Over-the-counter medication · Vitamin C Supplement
ascorbic acid
Also sold as Vitamin C. This medicine gives you extra Vitamins A, C, and D.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 22,556
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 8
- InteractionsFew interactions
- OTC
- Availability
What the data shows
ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is an over-the-counter Vitamin C Supplement, reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (22,556 FDA reports), with 8 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is an over-the-counter Vitamin C Supplement. This medicine gives you extra Vitamins A, C, and D.
This medicine is a Vitamin C supplement. It also has Vitamins A and D. It can help prevent tooth decay.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
What it does
This medicine gives you extra Vitamins A, C, and D.
Common side effects
No common side effects listed.
Key warnings
There are no serious warnings listed.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ascorbic acid's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Vitamin C is needed for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. Vitamins A and D are also important for overall health. Fluoride helps to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 22,556 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for ascorbic acid, by number of reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
2,275 reports
- Pain
Pain
2,059 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
1,943 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
1,785 reports
- Headache
Headache
1,763 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
1,639 reports
- Vomiting
Vomiting
1,523 reports
- Asthenia
Asthenia
1,447 reports
- Rash
Rash
1,362 reports
- Dizziness
Dizziness
1,314 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for ascorbic acid each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where ascorbic acid sits
ascorbic acid has more FDA adverse-event reports than 57% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is ascorbic acid; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 22,556 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1999–2025.
Total Reports
22,556
Reports Mentioning Death
2,511
11.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
9,031
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FATIGUE | 2,275 |
| 2 | PAIN | 2,059 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 1,943 |
| 4 | DIARRHOEA | 1,785 |
| 5 | HEADACHE | 1,763 |
| 7 | DYSPNOEA | 1,639 |
| 8 | VOMITING | 1,523 |
| 10 | ASTHENIA | 1,447 |
| 11 | RASH | 1,362 |
| 12 | DIZZINESS | 1,314 |
| 13 | ARTHRALGIA | 1,257 |
| 14 | PRURITUS | 1,133 |
| 15 | PYREXIA | 1,123 |
| 16 | HYPERTENSION | 1,021 |
| 17 | INSOMNIA | 1,004 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
There are no serious warnings listed.
Known Drug Interactions
Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase plasma EE concentrations, possibly by inhibition of conjugation.
Mechanism: Vitamin C can stop your body from breaking down the estrogen in your birth control, which may lead to higher hormone levels in your blood.
Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase systemic exposure of EE possibly by inhibition of conjugation.
Mechanism: Ascorbic acid blocks the way your body normally breaks down estradiol, which can cause the drug levels to rise.
Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase plasma ethinyl estradiol concentrations, possibly by inhibition of conjugation.
Mechanism: Vitamin C can stop your body from breaking down the estrogen in your birth control. This leads to higher levels of the hormone in your blood.
Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase plasma ethinyl estradiol levels, possibly by inhibition of conjugation.
Mechanism: Ascorbic acid blocks the process your body uses to clear birth control hormones. This can cause the levels of estrogen in your blood to rise higher than usual.
Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase plasma ethinyl estradiol levels, possibly by inhibition of conjugation.
Mechanism: Ascorbic acid blocks the process that normally clears estrogen from your body, leading to higher hormone levels.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What if my child spits out the dose?
Can I give this to my baby?
How long should my child take this?
Can I give my child more than 1 mL if they are sick?
What do I do if my child gets a rash after taking this?
Does this medicine need to be refrigerated?
Can I add this to hot food?
What if I give too much?
Can I use a spoon instead of the dropper?
Is this medicine safe for all children?
Does ascorbic acid interact with other medications?
What drug class is ascorbic acid?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for ascorbic acid?
Related Medications in Vitamin C Supplement
Other drugs grouped near ascorbic acid - same-class peers and common alternatives.
biotin
Vitamin B7
Dialyvite with Zinc is a prescription vitamin supplement.
Compare with ascorbic acid →
calcitriol
Rocaltrol
Calcitriol is a form of vitamin D that helps your body absorb and use calcium.
Compare with ascorbic acid →
calcium carbonate
Tums, Caltrate
Calcium carbonate is a medicine that can relieve heartburn and upset stomach.
Compare with ascorbic acid →
cholecalciferol
Vitamin D3
PNV-DHA is a multivitamin with minerals and essential fatty acids.
Compare with ascorbic acid →
chromium picolinate
Chromium
Chromium picolinate is a mineral supplement.
Compare with ascorbic acid →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for ascorbic acid: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 22,556.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 11.13%.
- prasugrel Δ 0.00 pts · 2,254 reports · P2Y12 Inhibitor (Antiplatelet) 11.14%death share
- clopidogrel Δ 0.04 pts · 192,921 reports · Antiplatelet Agent 11.10%death share
- fluvoxamine Δ 0.04 pts · 2,289 reports · Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) 11.10%death share
- lansoprazole Δ 0.05 pts · 173,086 reports · Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) 11.18%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Pain Relievers Compared
NSAIDs vs acetaminophen, which OTC pain reliever to use
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
What the FDA Data Shows for ascorbic acid
The FDA label for ascorbic acid (sold under brand names such as Vitamin C) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Vitamin C Supplement class. This medicine gives you extra Vitamins A, C, and D. Labeling covers dosing, contraindications, and monitoring requirements derived from clinical trials.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 22,556 voluntary reports. The database also lists 8 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: October 21, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages