AI Insight
Vitamin C does not prevent most people from catching colds, contrary to popular belief promoted by Linus Pauling over 50 years ago. Large-scale studies have shown that while regular vitamin C intake does not stop cold infections, it may slightly reduce the severity of symptoms or shorten their duration. The preventative benefits once claimed for high-dose vitamin C supplementation have not been supported by subsequent research.
Why it matters
This challenges a widespread health practice and clarifies that vitamin C supplementation should not be relied upon as a primary cold prevention strategy. The findings help consumers make evidence-based decisions about supplement use rather than following outdated recommendations.
Understand the Science
The belief that huge doses of vitamin C can ward off colds was popularized more than 50 years ago by Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling. Since then, larger studies have found that vitamin C does not prevent most people from catching a cold, although regularly taking it may make severe symptoms slightly shorter or milder.
Source: Vitamin C won’t prevent most colds, but it may do one small thing