A kiwi does not come with a percentage on the skin. A chewable from a grandparent does. Vitamin C is the one people add when the weather turns. It is also in pepper, kiwi, strawberries, citrus and potatoes, which is a less glamorous sentence and a more useful one.
This page is EFSA's table, the adult 80 mg on every European label, and why a second tablet on top of a multinutrient is usually the same vitamin twice.
The short answer
- EFSA's population figures rise with age: 30 mg at 4 to 6, 45 mg at 7 to 10, 70 mg at 11 to 14, then around 90 to 110 mg in older teens and adults.
- The number on European labels, the NRV, is 80 mg. That is an adult ruler. Pocket Kids already carries 80 mg. Do not stack a second vitamin C tablet on top.
- There is no tolerable upper intake level from EFSA for vitamin C. That is not a reason to chase grams.
- Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. That is the authorised sentence. It is not "for winter", and it is not a second bottle.
- Pepper, kiwi, strawberries, an orange. A child who eats fruit or a vegetable with some colour in it most days is not waiting on a tablet for this nutrient.
The EFSA table by age
EFSA's 2013 dietary reference values for vitamin C are population reference intakes. They rise as bodies get larger.
| Age | Population reference intake (EFSA, 2013) |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 20 mg |
| 4 to 6 | 30 mg |
| 7 to 10 | 45 mg |
| 11 to 14 | 70 mg |
| 15 to 17 | 100 mg (boys) · 90 mg (girls) |
| Adults | 110 mg (men) · 95 mg (women) |
Those are intakes for a population, from food and anything else that goes in. They are not a winter protocol.
The NHS lists citrus, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts and potatoes as usual foods on its vitamin C page. EFSA is the table we use.
The 80 mg on the pack is an adult ruler
The NRV on every European label is 80 mg, from Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. It is how two packs can be compared in a shop. It is not a five-year-old's figure.
Pocket Kids carries 80 mg. That is 100% of the adult NRV, and more than twice the 30 mg population figure for a child of four to six. For a child of seven to ten, 80 mg is still above 45 mg. We would rather say that than pretend the percentage is sized for a small child.
Teens carry 100 mg (125% NRV). Adults carry 150 mg (188% NRV). Still not a gram. Still not a reason to add a tube of chewables.
A separate vitamin C product on top of a multinutrient that already has 80 to 150 mg is usually the same job twice. Amounts add. Drop the extra C first.
Food still does this job
A pepper, a kiwi, strawberries, an orange, a potato cooked and eaten the same day. Vitamin C is not a rare molecule. Portugal and Spain have more pepper, tomato and citrus in an ordinary week than a lot of northern shopping lists. That is a plate fact. It does not write a requirement for a tablet.
Look at the week, not at a winter display. If fruit or a vegetable with some colour in it turns up most days, this nutrient is not the one the cupboard is waiting on.
No UL is not an invitation to grams
EFSA did not set a tolerable upper intake level for vitamin C. High supplemental amounts can bother the gut. That is a practical ceiling in a kitchen, not a number on a scientific opinion.
People still chase grams because "more C" is sold as a hobby when the weather turns. We do not describe gram protocols or mega-doses for children here. If someone in the house is unwell, that is a GP, not a second bottle.
The stacking page for the nutrients that do have ceilings is How much is too much?.
What we may say vitamin C does
When the daily dose supplies a significant amount, the EU Register allows these sentences among others:
| Authorised wording | In our product |
|---|---|
| Contributes to the normal function of the immune system | Yes, all three formulas |
| Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue | Yes |
| Contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin | Yes |
| Contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress | Yes |
The word doing the work is "contributes". It does not say vitamin C resolves a winter. If tiredness has lasted weeks, that question belongs with a doctor: Tiredness: what food can and cannot explain.
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Where My Daily Pocket fits
| Formula | Vitamin C in one daily scoop |
|---|---|
| Pocket Kids (4-11) | 80 mg |
| Pocket Teens (12-17) | 100 mg |
| Pocket Adults (18+) | 150 mg |
80 mg is a full adult NRV, and more than the 30 to 45 mg figures for a young child. That is a complement that overshoots the chart, not a small fill like our magnesium.
We have no iron, no calcium, no vitamin A, no vitamin E, no biotin, and no omega-3. A scoop is not a kiwi. If the week already has fruit or pepper most days, keep your money. If the question is a second bottle "for winter", this pouch already has the C. Add the milligrams on every lid, then take one of them away.
FAQ
How much vitamin C does a child of five need?
EFSA's population figure at 4 to 6 is 30 mg a day. Pocket Kids has 80 mg in one scoop. Fruit and vegetables still count. Do not add a second tablet on top.
Why is Kids already 100% NRV?
Because the NRV is an adult 80 mg. We sized a complement that meets that ruler, not a child's 30 mg line. Read the milligrams.
Is there a maximum?
EFSA did not set a UL for vitamin C. High supplemental amounts can bother the gut. That is not a reason to chase grams.
What may we say vitamin C does?
Among other authorised sentences, it contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Should I add a winter chewable on top?
Usually no. Add the milligrams first. If the multinutrient already has 80 to 150 mg, a second C is often the same job twice.
Sources
- EFSA, dietary reference values for vitamin C, 2013
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (NRVs)
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims
- How much is too much?
About the authors
Lina is a co-founder of My Daily Pocket and is certified in nutrition. Stanislava is a co-founder. They write the Knowledge Hub together.
Last reviewed: 15 October 2026.
Food supplements should not replace a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. No supplement is a substitute for a varied, balanced diet. Stay within the dose on the pack. This page does not replace a GP. If you are pregnant, on medicines, or a child has a medical condition, speak to a professional.
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