EXPLAINER: Can vitamin C-enriched drinks really ease cold symptoms?
Shelves in the drinks section of numerous supermarkets offer bottled drinks whose main selling point is that they're enriched with vitamin C. Aside from the delicious citrus taste of these drinks, the healthy aspect is also a hook for consumers.
According to the Department of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute, vitamin C boosts immunity, helps speed up wound healing, and increases the rate of iron absorption, among other benefits.
But do vitamin C-enriched drinks, which some social media users claim can fight colds, actually live up to the hype?
What vitamin C-infused drinks actually offer
According to registered nutritionist-dietitian Loverne Lazo, vitamin C-infused drinks can "only moderately" ease cold symptoms.
"As dietitians, we don't recommend relying on commercial brands or pre-packaged drinks as replacements for whole foods," Lazo told PhilSTAR L!fe. "While the fluid in these drinks helps keep you hydrated, which thins out mucus, whole fruits provide superior nutrient absorption, all without the excess added sugar."
According to Rya Sanchez, also a registered nutritionist-dietitian, drinking these vitamin-infused drinks won't do any good if they're enjoyed only when the cold symptoms have begun.
CONTINUE READING BELOW
"Taking vitamin C after your cold symptoms have started does not actually cure your cold or make it go away faster," Sanchez told L!fe.
General practitioner Danika Serrano-Pagador further clarified that these drinks advertised as healthy do not guarantee a shorter recovery period from colds.
"Vitamin C plays a role in normal immune function, but drinking vitamin C-fortified beverages does not mean you will recover faster from a cold," she said.
Whether or not these drinks are healthy depends on the amount of vitamin C they contain. However, generally, they do present health benefits.
Per Serrano-Pagador, a 350ml drink can provide 500mg of vitamin C, which is "more than most adults need in a day. The recommended daily intake is only 75mg for women and 90mg for men."
What to watch out for
Along with the infusion of vitamin C, these drinks also come with high sugar content.
"A single bottle can pack 20 to 35 grams of added sugar, which is equivalent to five to eight teaspoons," said Lazo. According to Sanchez, this amount of sugar "is very similar to what you would find in a regular can of soda."
Lazo recommends drinking just an occasional glass of these vitamin-enriched drinks.
"The safe upper ceiling for vitamin C is 2,000 mg per day. Drinking multiple bottles won't make you healthier. It will just cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and a sugar overload," Lazo said.
"You should treat this drink like a soda or a dessert rather than a daily health supplement," reminded Sanchez.
She discouraged drinking these juices daily, "nor should you drink multiple bottles a day thinking it will make you healthier," citing the World Health Organization's recommended maximum intake of free sugars, which is 12 teaspoons or 50 g per day.
Sanchez noted that further lowering one's daily sugar intake to about 25 g or six teaspoons brings more health benefits, including preventing obesity, tooth decay, and the increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
"Consistently drinking high amounts of liquid sugar can increase these health risks," she warned.
Better sources of vitamin C
According to Sanchez, taking a basic vitamin C supplement is a much better choice if your goal is to support your immune system.
Per Lazo, standard ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate supplements offer pure vitamin C without added calories, dyes, or excess sugar, which makes them superior to drinks merely infused with vitamin C.
Sanchez said the daily recommended amount of pure vitamin C is between 75 mg and 90 mg.
"If you want the slight benefit of making future colds shorter, studies usually look at doses of about 1,000 mg a day taken regularly," she added.
She recommended against taking over 2,000 mg daily since vitamin C is water-soluble, making it impossible for the body to store it and making the extra supplements pointless. Besides, according to her, extremely high doses of vitamin C can also cause stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Whole foods are still the best sources of vitamin C, Lazo noted, adding that the top choices for natural vitamin C sources are calamansi, guava, oranges, bell peppers, and papaya.
"For most healthy adults, a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables provides enough vitamin C," added Serrano-Pagador.
WATCH: Why is it so hard to make friends? (Generations Ep. 26)
October 21, 2026