Daily Value Is Misleading

The “Daily Value” printed on every Supplement Facts and Nutrition Facts panel on every supplement, is actually the minimum amount of a nutrient needed in order to prevent a deficiency disease from manifesting. In other words, nutrients really do prevent disease.

This runs counter to the prevailing regulations around dietary supplements, which by law are not allowed to “prevent, cure, treat” disease. To do so is reserved only for pharmaceutical drugs. That’s why every supplement box has the same warning box: “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.”

The truth is, in the case of vitamin C, 90mg/day is the Daily Value. That means you need a minimum of 90mg/day in order to not succumb to the vitamin C-deficiency disease called scurvy.

In the 18th century, British sailors received the epithet “limeys.” This is because they would pack limes on their ships. They didn’t know it was vitamin C, but by eating limes, they would not get the blistering lips of other sea-faring folk.

A recent study in Science Reports, found vitamin C can help prevent the risk of another disease: lung cancer. Researchers found those people with the highest vitamin C intake had the lowest risk of lung cancer. Specifically, the risk of lung cancer decreased 7 percent for every 100mg/day increase in the intake of vitamin C.