How to do a Vitamin C Flush & Why You Should

A vitamin C flush is the method of taking a large dose of vitamin C to detoxify your body. This method of detoxification is both cheap and easy, and you can learn more about it here.

How to do a Vitamin C Flush

Even as a young child, I knew the importance of taking a vitamin C supplement and eating vitamin c rich foods for your health. I remember eating chewable vitamin c tablets with bioflavonoids that we’d buy at the health food store. Like many families we went through cycles of healthier eating, but vitamin C was always a staple regardless.

My Dad first introduced me to the  “cleansing” properties of Vitamin C about 15 years ago when explaining to me how to determine my own vitamin c dose threshold, telling me that if you take too much, “You’ll know.”

He also taught me about the cleansing properties of Magnesium but didn’t give me fair warning before I drank an entire bottle he gave me because it tasted so good, but that’s a different story for a different time.

Teaser alert, both vitamin C and magnesium, when the dosage exceeds your personal threshold (aka your bowel tolerance), will cause frequent trips to the bathroom. Lessons I learned the hard way, thanks Dad.

Vitamin C (aka ascorbic acid not to be confused with l-ascorbate) is known for its anti-aging, immune boosting, and mineral absorption properties. In high doses, scientists have found it becomes an ascorbic acid flush, a powerful cleansing agent, protecting the body from chemical toxins and infection.

Why do we need Vitamin C?

Ascorbic acid is the primary preventative antioxidant agent of free radicals damage. It is needed for proper absorption of many minerals, such as iron, potassium and calcium. Without it, collagen, the connective tissue in skin, would be unable to form. Vitamin C also helps to prevent adrenal exhaustion by supporting the adrenal glands.

Research has shown that people with high levels of ascorbic acid in the blood live longer than those with low levels. By combining the detoxification of pollutants and toxins with boosting the immune system with vitamin C, a detox flush with ascorbic acid can greatly contribute to overall health and longevity. The benefits of an ascorbic acid flush are particularly valuable for those with compromised health status, illness, influenza, allergies, or any chemical exposure.

Benefits of a Vitamin C Flush

A Vitamin C Flush is one of the easiest and quickest detoxification methods. It’s simply introducing high amounts of vitamin C into the body at regular intervals until the intestines flush themselves with a watery stool.

Like any detoxification program, afterwards the body feels refreshed and rejuvenated. The benefits of an ascorbic acid flush do not end there…

It is also a way to boost the body’s vitamin C stores (helping to resolve any vitamin c deficiency) and absorption rate. Each time a cleansing flush is done, the body needs less of the nutrient to reach its ideal level. In fact, doing an ascorbic acid flush will tell you exactly how much vitamin C your unique body needs.

Seventy five percent of the amount of Vitamin C required to flush our you system, is your own personal recommended equivalent daily intake for optimal health. So you can use a vitamin c flush as a form of calibration of what your body needs and how much you take regularly.

How to do a Vitamin C Flush

How to do a Vitamin C Flush

It is important to use  ascorbic acid powder or buffered ascorbic acid powder. The buffered vitamin c powder (buffered ascorbate powder) version is combined with a buffer mineral such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc. or a combination of all three that is gentler but may be less effective.

For maximum effectiveness stick to regular ascorbic acid powder <— this is the one we use. Taking a bunch of capsules may seem appealing but I strongly recommend the powder in a glass of water or fruit juice, it’s most similar in taste to strong lemon juice. You can even add it to plain sparkling water if you crave effervescence. 

Take 1000mg of vitamin c in a half-glass of filtered/purified water (roughly 8 ounces of water) every twenty to thirty minutes, keeping track of the total amount of ascorbic acid taken. Do this until you have a soupy, watery stool (this is the “you’ll know when” part of the flush, with an enema-like evacuation of liquid from your body, fun stuff). NOTE; if you have inflamed hemorrhoids, ibs, irritable bowel syndrome, etc a flush may not be the best for your body. Most often a healthy person will use between 2-10 grams to achieve the desired results.

This quick trip to the bathroom is the body’s way to prevent overdose. Vitamin C is a water soluble solution that once you reach our body particular threshold in grams of vitamin c and your saturation level becomes ‘enough’ your body simply purges it. 

Once the Vitamin C Flush is completed with high doses of vitamin c, you can continue taking smaller doses of ascorbate acid every four hours for the next couple days, trying to maintain a thicker, tapioca-like stool. If diarrhea occurs again, lower the dosage. This can be done for a more thorough detoxification, but is not required.

To optimize the Vitamin C Flush, start in the morning on an empty stomach. Expect to cleanse for two to four hours, although for some people, more time is needed. Be sure to drink adequate water during the flush, sip mineral-rich bone broth and/or sole water to replace lost minerals.

Your Optimal Daily Vitamin C Dose

Multiply the total amount of vitamin C used to cause loose stools by .75, this will calculate the amount of ascorbic acid your body can use on a daily basis. A Vitamin C Flush can be done as often as once a month or once every four months.

The healthier your body is, the less vitamin C you will require. So, the more vitamin C it takes to flush your system the more your body NEEDS vitamin c.

In conclusion, I need to stress that I am NOT a doctor but only sharing what I’ve researched in response to the things that guinea pigs  (like my dad and I) have found beneficial as a part of our overall healthy lifestyle where we are trying to keep things like diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and inflammatory bowel disease — many of us are becoming more and more deficient in a variety of vitamins and minerals due to food processing premature food harvesting, artificial ripening and food supply issues that our genetic ancestors didn’t have to deal with. 

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37 Comments

  1. My friend thinks it’s pointless to combine other Vitamins with C. Because it will flush Everything out including the other ingredients. Is this true ? Thanks

  2. Hi l have daily diarrhoea and have been diagnosed with colitis, is it ok to do a gluten vitamin C flush? What is the best vitamin C to take for a gluten flush, l have gluten sensitivity symptoms and find it difficult to keep on top of it all
    Kindest regards Maura

  3. Hello,

    I attempted the Vitamin C flush yesterday morning, taking 2000 mg ( 4 – 500 mg of chewable pure ascorbic acid) every 30 minutes.
    After consuming 14 grams I had a bowel movement. I continued with 2000 mg until evening at which point I had consumed a total of 48grams. I have yet to have another bowel movement. Is this normal?

    1. FYI
      My husband just did the vitamin C bowel Tolerance flush doctor approved and directed. They said it can take up to 200 grams. He needed 81,000 mg. He used the Perque buffered powder available at many online suppliers.

      Then Dr wants him to stay on 75% does and once a week recalibrate by doing another flush. He is battling Lyme disease and was quite ill. Dr wants him to stay on 75% dose and once a week re-calibrate by doing another flush. He is battling Lyme disease and was quite ill.

  4. This article is exquisite. Where can I read more about how vitamin C stores in the body? Also do you know if doing coffee enemas interfere with the lasting effects of a c flush? Thanks so much

  5. Is there a point where you should stop taking vit c, I am up to 10g and still not getting the flush effect, just some gurgling!

  6. Does this flush still help with healing the gut if you have been on a PPI for a number of years? And still are currently taking a PPI.

  7. Here is a bit more details to go with the above suggestions, this is what I’ve read elsewhere: from boweltolerance.org
    Adult Flush
    Take 3-5 grams of ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate every 15 minutes until you experience rumbling or gas. Stop and wait or slow down. Sometimes if you continue on you will experience prolonged flushing. This will deplete nutrients and is not recommended. Keep track of the total dose amount that causes a flush. Subtract 10% from that dose and divide that amount up throughout every day. Over time the dose will go down as the body detoxes and heals. Flushing is quick watery or loose stools. Not prolonged diarrhea. After the loose bowels stop, continue taking 1-2 grams every hour for the rest of the day.
    Pregnant women and babies are not recommended to do the flush.
    2-4 ounces of water is enough for one teaspoon of ascorbic acid. Stay hydrated but don’t overdo it or the bloating will be worse. Coconut water, sole, or other sources of minerals is a good drink to use.

    Things that may help a flush move along easily:

    Not eating beforehand
    Juicing and other sources of fiber
    Coconut oil melted in warm water
    Sometimes a light meal towards the end of a flush will push it along

  8. Hi Haley, do you believe this Vitamin C flush could heal the gut after damage from Miralax? A child I know is having severe depression issue, which started 7 months ago after being on high dose of Miralax for 4 weeks (specialist recommended for GERD issues). Mother is desperate to help her little girl! Drs want to give daughter psych meds (no way), Chinese Medicine Dr wants to give her strong herbs (Mom is afraid of this, too), she is desperate for help!!

    1. Healing after damage can be complicated, instinctively I don’t think the vitamin C flush will be enough on its own. I suggest consulting a holistic or integrative doctor to come up with a comprehensive plan. At the very least adopting a strict paleo style way of eating (or even keto)

  9. Hello. I’ve been doing the flush on an empty stomach only drinking water. When is it ok to eat? And what is recommended? Thank you!

  10. Whenever I take 1000m g of vitamin C I feel sleepy and under my eyes become little darker.
    Is it normal ?!!

  11. hello
    i ate this morning didn t kwow it was better not to eat and i m now up to 40gr and still no flush
    i used pure l ascorbic acid powder with no buffered minerals is that ok ?
    my stomack is guggling a lot getting lots of gas
    should i keep going ?
    thank you for your hep

  12. Hi,
    I am currently taking in Vitamin C supplement and so far I am enjoying because I feel the healthiness in me inside and out. I am also using skincare products with Vitamin, so good for the skin.

  13. I will not get the same response with vitamin c in pill form? I feel a cold coming on and am trying to knock it out. My pill contains 1000mg of L-ascorbic acid, bioflavonoids, rose hips, acerola, hesperidin complex, alfalfa, and fenugreek. I’d rather not have to run out to the store. There IS a vitamin shoppe close by. Thanks for the tips!

    1. Generally speaking it’s much less fun to take handfuls of pills vs drinking a little sour water 🙂

  14. Great article! This really works!!! I tried this on accident by taking a heaping tablespoon full of the Bulk Supplements Pure absorbing acid on an empty stomach with orange juice (because it was my first time and I wasn’t sure of the taste). I had to come back home because my system starting flushing (I knew, lol)!! Which made me look up side effects of taking this type of vitamin C which lead me to your article. I’m so happy I read this. Now I’m doing a half of teaspoon every few hours or so to get the full benefit of what I accidentally started. My question to you is can I eat? I’m starving so I’m eating some crackers.

    1. It’s your flush, you have to decide if eating is best for your body.
      Here are a few things to ponder, when you used OJ it spiked your Blood glucose then ultimately you will have a Dip in Blood glucose which normally makes us hungry. The same with the saltines, carbs/sugars raise then drop blood glucose. If you are unable to sustain long periods in-between eating, it’s work monitoring how your diet is affecting your blood glucose with a monitor…

  15. I get the same results using 2 juiced grapefruits, two oranges, two lemons with two limes once a day sometimes with one or two drops of oregano oil.

    1. No, Liposomal absorption is quite different from the intestinal absorption of ascorbic acid, this liposomal technology helps reduce the potential gastrointestinal distress (i.e. flush) that can accompany upper levels of traditional oral vitamin C.

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