mg
- C-500Optimox3,000 mg
- C Buffered CrystalsThompson3,000 mg
- Vitamin C 1,000 mgIndiana Botanic Gardens3,000 mg
- Anti-Alcohol Antioxidants With HepatoProtection ComplexLife Extension3,000 mg
- Mega-Liposomal Vitamin C 3000 mgAurora Nutrascience3,000 mg
- Ortho C+ Lemon FlavorAOR Advanced Orthomolecular Research Premium3,000 mg
Have the amounts changed over the years?
Products whose current label entered DSLD in 2011 list a median of 120 mg; those entered in 2025, 100 mg.
| Year | Products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 371 | 120 mg |
| 2012 | 1,185 | 200 mg |
| 2013 | 1,373 | 100 mg |
| 2014 | 836 | 100 mg |
| 2015 | 808 | 111.55 mg |
| 2016 | 824 | 120 mg |
| 2017 | 916 | 100 mg |
| 2018 | 772 | 100 mg |
| 2019 | 969 | 100 mg |
| 2020 | 1,680 | 100 mg |
| 2021 | 1,731 | 100 mg |
| 2022 | 1,904 | 100 mg |
| 2023 | 1,716 | 100 mg |
| 2024 | 1,946 | 120 mg |
| 2025 | 1,552 | 100 mg |
Source: DSLD label entry dates and amounts, current labels.
In which products and brands?
Products listing vitamin C by DSLD product type
Brands listing it most: Nature's Way (366), Douglas Laboratories (330), Nature's Plus (284), ProCaps Laboratories (169), Bronson (151), NOW (144), Country Life (129), Puritan's Pride (110), Source Naturals (108), Nature Made (106).
Every product listing vitamin C
19,919 products, A to Z by name (page 59 of 399), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- C-1000 Buffered CNOW · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 Buffered C With 250 mg BioflavonoidsNOW · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 CapsPhysician's Preference · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 CapsTwinlab1,000 mg
- C-1000 Caps With 100 mg BioflavonoidsNOW1,000 mg
- C-1000 Caps With 100 mg Of BioflavonoidsNOW · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 Caps With Bioflavonoids & RutinProtocol For Life Balance1,000 mg
- C-1000 ComplexThe Vitamin Shoppe1,000 mg
- C-1000 ComplexBiophix1,000 mg
- C-1000 Complex 1000 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe1,000 mg
- C-1000 mgVitamin World1,000 mg
- C-1000 mgPuritan's Pride1,000 mg
- C-1000 mg & BioflavonoidsBluebonnet1,000 mg
- C-1000 mg plus BioflavonoidsBluebonnet1,000 mg
- C-1000 mg with BioflavonoidsPuritan's Pride1,000 mg
- C-1000 mg With Protective BioflavonoidsVitamin World1,000 mg
- C-1000 mg With Protective Bioflavonoids And Wild Rose HipsVitamin World1,000 mg
- C-1000 Mineral AscorbatesNOW2,000 mg
- C-1000 PlusProgressive Professional from Progressive Laboratories1,000 mg
- C-1000 Sustained Release With Rose HipsNOW · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 TrMBi Nutraceuticals1,000 mg
- C-1000 Vitamin CDouglas Laboratories · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 With 100 mg Of BioflavonoidsNOW1,000 mg
- C-1000 with Citrus BioflavonoidsPhysioLogics · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 with Esterfied CWindmill1,000 mg
- C-1000 with Rose Hips21st Century · off the market1,000 mg
- C-1000 with Rose HipsLuckyVitamin1,000 mg
- C-1000 with Rose Hips & BioflavonoidsNOW1,000 mg
- C-1000 with RosehipsSource Naturals1,000 mg
- C-1000 Zinc & D-3NOW1,000 mg
- C-1000 Zinc ImmuneNOW1,000 mg
- C-1500 Complex 1500 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe1,500 mg
- C-1500 with Rose HipsSource Naturals1,500 mg
- C-2000 Complex 2000 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe2,000 mg
- C-25021st Century · off the market250 mg
- C-250 Chewable Orange-FlavoredDC250 mg
- C-250 mgNature's Bounty250 mg
- C-3000 ComplexMBi Nutraceuticals3,000 mg
- C-500Optimox3,000 mg
- C-500 500 mgSwanson500 mg
- C-500 Calcium Ascorbate-CNOW500 mg
- C-500 Chewable Orange-FlavoredDC500 mg
- C-500 ComplexNOW500 mg
- C-500 ComplexThe Vitamin Shoppe500 mg
- C-500 Complex 500 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe500 mg
- C-500 Complex With Bioflavonoids, Acerola & Rose HipsNOW500 mg
- C-500 mgVitamin World500 mg
- C-500 mgRugby500 mg
- C-500 mgPuritan's Pride500 mg
- C-500 mgSwanson500 mg