How to Safely Purchase Vitamin C?
Aug 23, 2021
Introduction
In Malaysia, Vitamin C is one of the most commonly consumed supplements alongside with multivitamins and minerals1. With the rise of its popularity, many parties had taken the opportunity to market and sell it via various social media and online platforms.
The concern is, are they safe and authentic?
Here are the things that you need to do before purchasing vitamin C supplement.
1. Identify the right dosage.
Most vitamin C supplement in the market offers the right convenient once-a-day dosage of 1000 mg and this is allowed by Malaysia National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA)2. Do not take it beyond the tolerable upper intake level (TUL) of 2000 mg as it may cause abdominal disturbance or diarrhea3.
2. Read the product label and the list of ingredients.
It is particularly important to check the Halal approval status by JAKIM and Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) respectively. Besides, if you are having any allergy, you should check for any possible allergens (usually stated on the product label) to avoid any allergic reaction.
3. Double check the product authenticity.
If there are any circumstances that you could not scan the MOH hologram sticker, you can always verify the product authenticity with the respective company. In Mega BiO-LiFE, you can contact us via hotline, email, or Facebook for further inquiries.
4. Scan first, then buy!
It is advisable to download the FarmaChecker app in your mobile phone to scan the MOH hologram sticker on the packaging of any medicine or health supplement products before buying. This is to double-check the product registration status and authenticity.
5. Get from a recognized pharmacy.
Therefore, for your safety and health, always remember to comply to these 5 recommendations before purchasing vitamin C or any other health supplements, either in physical stores or online platforms.
Check Out the Essential Guide to Vitamin C Supplements Fact Sheet!
References
- Mohd Zaki, N. A., Rasidi, M. N., Awaluddin, S. M., Hiong, T. G., Ismail, H., & Mohamad Nor, N. S. (2018). Prevalence and Characteristic of Dietary Supplement Users in Malaysia: Data From the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) 2014. Global Journal of Health Science, 10(12), 127. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v10n12p127
- National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division. Drug Registration Guidance Document (DRGD).Ministry of Health Malaysia; Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: 2019
- Institute of Medicine (US) Panel on Dietary Antioxidants and Related Compounds. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2000. 5, Vitamin C. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK225480/
