Condition
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
POTS is a form of dysautonomia in which the autonomic nervous system doesn't steady heart rate and blood vessel tone on standing, leaving people lightheaded, tired, foggy, or faint. The evidence is strongest for sodium, which helps expand blood volume, and moderate for vitamin D and iron, whose deficiencies are common in POTS. In four small vitamin C studies, blood flow went up, but they included only 19 people, so that evidence is limited.
Sources: PMID 21552645; PMID 22153532
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 19
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Flow Small Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 4 studies | 19 people | ||
Studies that measured blood flow | ||||||
| Microcirculation | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 19 people | |||
Studies that measured microcirculation | ||||||
Key findings
- Blood FlowImproves (the measure goes up)
The Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
- Electrolytes (Sodium)3–10 g sodium daily (from salt tablets or high-sodium foods) with 2–3 L fluids
- Vitamin D2,000–4,000 IU daily (target 40–60 ng/mL)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome (POTS). If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
100 studies from PubMed
- Influence of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative and immune changes after an ultramarathon
- Ascorbic acid supplementation improves skeletal muscle oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes: Findings of a randomized controlled study
- Vitamin C may have similar beneficial effects to Gemfibrozil on serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in type 2 diabetic patients
- Supplementation of vitamin C reduces blood glucose and improves glycosylated hemoglobin in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blind study
- The effect of vitamin C supplementation on diabetic hyperlipidaemia: a double blind, crossover study
- Unchanged renal haemodynamics following high dose ascorbic acid administration in normoalbuminuric IDDM patients
- Ascorbic acid supplementation improves postprandial glycaemic control and blood pressure in individuals with type 2 diabetes: Findings of a randomized cross-over trial
- Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid and vitamin C on glycemic indices, blood pressure, and serum lipids in type 2 diabetic Iranian males
- Effect of vitamin C on inflammation and metabolic markers in hypertensive and/or diabetic obese adults: a randomized controlled trial
- Does short-term vitamin C reduce cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes?
- Effects of atorvastatin and vitamin C on forearm hyperaemic blood flow, asymmentrical dimethylarginine levels and the inflammatory process in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Effect of vitamin C supplementation on postprandial oxidative stress and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients
- High-dose oral vitamin C partially replenishes vitamin C levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes and low vitamin C levels but does not improve endothelial dysfunction or insulin resistance
- Vitamin C and the common cold: a double-blind trial
- Ascorbic acid and the common cold
- Preventing the common cold with a vitamin C supplement: a double-blind, placebo-controlled survey
- Vitamin C and the common cold
- Winter illness and vitamin C: the effect of relatively low doses
- Ascorbic acid for the common cold. A prophylactic and therapeutic trial
- Therapeutic effect of vitamin C. A co-twin control study
- A randomized controlled trial of the therapeutic effect of vitamin C in the common cold
- Vitamin C and the common cold: a second MZ Cotwin control study
- Trial of ascorbic acid in prevention of colds
- Mega-dose vitamin C in treatment of the common cold: a randomised controlled trial
- A controlled clinical trial of ascorbic acid for the common cold
- The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections
- Vitamin C prophylaxis in marine recruits
- L-Ascorbic acid and D-isoascorbic acid in a common cold survey
- A randomized controlled trial of vitamin C in the prevention and amelioration of the common cold
- Evaluation of the efficacy of ascorbic acid in prophylaxis of induced rhinovirus 44 infection in man
- Vitamin C as a preventive medicine against common colds in children
- Blood ascorbic acid level in bioflavonoid and ascorbic acid therapy of common cold
- A trial of ascorbic acid in the treatment of the common cold
- Ineffectiveness of vitamin C in treating coryza.
- Vitamin C supplementation reduces the odds of developing a common cold in Republic of Korea Army recruits: randomised controlled trial
- Influence of quercetin supplementation on disease risk factors in community-dwelling adults
- Effect of vitamin C supplementation on lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation after 30-min exercise at 75% VO2max
- The effect of 2 weeks vitamin C supplementation on immunoendocrine responses to 2.5 h cycling exercise in man
- Vitamin C supplementation and salivary immune function following exercise-heat stress
- Influence of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative and salivary IgA changes following an ultramarathon
- The effects of ascorbic acid and flavonoids on the occurrence of symptoms normally associated with the common cold
- The clinical and biochemical effects of vitamin C supplementation in short-stay hospitalized geriatric patients
- Prolonged vitamin C supplementation and recovery from eccentric exercise
- Effects of vitamin E and C supplementation either alone or in combination on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation in trained cyclists
- Influence of acute vitamin C and/or carbohydrate ingestion on hormonal, cytokine, and immune responses to prolonged exercise
- Efficacy of antioxidant treatment in reducing resistin serum levels: a randomized study
- Ascorbic acid prevents vascular dysfunction induced by oral glucose load in healthy subjects
- Vitamin C supplementation lowers urinary levels of 4-hydroperoxy-2-nonenal metabolites in humans
- High dosage of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol is not useful for diminishing oxidative stress and DNA damage in healthy elderly adults
- Orange juice ingestion and supplemental vitamin C are equally effective at reducing plasma lipid peroxidation in healthy adult women
- Effects of vitamin C supplementation on glycaemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
- The effect of aspirin and vitamins C and E on HbA1c assays
- Megadose of vitamin C delays insulin response to a glucose challenge in normoglycemic adults
- The effect of vitamin E and vitamin C supplementation on LDL oxidizability and neutrophil respiratory burst in young smokers
- Antioxidants prevent health-promoting effects of physical exercise in humans
- Orange juice vs vitamin C: effect on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in mononuclear blood cells
- The effects of vitamin C supplementation on blood and hair levels of cadmium, lead, and mercury
- Vitamin C treatment reduces elevated C-reactive protein
- Effect of antioxidant supplementation on insulin sensitivity in response to endurance exercise training
- Effect of high dose vitamin C supplementation on muscle soreness, damage, function, and oxidative stress to eccentric exercise
- No effect of antioxidant supplementation on muscle performance and blood redox status adaptations to eccentric training
- Vitamin C consumption does not impair training-induced improvements in exercise performance
- Effects of Applephenon and ascorbic acid on physical fatigue
- The effect of vitamin C on upper respiratory infections in adolescent swimmers: a randomized trial
- Vitamin C and acute illness in Navajo school children
- Vitamin C supplementation reduces the incidence of postrace symptoms of upper-respiratory-tract infection in ultramarathon runners
- Megadosage of ascorbic acid in an Antarctic expedition
- Effect of ascorbic acid on surgical stress response in gynecologic surgery
- Vitamin C restores blood pressure and vasodilator response during mental stress in obese children
- Molecular detection of exercise-induced free radicals following ascorbate prophylaxis in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a randomised controlled trial
- Does vitamin C supplementation influence the levels of circulating oxidized LDL, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and vWF-antigen in healthy male smokers
- Pretreatment with intravenous ascorbic acid preserves endothelial function during acute hyperglycaemia (R1)
- Oral administration of ascorbic acid attenuates endothelial dysfunction after short-term cigarette smoking
- FFA-induced endothelial dysfunction can be corrected by vitamin C
- Vitamin C and E supplementation does not reduce the risk of superimposed PE in pregnancy
- Effect of ascorbic acid on inflammatory markers after cardiothoracic surgery
- Supplementation of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol is useful to preventing bone loss linked to oxidative stress in elderly
- Effect of antioxidants combined to resistance training on BMD in elderly women: a pilot study
- Quercetin with vitamin C and niacin does not affect body mass or composition
- Efficacy of vitamin C vaginal tablets in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial
- Influence of vitamin C on markers of oxidative stress in the earliest period of ischemic stroke
- Vitamin C prophylaxis in a boarding school
- Vitamin C status and perception of effort during exercise in obese adults adhering to a calorie-reduced diet
- High-dose ascorbic acid increases intercourse frequency and improves mood: a randomized controlled clinical trial
- Age-related cataract in a randomized trial of vitamins E and C in men
- Long-term vitamin C supplementation has no markedly favourable effect on serum lipids in middle-aged Japanese subjects
- Ascorbic acid in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT-TRIAAL and CMT-TRAUK): a double-blind randomised trial
- The effects of vitamin C supplementation on serum concentrations of uric acid: results of a randomized controlled trial
- Association between Oral vitamin C supplementation and serum uric acid: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Oral vitamin C supplementation decreased low-density lipoprotein in adults on hemodialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Safety and effectiveness of high-dose vitamin C in patients with COVID-19: a randomized open-label clinical trial
- Effect of High-Dose Zinc and Ascorbic Acid Supplementation vs Usual Care on Symptom Length and Reduction Among Ambulatory Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The COVID A to Z Randomized Clinical Trial
- Vitamin C provision improves mood in acutely hospitalized patients
- Clinical relevance of vitamin C among lead-exposed infertile men
- Ascorbate improves circulation in postural tachycardia syndrome
- The clinical effects of vitamin C supplementation in elderly hospitalised patients with acute respiratory infections
- Vitamin C and E supplementation to prevent spontaneous preterm birth: a randomized controlled trial
- High dose ascorbic acid does not reverse central sympathetic overactivity in chronic heart failure
- Effects of vitamin C supplementation on gout risk: results from the physicians' health study II trial
- Efficacy and safety of vitamin C supplementation in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.