The Best Vitamin C Supplements
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Most people can get adequate vitamin C in their diet by eating fruits and vegetables. However, some people take a vitamin C supplement due to dietary restrictions or a medical condition.
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water soluble vitamin and antioxidant that is essential for health. It helps the immune system, skin, and bones function, and it combats damage from free radicals, which are molecules that can adversely affect the body.
This article looks at who may benefit from taking vitamin C, how much people need to consume per day, and some of the best vitamin C supplements available on the market.
National Institutes of Health , vitamin C deficiency is rare in the United States.
However, although most people can get enough vitamin C from fruits and vegetables, others may have difficulty getting enough vitamin C from their diet.
People who may be at risk of vitamin C deficiency include:
Anyone who is concerned that they have a deficiency can ask a doctor for blood tests to see which nutrients they need. Having a long-term deficiency in vitamin C can lead to scurvy.
In addition to those who have a vitamin C deficiency, some other people may also benefit from consuming more of this nutrient. For example, some evidence suggests that vitamin C can reduce the severity and duration of the common cold.
Who Should Avoid Supplements And Vitamins
Supplements are not a good idea for people with some kinds of health conditions. They also can keep some medications from working as well as they should. Always talk with your doctor before you add any to your diet. People who should avoid certain types include:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women, because some supplements can be dangerous to the baby. A daily prenatal vitamin has the right types and amounts of nutrients for these women.
- People who take heart medications, diuretics, blood thinners, aspirin, drugs that turn down the immune system, and steroids. With any type of drug, theres always a chance that it wont mix well with a supplement, but the problems can be especially severe with some of these drugs.
- People who are going to have surgery, because some products may lead to bleeding and other dangerous complications.
- People whove had cancer or are getting treated for it. Some supplements could help cancer cells grow or make treatments for the disease less effective.
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Highest Quality Ingredients And China
We find this topic to be uncomfortable and to fuel stereotypes. The issue is that several brands market themselves as China-Free, meaning they contain no ingredients made in China. We personally dont have anything against Chinese made ingredients, although we dont use any in any of our products. Many Chinese factories are state of the art and do produce excellent quality products, so we dont feel the need to fuel any stereotypes by marketing our products as China-Free. However, because other brands are marketing themselves this way, we constantly get asked this question: Is your liposomal vitamin C China-Free? The answer is YES, even though it makes us feel dirty to play into the stereotype that somehow anything from China is tainted. We are a US based company that cares about quality and transparency, and we go to great lengths to source the finest worldwide ingredients. We useQuali®-C in our formula, which is produced in Scotland and widely recognized as the gold standard of vitamin C. We use a non-GMO, non-hydrogenated sunflower lecithin. We use ultra pure water that meets or exceeds purity levels for IV solutions.
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Confused About The Different Types Of Vitamin C
on 20th May 2020
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for many aspects of health including your immune system
Your body uses extra vitamin C during times of increased need such as illness or infection so unless extra care is taken to increase dietary intake during these times, daily supplies are likely to fall short. This is when supplemental vitamin C may be a useful addition to your diet.
Ascorbic acid is the form of vitamin C found naturally in food. It has good bioavailability but some people find it too acidic on their gut and cant tolerate higher doses.
Bioflavonoids are beneficial plant compounds often added to vitamin C supplements. They deliver extra immune benefits and may help to increase bioavailability.
Mineral ascorbates such as calcium and magnesium ascorbate are often called buffered vitamin C. Many people find these to be gentler forms of vitamin C that are better tolerated by the gut. It is important however to consider the accompanying dose of mineral when taking higher levels.
Time-release vitamin C is often the preferred choice since vitamin C has better bioavailability when taken in smaller doses throughout the day. A time-release formula aims to solve this problem without taking multiple tablets, by releasing the vitamin C slowly throughout the day.
Ester-C® is a patented form of buffered vitamin C that has been shown to be well absorbed and tolerated in the gut like other mineral ascorbates.
Why do we need extra vitamin C?
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Vitamin C Bioavailability Studies Using Animal Models
There are a number of benefits to the use of animal models to investigate vitamin C bioavailability, particularly the ease of diet control and the ability to obtain tissues not normally accessible in human studies. However, results can vary widely depending on the animal model used and the different treatment and analytical methodologies employed. It should also be noted that not all of the animal models that have been used are naturally vitamin C deficient. The animal models of choice are the naturally vitamin C deficient guinea pig, and genetically scorbutic animal models, such as the Osteogenic Disorder Shionogi rat , the l-gulono–lactone oxidase knockout mouse , and the spontaneous bone fracture mouse . Although animal studies can provide useful information, translation of the findings to humans should always proceed with caution.
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Vitamin C Supplements Protect Various Aspects Of The Heart
Vitamin C helps the heart in a few ways. For one, it may help with blood pressure management. According to a meta-analysis published in TheAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin C supplements helped people with high blood pressure reduce their systolic blood pressure by 4.85 millimeters of mercury and their diastolic blood pressure by 1.67 mm Hg.
Other research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that high vitamin C intake was associated with a lower risk of stroke, most significantly among those who took between 200 and 550 mg of vitamin C a day.
Finally, though theres not enough research to say that vitamin C supplements can prevent cardiovascular disease or that being deficient in the vitamin may put you at increased risk of dying from it. According to a review published in August 2016 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vitamin C deficiency increases the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease, likely because vitamin C may improve blood vessel function and lipid profiles. However, the current literature provides little support for the widespread use of vitamin C supplementation to reduce cardiovascular risk or mortality at this time.
Vitamin C Supplement Features
Supplement form: There are three basic supplement forms: powder, chewable tablets, and pills or capsules. One type isnt necessarily better than the other because all can contain different amounts of vitamin C. Powders offer more doses per dollar, but you have to mix it in liquid before ingesting. What really matters is the form thats the easiest for you to take and wont upset your stomach.
Dosage: Supplement dosage varies widely from as little as 25 mg to 1,500 mg. However, the body can only absorb so much vitamin C at once, and it isnt recommended that you take over 2,000 mg per day. Once your body has reached its limit, the kidneys flush out any excess vitamin C, which is why physicians recommend taking a few smaller doses throughout the day rather than one mega dose. The body absorbs roughly 70% to 90% of the vitamin C that enters it through food or supplements. However, as the amount of vitamin C in the body increases, the absorption rate drops to around 50%.
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Is There A Difference Between Synthetic And Natural Vitamin C
The properties of a substance are determined by the structure of its component molecules. Vitamin C that is synthesized in the laboratory has exactly the same atoms joined together in exactly the same fashion as vitamin C that is made in an orange or a rose hip bush. As far as biological activity goes, the source of vitamin C is irrelevant. The cheapest version is as effective as the most expensive. Perhaps a more appropriate question is whether we should be taking vitamin C supplements.
There is a wealth of information suggesting that the human body benefits from vitamin C in excess of the roughly 20 mg daily needed to ward off scurvy. Population studies show that people who consume the most vitamin C from foods have reduced incidence of certain cancers, particularly stomach cancer. This likely reflects vitamin C’s ability to reduce the formation of nitrosamines, known cancer causing substances. In a study that encompassed 65 counties in China, blood samples from randomly selected adults were analyzed for vitamin C. Those who had the highest levels were the least likely to develop cancer. Furthermore, it has been found that the vitamin C level in the white blood cells of cancer patients is unusually low and that the plasma vitamin C level of smokers is 43% lower than of non-smokers. This may explain why children of smokers have a greater risk of genetic diseases such as leukemia.
Vitamin C Supplements Can Help Reduce The Length And Severity Of Illness
Its unlikely that vitamin C can protect you from coming down with a cold, but supplementing with it may help reduce the length and severity of your sickness, according to a review published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Of the studies the researchers looked at, all of which involved supplementing with more than 0.2 grams of vitamin C per day, some found that vitamin C reduces the duration of colds. Even though the results were somewhat varied, with some showing no benefit, the researchers concluded that supplementing with vitamin C may still be worthwhile since its safe and inexpensive.
Vitamin C supplements may help you recover from more serious illnesses, as well. According to a meta-analysis published in April 2019 in Nutrients, vitamin C supplements reduced the length of intensive care unit stays by about 8 percent and shortened the duration of mechanical ventilation for patients by 18.2 percent. For the studies, vitamin C doses of 1 to 3 g were used.
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Garden Of Life Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin C
Garden of Life products are known for their sustainably sourced, non-GMO , plant-based ingredients, and this supplement is no exception.
Each two-capsule serving provides 500 milligrams of vitamin C, 23 organic fruits and veggies for additional antioxidants, and probiotics and enzymes to support digestion. Plus, its free of funky binders and fillers!
Reviewers have noticed improvements to their digestive health and fewer colds than usual. We call that a win-win!
Price: $$$
This higher-dose option has 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C per capsule. Unlike most other supplements here, this one is buffered that is, combined with calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide to help neutralize the acidity of vitamin C and allow for higher doses without upsetting your stomach.
One reviewer points out that even while taking 2,000 milligrams per day, shes not experiencing GI symptoms like she did with other vitamin C supplements.
One potential con: Some reviewers say these tablets are a bit large. So if you have trouble swallowing pills, pass on this one.
Price: $
How To Get Vitamin C Complex Daily
With the cold and flu season upon us, it’s time to get educated on the type of Vitamin C thats best for you.
Vitamin C is probably one of the first that comes to mind when someone mentions vitamins. It staves off the dreaded pirate scurvy, bolsters the immune system, acts as an antioxidant, and keeps the skin younger, firmer, and healthier.
Humans dont make Vitamin C on our own and so, we must rely on food for our daily vitamin requirements: we chug our orange juice, try to eat well when we can, and take our vitamins.
Known by its chemical name ascorbic acid, Vitamin C can be obtained from various food sources. They are mainly found in fruits and vegetables.
But not everyone can get the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C because many people dont eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Thats where supplementation comes in.
People who want to get 100% of Vitamin C daily but cant get it from natural food sources turn to supplementation to fill in the gap.
Of course, there are organic Vitamin C supplements, but most of the time, people turn to synthetic vitamins and multivitamins instead.
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Ascorbic Acid Bioavailability: Does It Vary By Formula
Despite what Dr. Google might tell you, there is very little difference between the different types of ascorbic acid as far as bioavailability is concerned. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, considered one of the leading experts in Vitamin C research, natural and synthetic ascorbic acid are chemically identical and have the same effect on plasma ascorbic acid levels. The same can be said for powders vs. tablets/capsules/liquid/food. It appears that regardless of the delivery or the form, there is no statistically significant different impact on serum levels.
Quality is an entirely different conversation.
Who Should Stay Away From Vitamin C Or Ascorbic Acid
Individuals with delicate skin may have hypersensitivity or redness from vitamin C. If you have sensitive skin, you should begin using vitamin C in smaller concentrations and do a patch test to ensure hypersensitivity.
Did you know? Since effective ascorbic acid doesn’t absorb light in the UV-B/UV-A reach, please don’t confuse it with sunscreen.
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Best Food Sources For Vitamin C
Our bodies cannot produce vitamin C on their own. For that reason, you will need to rely on food sources and supplements to get the element. And although many foods have vitamin C, these are the ones that have a high level of the element:
- Tomato: 19% DV or 17mg in 1 medium-sized raw tomato
- Tomato Juice: 37% DV or 33mg in 3/4 cup of tomato juice
- Red Pepper: 106% DV or 95mg per 1/2 cup serving
- Cantaloupe: 32% DV or 29mg in 1/2 cup of cantaloupe
- Orange: 78% DV or 70mg in medium-sized orange
- Broccoli: 57% DV or 51mg in cooked broccoli 43% DV or 39mg in 1/2 cup of raw broccoli
- Potato: 19% DV or 17mg in 1 medium-sized baked potato
- Spinach: 10% DV or 9mg in 1/2 cup of cooked, raw spinach
- Kiwi: 71% DV or 64mg in medium-sized kiwifruit
- Cauliflower: 29% DV or 26mg in 1/2 cup of raw cauliflower
- Grapefruit: 43% DV or 39mg in 1/2 of a medium-sized grapefruit
- Brussels Sprouts: 53% DV or 48mg or in 1/2 cup of Brussels sprouts
- Green Peas: 9% DV or 8mg in 1/2 cup of cooked or frozen peas
- Grapefruit Juice: 78% DV or 70mg in 3/4 cup
- Green Pepper: 67% DV or 60mg in 1/2 cup serving
- Cabbage: 31% DV or 28mg in 1/2 cup of cooked cabbage
- Orange Juice: 103% DV or 93mg per 3/4 serving
- Strawberries: 54% DV or 49mg in 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
Life Extension Vitamin C
Not many vitamin C supplements mix other popular antioxidants into the blend. However, if you are looking for a vitamin C supplement like that, you need to look at this offering from Life Extension.
One of the popular antioxidants that you will find in this vitamin C blend is quercetin. However, the manufacturer did not just opt for any regular quercetin for this formula. Instead, they have decided on the Bio-Quercetin Phytosome. That form has a higher absorbability rate.
Nonetheless, you will get quite an amount of vitamin C capsules with each purchase. The bottles will contain 250 tablets that will last you for a prolonged time. And when it comes to the amount of vitamin C per tablet, it stands at 1000 milligrams of vitamin C. Again, that is 110 percent of the daily value.
Aside from offering a great value with the vitamin C bottles, Life Extensions blend will offer loads of benefits. With regular intake, you will see massive improvements in your immunity. The formula will even support healthy aging and make you look younger.
Highlighted Features
- Mixes quercetin into the formula
- It has a high absorbability rate
- Each bottle comes with 250 tablets
- Offers 1000 milligrams of vitamin C per serving
- Enhances the immune health and supports healthy aging
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Reduced Risk Of Chronic Diseases
You already know that Vit C is an antioxidant. And antioxidants are proven to strengthen the natural defense system of the body. That might eventually lead to you having lower chances of developing a chronic disease. Some studies suggest taking vitamin C supplements to lower the possibility of such conditions.
What Form Of Vitamin C Is Best
This flu season you may find yourself, dazed and chilled, in the supplement aisle of your grocery store looking through vitamin c labels for some quick relief.
But before you grab the flashiest bottle, you should know that there are many different forms of vitamin C.
Which form you choose can make the difference between an effective supplement and a waste of money.
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