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Clinical medicine profile

Vitamin C

Vitamin / mineral / nutritional supplement

POM
Evidence state Source-linked Review date not recorded
Route
ORAL / IM / IV (selected)
Schedule
POM
ATC
Not assigned
PPB status
registered
Patient advice Check interactions
01 Risk first

Safety essentials

The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.

Contraindications

  • Hypervitaminosis risk states (hypercalcaemia for vitamin D/A).
  • Iron: avoid in iron overload.
  • Potassium: severe hyperkalaemia / untreated Addison's.

Precautions

  • Warnings Sore throat warning: If sore throat is severe, persists for more than 2 days, is accompanied or follow headache, rash, swelling, nausea, or vomiting, consult a doctor promptly.
  • These may be serious.
02 Point of care

Dosing matrix

Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.

Adult

Directions ■ adults and children 5 years and over: dissolve 1 drop slowly in the mouth. Repeat every 2 hours as needed. ■ children under 5 years: ask a doctor.

Paediatric

See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.

Renal

Fat-soluble vitamins and potassium need care in advanced CKD.

  • CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Hepatic

Vitamin A toxicity hepatic; niacin hepatotoxicity at high dose.

03 Clinical use

Use, effects & interactions

Indications

  • Prophylaxis and treatment Vitamin C deficiency, treatment adjunct for chronic iron toxicity.
  • Clinical selection for Vitamin C should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
  • Class context: Vitamin / mineral / nutritional supplement.
  • Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.

Adverse effects

  • GI upset (iron, high-dose vitamin C).
  • Hypercalcaemia (vitamin D excess).
  • Neuropathy with B6 megadoses.
  • Flushing (niacin).

Drug interactions

Open multi-drug checker ↗
  • Prefer food-first then targeted replacement.
  • Document laboratory indication for high-dose therapy.
  • Public health: vitamin A, iron, folate programmes per MoH guidance.
04 Pharmacology

Mechanism & disposition

Vitamins and minerals act as cofactors, antioxidants, structural elements or hormone precursors (e.

Vitamins and minerals act as cofactors, an…Pharmacological high-dose effects differ f…
Read complete mechanism

Vitamins and minerals act as cofactors, antioxidants, structural elements or hormone precursors (e.g. vitamin D endocrine axis). Pharmacological high-dose effects differ from nutritional repletion.

Onset

Days–weeks for repletion

Duration

Depends on stores and ongoing intake

Route

ORAL / IM / IV (selected)

Absorption

depends on GI integrity, food matrix and binders (e.g. calcium/iron interactions). Fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) accumulate; water-soluble generally renally cleared.

05 Special populations

Pregnancy, lactation & diet

Pregnancy

Folic acid preconception/first trimester critical. Iron/folate common in ANC. Avoid excess vitamin A.

Lactation

Maternal repletion often appropriate; avoid megadoses.

06 Kenya market

Brands & loaded prices

From—
Median—
Listings0
BrandManufacturerPackObserved price
No reviewed brand listings are linked yet.
07 Provenance

Sources & review state

Primary sourceLocal active-ingredient clinical extract; FDA drug label via OpenFDA/DailyMed; Professional class pharmacology (Vitamin / mineral / nutritional supplement)
Last reviewedNot recorded
EvidenceSource-linked
Open source document ↗

Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.