I have read Berardi suggests a max of 500mgs of vitamin C, but I wanted to know what amount people normally take who train at a hardcore level on some of the programs listed on T-Nation. I used to take 1000mgs of the stuff but after reading Berardi’s recommendation I have cut it in half. Wise choice or not? Let me know 
Search prior posts. I believe Tungsten would say go back to at least your old dose. I would agree. I forget where Zeb draws the line at being too high. It’s all in prior threads.
Asim, Vitamin C requirements are higher when a person is under stress, be it physical or mental or even illness.
It’s a subject worth reading up on. If your only interests are athletic, I’d recommend a gram or two before your workout and another gram with the first whole-food meal you eat afterwards.
Unless in very, very, very high doses, there is nothing wrong with taking Vitamin C supplementation. You will just have expensive urine if all of it isn’t used.
TT I agree with you, but what do you say to the people (JMB included) who are concerned that higher doses are pro-oxidant (I think that was their concern)?
Berardi wrote about the same issue. That higher doses of vitamin C are not good due to an oxidizing effect…Not sure how that ties in to other vitamins that support it…
Too much vitamin C can interfere with magnesium absorbtion. (You get muscle spasms with not enough magnesium.) With too much vitamin C you will get intestinal upset (I know!). As I recall, 3 grams of vitamin C is too much. The best thing to do is get your vitamin C from fruits and veggies. I drink OJ with pulp to get more vitamin C. I normally take 500mg time release vitamin C in the morning and 500 mg of Ester-C in the evening.
Hey, Berner. Good question.
There are lots of different views on how much Vitamin C to take, which is why I said it was a topic worth reading up on.
Jeffery Bland, a source I respect highly, pointed out some deficiencies in the study to which you refer: The Pro-oxidant and Antioxidant Effects of Vitamin C
Since we know that exercise (be it cardio or resistance training) puts the body into a state of oxidative stress, timing your Vitamin C intake pre- and post-workout is ideal/optimal. Additionally, collagen synthesis/repair requires Vitamin C. Athletes (even healthy ones) would benefit from optimal (not RDA) levels, properly timed.
Smoking, liver disease, the use of corticosteroids, steroid use, smoking, surgery, illness (flu or cold), hypothyroid, stress (physical or mental) and even aspirin use can all dramatically increase Vitamin C requirements.
One additional thought I just had. A high percentage of the population tends to suffer from any number of inflammatory type diseases (psoriasis, asthma, IBD, arthritis). There are even CNS and cardiovascular inflammatory diseases. The list of diseases and conditions with an inflammatory component is endless. Even though there is the potential of taking a good thing too far, inflammatory diseases and conditions benefit from reducing free radicals and oxidative stress and thus, increased/higher Vitamin C intake.