Is it toxic to consume vitamin C with seafood?
Disease description:
I just ate a lot of seafood, and suddenly I remembered hearing before that taking vitamin C with seafood can cause poisoning. I also took some vitamin C tablets earlier; what should I do now? Can this really cause poisoning?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Under normal circumstances, consuming vitamin C together with seafood does not cause poisoning.
Seafood contains a certain amount of arsenic, and vitamin C has reducing properties. When large amounts of seafood are consumed along with high doses of vitamin C, pentavalent arsenic may be converted into trivalent arsenic—commonly known as arsenic trioxide (砒霜)—under the reducing action of vitamin C, which could potentially lead to poisoning. However, such poisoning is highly unlikely in everyday life.
On one hand, the arsenic content in seafood consumed under normal dietary conditions is extremely low, and a very large intake would be required to reach toxic levels. On the other hand, the amount of vitamin C typically ingested in daily life is generally within a safe range. Therefore, under normal conditions, moderate consumption of seafood and vitamin C will not lead to poisoning.
When consuming seafood, it is also important to choose fresh seafood from reliable sources and ensure it is thoroughly cooked to reduce the risk of food poisoning. In daily diets, maintaining a balanced intake of various foods and paying attention to food combinations better fulfills the body's nutritional needs and promotes health.
