Does Emergen-C Really Work? Here’s What Experts Say (2024)

Emergen-C is an over-the-counter supplement that claims to support immunity by providing key nutrients including vitamin C, B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and electrolytes, among others. It comes in many different forms including powders that easily mix into water or other liquids, chewable gummies for kids and crystals that dissolve in your mouth.

While the exact ingredients in Emergen-C vary based on the specific product, what they have in common is that vitamin C is the hero ingredient. In fact, the first Emergen-C product—introduced in 1978—was a supplement drink mix made with vitamin C and B vitamins, according to the brand’s website.

How Does Emergen-C Work?

While over-the-counter supplements like Emergen-C are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the way that food and prescription medications are, the FDA does not allow supplement brands to make health claims they cannot prove—specifically around relationships between a specific supplement’s ingredients and its ability to reduce the risk of disease or a health-related condition. With this in mind, it’s important to note that the Emergen-C brand does not claim the supplement can boost immunity. Instead, the website says the products support immunity.

Emergen-C claims to support the immune system by providing vitamins and minerals that play a role in immunity, including vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc and manganese (although the exact ingredient list varies by product). Some may choose to take an Emergen-C product every day, while others may choose to take it whenever they feel they are more at-risk of getting sick or if they want additional immune system support.

Emergen-C Ingredients

The Emergen-C brand offers many different products and the ingredients in each specific product varies. Still, here is a run-down of what you can expect to find in many of its products:

• Vitamin C: Emergen-C products are high in vitamin C, containing more than 1,000% of the daily recommended value.
• Vitamin E: There are 13.5 milligrams of vitamin E in Emergen-C Chewables, which is almost the full recommended amount of 15 milligrams.
• Zinc: Emergen-C Chewables have 5 milligrams of zinc. It’s recommended that men get 11 milligrams of zinc a day and women get 8 milligrams of zinc a day.
• B vitamins: Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid and more are included in many Emergen-C products.
• Calcium: There are 50 milligrams of calcium in one serving of Emergen-C’s original immune support drink mix formula, which is 4% of the daily recommended amount.
• Potassium: There are 200 milligrams of potassium in the original immune support drink mix formula, which is 4% of the daily recommended amount.
• Sodium: Many Emergen-C products have 60 to 65 milligrams of sodium. The American Heart Association recommends keeping sodium under 2,300 milligrams a day.

There is no scientific evidence that taking any medicine or supplement, including Emergen-C, will help prevent someone from getting sick, says Richard F. Lockey, M.D. a board-certified immunology specialist based in Tampa, Florida. Richard A. Martinello, M.D., an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, agrees, saying that Emergen-C (as well as similar products like Airborne), do not help prevent sickness.

The Emergen-C brand claims to support immune health particularly because it contains a high amount of vitamin C. While scientific studies do show that vitamin C can prevent the intensity of some viruses, both doctors say that since the vast majority of people get enough vitamin C through diet, there likely isn’t an added benefit in getting extra through Emergen-C (or similar products).

“Could vitamin C be harmful if you take it? No. It’s a water soluble vitamin, and water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body the way that fat soluble vitamins are,” says Dr. Lockey, adding that after the body gets enough vitamin C, the rest is excreted through urine.

Despite the inclusion of many other added vitamins and minerals in Emergen–C products, both doctors note it still probably won’t help prevent sickness; Dr. Martinello says that while science is clear that people who have a healthy diet are less likely to get sick than people who have a diet high in ultra-processed foods, there are no studies showing that any specific food or supplements can help reduce the likelihood of getting sick.

While both doctors say that there is no scientific evidence showing that Emergen-C can help prevent sickness, they emphasize that it doesn’t mean that the vitamins and nutrients in Emergen-C products aren’t important. They are, but the benefits come from consuming them through a well-rounded diet, not through a supplement. “The keys for optimizing your immune health are eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, avoiding smoking and [minimizing] alcohol,” says Dr. Martinello.

While there aren’t any proven health benefits of taking Emergen-C products, both doctors say it is generally regarded as safe to take. That said, there are dangers in getting too much of some vitamins and nutrients. For example, consuming excess amounts of zinc can cause gastrointestinal problems and could interfere with iron absorption. Meanwhile, too much vitamin C could lead to kidney stones in men.

In general, it’s best to talk to your health care provider before taking any supplements, especially if you are taking any prescription medications as it may interfere with them.

There are other ways to support your immune health and reduce your likelihood of getting sick, according to Dr. Martinello and Dr. Lockey. These strategies include:

• Wash your hands. It may sound like common sense, but Dr. Martinello says that frequently washing your hands is one of the simplest ways to support your immune health. “People often get sick by touching their eyes or nose with contaminated hands,” he says. If you want to stay healthy, avoid touching your face unless you know your hands are clean.
• Wear a mask. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is technically over, Dr. Lockey says that wearing a mask can help reduce the likelihood of catching a viral infection from others. This is because it serves as a barrier between water and air droplets containing viruses and your nose and mouth.
• Avoid being around sick people. Again, this tip may sound like common sense, but both doctors say that one major way to avoid getting sick is to avoid being around people who already are. If you do have to be around someone who is sick, Dr. Lockey recommends wearing a mask.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for coming down with a respiratory infection as well as other infectious diseases. For this reason, not smoking is one of the best ways to support your immune system.
• Get enough sleep. Dr. Martinello says that getting adequate sleep (a minimum of seven hours a night) is another important way to support immune health. Research shows that there is a strong relationship between sleep and immune health.
• Minimize alcohol consumption. Alcohol interferes with immune response. Because of this, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can reduce the body’s ability to fight off infections, increasing the likelihood of getting sick.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Scientific studies show that there is a connection between eating a well-rounded diet and getting sick less often.

If you’re interested in taking Emergen-C regularly in an effort to support your immune system, both doctors recommend talking to your health care provider first. They add that you should especially talk to your doctor first if you have any underlying health conditions or take any prescription medications or other supplements, as Emergen-C may interfere with them.

If you find yourself getting sick often, it’s a good idea to see your health care provider. Your doctor can check to make sure you’re not deficient in any important nutrients or see if there are any underlying health conditions that could be negatively impacting your health and causing you to get sick so frequently.