Vitamin C and Menopause: The Hero Vitamin Every Woman Needs to Know About
- Andrea Marsh
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Discover how Vitamin C can ease menopause symptoms, support skin, heart, and immunity, and even reduce hot flushes naturally. Learn how to make it your hero vitamin today!
Could the solution to so many of your menopause symptoms be sitting right on your supermarket shelves?
Could adding a little zest to your day give you back your sparkle? Are oranges the secret to calming anxiety, and lemons the key to better sleep? Today, we’re diving deep into one of the most powerful yet overlooked nutrients—Vitamin C. I’ll share how it’s helped me and how it can truly help you! By the end, you’ll be itching to stock up because when you understand how crucial this hero vitamin is, you might just never have another hot flush again!
What Happens to Your Body During Menopause
Menopause doesn’t just switch on overnight. Your body begins preparing around ten years before your last period, with subtle hormonal shifts that can lead to big symptoms. As progesterone starts to decline, your body becomes more easily stressed. You might notice anxiety, lower immunity, drier skin and hair, and that unmistakable loss of elasticity and lubrication.
Cortisol, your main stress hormone, burns through your vitamin and mineral reserves trying to calm things down. When nutrients run low, you start to feel groggy—fatigued, achy, foggy-headed; and hot flushes can soon follow. The good news? Your body is incredibly forgiving once you give it what it needs. That’s why I never miss my Vitamin C anymore!
Why Vitamin C Deserves the Spotlight
You’ve probably picked up a bottle of Vitamin C in the winter when sniffles strike—but did you know it’s crucial for far more than immunity? Your skin, muscles, heart, gut, tendons, and even eyes rely on it daily. Your body naturally loses around 3% of its Vitamin C reserves each day; more if you exercise—so topping up is essential.
Plant-based sources are best absorbed, so focus first on food: citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, kale, strawberries, and even pumpkin and pomegranate. But if your diet falls short or your gut is sensitive, supplements can bridge the gap beautifully (more on that below).
Let's start with the surface effect and then we'll dive deeper into your body to find out just how wondrous it is.
Vitamin C and Collagen: The Secret to Glowing Skin
Let’s start with the surface. Collagen, the protein that keeps your skin firm and elastic, naturally declines with age—and even faster once oestrogen drops during menopause. Vitamin C is vital for collagen production, helping your skin stay supple and smooth.
Research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Vitamin C improves skin elasticity and reduces dryness in postmenopausal women. I discovered its magic firsthand after a surgery that left me with a stubborn wound. When I paired Vitamin C with high-quality collagen, my healing sped up dramatically—and, as a bonus, my jawline firmed up too! You don’t need pricey formulas to benefit; just consistent, quality Vitamin C makes a difference.
Perimenopausal women experience collagen loss as oestrogen drops by around 20-30% and an accelerated drop of another 30% in the first few years of menopause.
Vitamin C is crictical to help you regenerate collagen. Grab my new guide on Collagen and Menopause - What you need to know and How to support it here.
Vitamin C and Vaginal Health
Here’s one area we don’t talk about enough. The same collagen loss that affects facial skin also impacts vaginal tissue. Thinner, less elastic walls lead to dryness and discomfort. Combining Vitamin C and E, along with a good multivitamin and collagen, can help restore elasticity and lubrication naturally.
Vitamin C and Heart Health
Moving deeper—Vitamin C supports cardiovascular health by reducing arterial stiffness, a common concern after menopause. As hormones fluctuate, your blood vessels can become less flexible, raising heart risks. Vitamin C improves endothelial function—the health of your vessel lining—and helps your arteries stay resilient.
Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that women with higher Vitamin C levels experience better blood flow and lower arterial stiffness, meaning fewer hot flushes and a stronger heart.
Vitamin C intake is associated with improved arterial stiffness, particularly in postmenopausal women. This suggests that incorporating more vitamin C-rich foods into the diet and supplements where applicable is not only good during the peri and menopause years but also heart health in the years to follow.
Vitamin C and Immunity
During perimenopause, your immune system takes a hit, making you more prone to allergies and bugs. Vitamin C boosts white blood cell production, helping your body fight infections faster. The journal Nutrients reported improved immune function in postmenopausal women taking Vitamin C daily.
Take 500–1000mg a day to stay resilient, or up to 1000mg every couple of hours if you’re coming down with something. I also recommend pairing Vitamin C with Microbz Biolive Women a probiotic blend that supports immunity, uterine health, and period regulation.
Vitamin C and Hot Flushes
Hot flushes—the bane of many women’s lives! When my clients reported theirs easing after just a few weeks, I realised the link: Vitamin C with bioflavonoids. Research in Menopause Journal confirms that Vitamin C can reduce both the frequency and severity of hot flushes.
Flushes are a sign your body’s stress response and nutrient stores are off balance. Boosting Vitamin C helps restore calm, improves elasticity, and supports your adrenals—all essential for long-term relief.
Hot flushes the tip of the menopause symptom iceberg! When your body is less able to deal with stress, a reduction in nutrition, the decline of oestrogen reducing the collagen all create this scenario. Hot flushes need to be tackled on 2 levels, relief of the immediate misery and the longterm health support to ensure they don't return; we're combatting the stress levels in your body and you're on the right path to reducing heart health issues in later years.
The Antioxidant Power of Vitamin C
You hear about “oxidation” and “free radicals,” but what does that mean for you? In short—oxidative stress causes low-level inflammation that leads to gut issues, brain fog, fatigue, and poor liver function. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant superhero, neutralising free radicals and reducing inflammation.
This, in turn, supports your adrenal glands, helping balance cortisol and progesterone levels—key for easing menopause symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, and hot flushes.
Top Tip: Each morning, squeeze half a lemon or lime into warm water. It binds and flushes out overnight toxins, giving your liver an easier ride and helping you wake up refreshed.
Processed and sugary foods cause inflammation - Vegetables berries and fruits like blackcurrants reduce inflammation. If it has vitamin C in it - it's an antioxidant!
By reducing oxidative stress, vitamin C supports adrenal gland health and the ability to produce hormones; specifically progesterone. As your body's ability to deal with stress declines in the perimenopause the higher cortisol levels will be at the expense of your progesterone. Boosting vitamin C will indirectly help combat stress and increase progesterone. This in turn will balance out oestrogen dominance, leading to a relief of symptoms caused by this imbalance!
How to Start Using Vitamin C in Menopause
Start small—add more citrus, peppers, and leafy greens to your meals. If fruit upsets your stomach, focus on gentle supplements. And remember: no single nutrient works alone. Combine Vitamin C with magnesium, B-vitamins, and omega-3s for full-body support.
If you have an issue eating plenty of fruit and veg and so taking a vitamin C supplement becomes critical to your health.
Choosing the Right Vitamin C Supplement for Menopause
If you can’t get enough through diet, here’s what to look for:
Standard Ascorbic Acid with Bioflavonoids – High dose (1000mg), great results, may irritate sensitive tummies.
Foodstate Orange Vitamin C – Gentle on the gut, low acidity, 250mg dose, solid tablet.
Acerola Cherry – Packed with antioxidants, natural source, slightly large capsules (200mg) and aids sleep.
Organic Amla Fruit – Small capsules, organic, good 200mg dose for delicate digestion. One of nature's highest doses of vitamin C.
Liposomal Vitamin C – Suspended in a gel, fast-absorbing, best for high-dose results. (This is the one I used for wound healing).
I've put together an extensive supplements guide specifically for peri and menopause helping you to navigate the complex market and you choose the right supplements for your whole menopause protocol (with discounts - click image below).
FAQs About Vitamin C and Menopause
1. Can Vitamin C really reduce hot flushes?
Yes! Studies and real-world results show Vitamin C with bioflavonoids can significantly lessen frequency and severity.
2. Can I take Vitamin C with HRT?
Generally, yes—but check with your healthcare provider if you’re on medications like blood thinners.
3. What’s the best time to take Vitamin C?
Before bed if just one dose or split throughout the day for better absorption if multiple.With food for sensitive tums, and with collagen for best activation.
4. How long before I notice results?
Most women report feeling more energised and less flushed within 3–4 weeks.
Put Vitamin C at the heart of your Menopause
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients available … you don’t need to go to expensive supplements you can start with lemons and oranges in your life and Quercetin in apples is also an immune-system enhancer.
Along with vitamin C you should be on a good multivitamin, additional magnesium and some other critical nutrients, especially if you're struggling with sleep, anxiety, brain fog, aching joints and gut health issues.
Ready to Feel Like You Again?
If you’re tired of quick fixes that don’t work or HRT that makes things worse, it’s time to go natural. I help women relieve menopause symptoms gently, effectively, and for the long term.
Don’t settle for “putting up with it”— You deserves better.
Book a free chat or consultation, check out the options here.
Meet Andrea
Andrea is a shiatsu and chinese medicine practitioner who uses the principles of chinese medicine in a completely practical way to help you resolve your symptoms naturally and effectively. If you live locally you can book in for wonderfully relaxing Shiatsu for Menopause, otherwise Andrea does online indepth consultations where you'll leave with an actionable plan to follow. Andrea is also passionate about doing workplace talks.
Additional references from The New Natural Alternatives to HRT by Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD, and My Menopause Transformation with Dr Wendy Sweet.
KNOWLEDGE . PAUSE . FLOURISH
