What Is A Vitamin C Supplement

Final Thoughts: Best Vitamin C Supplements

Choosing your vitamin C supplement needs to be thought of as a long term purchase. Save money by purchasing the ascorbic acid supplements first. This will give you an idea of how your stomach reacts before investing extra money first. However, if you want to play it safe then the American Health Ester-C is a smart choice.

Dr Mercola Liposomal Vitamin C

Dr. Mercola Liposomal Vitamin C is a vitamin C product that utilizes a liposomal delivery system to improve absorption. If you are looking for a strong vitamin C supplement, this might be the product for you.

Highlights:

• One Serving contains
• 1,000mg Vitamin C

Who makes it: Dr. Mercola is a New York Times best-selling author that has created a career around informing and educating consumers about their health. He is an osteopathic physician, which means he is licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgeries in all 50 states. He has a website, a supplement brand, and 9 books under his belt.

Now Supplements Orange Chewable Vitamin C

People who do not like swallowing tablets may prefer a chewable vitamin. This product delivers 500 mg of vitamin C per chewable tablet. A person can take one or two per day.

The product is free from common allergens and suitable for vegans. It does contain some sugar and natural sweeteners, though this only totals 1 gram per dose. The tablets have a natural orange flavor.

According to the website, NOW exceeds GMP standards and tests all raw ingredients for safety and purity.

• half a cup of raw sweet red pepper, which contains 95 mg of vitamin C
• three-quarters of a cup of orange juice, which contains 93 mg of vitamin C
• half a cup of broccoli and half a cup of strawberries, which totals 97 mg of vitamin C
• one medium orange and half a cup of cooked cabbage, which totals 98 mg of vitamin C

Some companies also fortify their breakfast cereals with added vitamin C.

High heat, water-based cooking methods, as well as prolonged storage, can destroy some foods vitamin C content.

For this reason, the NIH suggests lightly steaming or microwaving vegetables to retain more of their nutrients.

Vitamin C deficiency can be fatal without treatment. A person should contact a doctor if they have symptoms that may indicate a vitamin C deficiency.

These symptoms include:

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Garden Of Life Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin C

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin C is a versatile vitamin C suppleent. It is fortified with an organic fruit and vegetable blend as well as beneficial probiotics. The raw fruit and vegetable blend offers a variety of antioxidant bioflavonoids. It is gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO.

Highlights:

• One Serving contains
• 500 mg Vitamin C
• 720 mg Raw Organic Fruit & Vegetable Blend
• 60 mg Raw Probiotic & Enzyme Blend

Who makes it: Garden of Life is a raw and whole food supplement brand that is one of the top brands in the natural supplement industry. They only use USDA certified organic products and are a part of the non-GMO project. They provide information on their website about the farms they source from as well so that you know exactly where your product is coming from. Their products are manufactured in GMP certified facilities and tested to ensure quality, transparency, and safety.

Twinlab C-1000 Caps is a crystalline vitamin C product that contains only vitamin C.

Whats in it:

• One Serving contains
• 1000mg Vitamin C

Who makes it: Twinlab was founded in 1968 by a man named David Blechman, who had 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. The brand started with the manufacture of the first liquid protein supplement. David started it out of his garage with his wife who was pregnant with twins naming it Twinlab after them.

Compatibility With Other Meds Affects How Vitamin C Forms Are Absorbed

Make sure that the medication you take is compatible with vitamin C. Combining some meds with certain minerals or vitamins can amplify one and/or counter the other. People on heart medication may want to check that they are taking the correct mineral ascorbate that works with their meds. If both contain potassium, it can elevate the amounts of potassium in the body to dangerous levels. Consult a health practitioner about the compatibility of other meds that might be affecting the absorbency of vitamin C.

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Brown Spots And Pigmentation Are No Challenge

Vitamin C contains a property that inhibits your skins melanin production, which is what causes skin discoloration, such as dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

When applied consistently and continuously, Vitamin C has been known to: a) help prevent marks from forming and b) combatting existing brown spots.16

Where Is Vitamin C Found

Vitamin C is perhaps most famous for being found in oranges, but there are many other foods in which it can be found. In fact, the Amazonian berry of the Camu Camu tree , is known for holding one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C globally, and is where we source our Vitamin C from!

However, vitamin C is also found in Kale, Mustard Spinach, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Lemons, Strawberries, Papayas, Chili Peppers and Plums to name a few – and these are only examples of high vitamin C concentrations.

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Vitamin C May Make Cancer Treatments More Effective

At this point, itd be wrong to say vitamin C can prevent or cure cancer, but it may be a beneficial addition to cancer treatment. A meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Cancer, for instance, found that people with breast cancer who supplemented with vitamin C had a reduced risk of mortality.

And it appears that vitamin C may boost standard treatments as well, Dr. Zive says.

According to a small study published in March 2017 in Cancer Cell, taking high doses of vitamin C for two months during cancer treatment weakened the cancer cells and made radiation and chemotherapy more effective.

Its worth noting, however, that most of this research involves taking vitamin C intravenously rather than orally, Samuels says. Anyone undergoing cancer treatment should consult with their healthcare providers before taking vitamin C or any other supplements because of the risks of potential interactions with their cancer treatments.

Check That You Take The Correct Dosage

The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies recommends 75 mg/day for women and 90 mg/day for men of vitamin C. The Linus Pauling Institute, recommends a daily intake of 400 mg/day of vitamin C for healthy individuals. People who have compromised immune systems and smokers, may only really benefit from higher dosages to see improvement in general health.

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Now Foods Chewable C 500

Price: $

If youre not a fan of swallowing pills, NOW Foods chewable vitamin C tablets may be the product for you.

NOW Foods is a reputable brand that produces a variety of affordable, high quality nutritional supplements.

Each orange-flavored tablet provides a 500-mg dose of vitamin C and contains just 1 gram of added sugar. Theyre also 100% vegan and free of major allergens.

NOW Foods prides themselves on their meticulous testing protocols. Each supplement is tested in-house for purity and potency, and all of their manufacturing facilities are certified by the Food and Drug Administration .

Gummy vitamins are one of the hottest trends in nutrition supplements and understandably so. Whether youre a kid or a kid at heart taking your vitamin C has never been easier or more delicious.

However, although gummy vitamins are convenient and taste great, they should not be confused with candy.

Its important that you dont exceed the recommended dose, as too much vitamin C could lead to unintended side effects. Like other supplements, be sure to store them away from little ones to avoid a potential overdose.

What About Natural Vitamin C As The Best Vitamin C

There are lots of companies touring the superior health benefits of a natural vitamin C that comes from whole foods. They claim that almost all of the beneficial compounds are removed when making ascorbic acid from whole foods. I have looked into this extensively and cannot find any research that supports these claims

What bothers me the most though is what these same companies are charging for their “natural” vitamin C.

They say it comes from certain berries and other high-vitamin C fruits. Fine. But what is the dose you are getting from their products? The same you could easily get in actual whole foods!

Do you see the hypocrisy here? These companies are claiming that it is much better to obtain vitamin C from its whole food state, but then they are selling you a very expensive product that is supposedly less processed than standard ascorbic acid.

You’d be much better off just consuming the whole food! I wonder why they don’t recommend that?

Here are two examples of natural vitamin C products I found:

Now look at the amount of natural vitamin C in the following servings of fruits and vegetables:

There are many more foods that have a good amount of vitamin C. So if you are ever tempted into buying these natural and supposedly best vitamin C products, just eat your fruits and veggies and you’ll be fine.

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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%.

What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin C

Helps to protect the immune system: Its also a fantastic antioxidant. Not only this, but its thorough immune-system boosting capacities have led Vitamin C to become pivotal in the fight against various colds and flu viruses. As such, it can also lead to the prevention of illnesses such as these.

This is why Vitamin C is often recommended as part of a supplementary stack, as the exposure to airborne viruses or exposure to the cold bug requires a robust and healthy immune system to fight off.

Healing powers: Vitamin C is essential for the biosynthesis of L-carnitine, collagen, and also in breaking down and metabolizing proteins. This means that its a crucial vitamin with a dedicated role in wound healing.

Improves bone and teeth health: Vitamin C helps maintain bone and teeth health, as well as boosting eye and cardiovascular health.

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Can I Stack Vitamin C With Other Supplements

Vitamin C can be taken alongside other supplements to improve its overall benefits. Many of the best stacks include supplements that add a variety of antioxidant compounds. Vitamin C can also be taken to improve the absorption of iron.

Overall, some of the best ways to stack vitamin C are:

Contents of this Article

Research Design And Study Population

The study design for this research is a randomized controlled trial . Based on the suggested formulas of this model, the study participants were recruited on the foundation of developed inclusion/exclusion criteria . The subjects underwent a 12 weeks treatment program . Participants were randomly assigned into six Groups : Vitamin C group: who took only 500 mg/day vitamin C supplements Vitamin C plus PA group either morning 7:30 A.M. or afternoon after 3:00 P.M.: who participated in 30 min/day of endurance PA and also took 500 mg/day vitamin C supplements. Vitamin D group: who took only 2000 IU/day vitamin D supplements Vitamin D plus PA group either morning 7:30 P.M. or afternoon after 3:00 P.M.: those who participated in 30 min/day of endurance PA and also took 2000 IU/day vitamin D supplements. Placebo group, who participated in 30 min/day of endurance PA and took a placebo, final group did not participate in 30 min/day of endurance PA, but took a placebo. Both vitamins and placebo were obtained from Osweh manufacture Iran-Tehran and was prepared to feature the same shape, odor and size of the supplements.

Fig. 1

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Vitamin C Supplement Prices

It can be difficult to compare supplement prices because of the different forms in which vitamin C is found. For example, pills can be compared by the price per pill, but powder forms are priced by the kilogram or gram. However, we can give you a few generalisations about the price as a reference point.

Pill or capsule: These supplements start around $0.05 per dose. The supplement may have pure ascorbic acid or any of the mineral ascorbates. The price per capsule for both regular and delayed-release capsules rises based on the source of the vitamin C. Natural, vegan, vegetarian, and non-GMO sources may cost $0.10 per dose or more. The body absorbs natural and artificial sources of vitamin C at the same rate, but if you adhere to a vegan or other specialised diet, you can find a supplement that does, too.Powder: These supplements may contain pure ascorbic acid or an ascorbate form of vitamin C and cost from $6 to $10 per kilogram. These supplements cost more up-front, but you get more doses per bottle. They also offer more dosage options because you can adjust your dosage according to your needs when mixing the powder with water. However, be sure to read the dosage instructions so you dont get too much vitamin C, which can cause stomach upset or heartburn.

Ranking The Best Vitamin C Supplements Of 2021

Vitamin C plays an important role in keeping your immune system healthy, but it does far more than that. This essential vitamin also acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, leading to a number of other impactful applications beyond keeping your immune system healthy.

Here are the best vitamin C supplements on the market, ranked. Afterwards, well break down what vitamin C does and how a supplement can benefit your body.

Research

DACHA makes a tremendous vitamin C supplement that uses a unique approach to boosting bioavailability and absorption.

With over 1000 mg of vitamin C per serving, the dosage is fantastic, too, making it our number one pick of the year.

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Who Is At Risk Of Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C deficiency is rare, but people at a higher risk include those who:

• find it difficult to maintain a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables
• smoke heavily or are dependent on alcohol or drugs
• have a health condition that makes it difficult to digest food, such as coeliac disease, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease

How Much Vitamin C Do I Need

The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that adult men need 90 mg and women need 75 mg per day. The recommended maximum is 2,000 mg a day.

If youre getting too much vitamin C in your diet, usually the first sign will be canker sores appearing in your mouth. Dont worry, those go away quickly but be sure to cut back on whatever youre eating thats high in vitamin C . If youre getting too much from your supplement, your body will let you know with nausea, cramps or a disaster-pants situation. But its a water-soluble vitamin, which means your body will generally take what it needs and pass the rest out of your body as waste.

There are some special situations that may make your body require more vitamin C. For example, if you are exposed to secondhand smoke, your body requires about 35 mg more vitamin C per day to repair the cellular damage caused by the free radicals in cigarette smoke.

If you dont get enough vitamin C , you increase your risk of getting a nasty disease called scurvy. The good news is, because vitamin C is so readily available in a healthful diet, the odds are high that youre getting enough. If youre not a fan of fruits and vegetables, take a 500 or 1000 mg supplement.

If youre taking certain medications such as blood thinners, hormones or statins, vitamin C can complicate the medicines effects. Be sure to check with your doctor before adding a new supplement to your routine.

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The Recommended Dietary Allowance

The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C is based on the amount of vitamin C intake necessary to maintain neutrophil vitamin C concentration with minimal urinary excretion of vitamin C and is proposed to provide sufficient antioxidant protection . The recommended intake for smokers is 35 mg/day higher than for nonsmokers, because smokers are under increased oxidative stress from the toxins in cigarette smoke and generally have lower blood concentrations of vitamin C .