Vitamin C an internal mosquito repellant
By oxyde_gyabo
@oxyde_gyabo (701)
Philippines
July 15, 2010 11:28am CST
My uncle told me to take in a lot of vitamin c because we were going to climb a mountain where it might be inhabited by mosquitos. I had a 1000mg of it every morning and evening and I felt like there were no mosquitos at all. My uncle's friend who didn't take in vitamins had mosquito bites after the whole day of walking in the forest while the rest of us had none.
I'm not sure if it's true or it was a coincidence but it seems to me that mosquitos don't like the smell or taste of blood with vitamin c. Try it if it's true.
It would be very helpful to the areas that are surrounded with mosquitos especially on rainy weather where there are usually a population explosion of mosquitos.
2 responses
@heruduahati (67)
• Indonesia
15 Jul 10
it's not relevant. Some people with dark skin like african is protected from mosquito bites..
@oxyde_gyabo (701)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
I am asian, we have brown skin. My uncle's friend has darker skin than us.
@heruduahati (67)
• Indonesia
17 Jul 10
I meant some people dark skin (from africa, New Guinea, aborigin) is protected from mosquito bites than us, I don't really know, why.
@oxyde_gyabo (701)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
Ah okay, maybe it is also in their genes. Or what they eat.
@personaave (598)
• Philippines
16 Jul 10
I didn't know that vitamin c can also be used as internal mosquito repellent. But I found an article that since vitamin c is water soluble and will not accumulate in the body, but instead it will be discharged from your body as sweat. So taking a lot of vitamin c before going camping or mountain climbing will make your body excrete a lot of it eventually and mosquitoes won't like it. But of course, excessive intake of vitamin c may result to diarrhea and nausea.
@oxyde_gyabo (701)
• Philippines
16 Jul 10
Ah, I didn't know that excessive intake of vit c could have a bad effect. I usually take a lot everyday but I don't feel like suffering from diarrhea or nausea.
That's probably right. Maybe it is excreted with sweat that's why mosquitoes avoids us. I wonder what is in vitamin c that repels mosquitoes.
