What it does in the body
Vitamin C is a highly effective antioxidant.¹  It helps hold body cells together, strengthens walls of blood vessels, helps in healing wounds, aids tooth and bone formation, and facilitates the body's absorption of Iron. 

Food Sources

• The body does not store vitamin C, so a healthy, daily dose through foods such as citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, and lemon), tomatoes and potatoes will ensure the body maintains the minimal level it needs.

Recommended Dietary Allowance

• The RDA for vitamin C ranges from 40 mg to 120 mg.² 

Orthomolecular Dosage Range: Very much higher than RDA levels.

• 2,000 mg. Orthomolecular physicians often recommend tens of thousands of mg/day during illness. 

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, March 15, 2006. VITAMIN C HAS BEEN KNOWN TO FIGHT 30 MAJOR DISEASES ... FOR OVER 50 YEARS. http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v02n02.shtml
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, August 9, 2005. ASTHMA TREATMENT THAT WORKS.  http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v01n08.shtml

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, April 22, 2005. Vitamin C Saves Lives.  http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v01n02.shtml

Saul AW. Taking the cure: Claus Washington Jungeblut, M.D.: Polio pioneer; ascorbate advocate. J Orthomolecular Med, 2006. Vol 21, No 2, p 102-106.  http://www.doctoryourself.com/jungeblut.html

Saul AW. Taking the cure: Irwin Stone: Orthomolecular educator and innovator. J Orthomolecular Med, 2005. Vol 20, No 4, p 230-236. http://www.doctoryourself.com/stone.html

Vitamin C does not cause kidney stones.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, July 5, 2005. VITAMIN C DOES NOT CAUSE KIDNEY STONES. Steve Hickey, PhD and Hilary Roberts, PhD.  http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v01n07.shtml

The optimum dose of vitamin C is 1,000 to 5,000 mg per day or more, depending on the specific needs of the person taking it. Each individual's optimum dose must be determined and it will very with age, illness, and other circumstances.  To reduce the frequency and morbidity of colds, a person should use at least three grams (3,000 mg.) per day, although it has been estimated that an average of 8,000 milligrams per day is required to prevent colds in 95 per cent of the population. Twice Nobel Prize-winner Linus Pauling (1970) brought world wide attention to the anti-cold properties of vitamin C.  Stone (1972)  , McCormick³,  Jungeblut⁴  and Klenner⁵ also demonstrated clinical success with its megadose usage.  

¹     Levine M, Rumsey SC, Wang Y, Park JB, Daruwala R. Vitamin C. In Stipanuk MH (ed): "Biochemical and Physiological Aspects of Human Nutrition." Philadelphia: W B Saunders, pp 541-567, 2000.
²     Ibid.
³     Saul AW. Taking the Cure: The pioneering work of William J. McCormick, M.D. J Orthomolecular Med, 2003. Vol 18, No 2, p 93-96.  http://www.doctoryourself.com/mccormick.html
⁴     Saul AW. Taking the cure: Claus Washington Jungeblut, M.D.: Polio pioneer; ascorbate advocate. J Orthomolecular Med, 2006. Vol 21, No 2, p 102-106. http://www.doctoryourself.com/jungeblut.html
⁵     Saul AW. Hidden in plain sight: the pioneering work of Frederick Robert Klenner, M.D.. J Orthomolecular Med, 2007. Vol 22, No 1, p 31-38. http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerbio.html