Vitamin C is probably the most familiar of all the nutrients. You may have taken it to fight off a cold. Maybe you’ve used it to minimize skin wrinkles. However, the benefits of vitamin C go far beyond that.

Although diagnosed vitamin C deficiencies are rare in the US, some people struggle to get enough vitamin C from their diet, so they turn to buffered vitamin C supplements. Both forms of vitamin C have virtually identical nutritional benefits, but the lower PH levels of buffered vitamin C supplements means it is less likely to cause stomach issues or kidney stones, avoiding many of vitamin C’s side effects. It is significant that, in this regard, all addictions are similar—whether they are to cigarettes, coffee, heroin, wheat, or milk products. People who are ‘allergic’ to sugar experience a craving for sweets, no differently than one might crave a cigarette. ‘Allergic hunger’ is pathological in that it does not respond to the normal satiety control center in the brain – when food is consumed both the addictive and ‘allergic’ responses to it can cause uncontrollable eating behavior. Typically, the small intestine absorbs up to 100 mg of vitamin C from food per day. Once the cells have become saturated with vitamin C, they cannot absorb more.

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people who smoke, as cigarette smoke increases the damage that free radicals cause, resulting in a higher need for vitamin C Buffered vitamin C – created by adding a mineral salt to ascorbic acid – resists changes in PH, making it less acidic and improving both absorption and side effects. While adding a mineral such as calcium may seem like a tiny change, buffering vitamin C allows you to take higher doses with less risk of stomach upset, making it great for people with sensitive stomachs. What Is Bioavailability? So, if you have previously experienced excess acid when taking vitamin C supplements, there are several different products for you to try that have a more gentle effect and are more stomach-friendly. Why you need vitamin C Sodium ascorbate: 1,000 mg of sodium ascorbate generally contains 111 mg of sodium. Individuals following low-sodium diets (e.g., for high blood pressure) are generally advised to keep their total dietary sodium intake to less than 2,500 mg/day. Thus, megadoses of vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbate could significantly increase sodium intake (see Sodium Chloride).

Vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of your body’s tissues including bone, skin, and blood vessels. It cannot be produced by the body and must be replenished daily. As a powerful antioxidant , it can combat the damaging effects of free radicals, which is why it is associated with preventing conditions like cancer, cataracts, and heart disease. It can help speed wound healing, boost the immune system, and aid in the absorption of iron . Calcium ascorbate: Calcium ascorbate generally provides 90-110 mg of calcium (890-910 mg of ascorbic acid) per 1,000 mg of calcium ascorbate. Calcium in this form appears to be reasonably well absorbed. The recommended dietary calcium intake for adults is 1,000 to 1,200 mg/day. Total calcium intake should not exceed the UL, which is 2,500 mg/day for adults aged 19-50 years and 2,000 mg/day for adults older than 50 years (see Calcium). A study of three men and one woman found 1 gram of ascorbic acid to be equally well absorbed from solution, tablets, and chewable tablets, but the absorption from a timed-release capsule was 50% lower. Absorption was assessed by measuring urinary excretion of ascorbic acid after an intravenous dose of ascorbic acid and then comparing it to urinary excretion after the oral dosage forms (4). 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. Your body uses extra vitamin C during times of increased need such as illness or infection so unless extra care is taken to increase your dietary intake during these times, daily supplies are likely to fall short. This is when vitamin C supplements may be a useful addition to your diet.

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. Cameron, E., et al. (1976). Supplemental ascorbate in the supportive treatment of cancer: Prolongation of survival times in terminal human cancer. Uchida E, Kondo Y, et al. Absorption and excretion of ascorbic acid alone and in acerola (Malpighia emarginata) juice: comparison in healthy Japanese subjects. Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(11):1744-1747. Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid . Although it’s considered a weak acid, it does not make your body more acidic. In fact, foods rich in vitamin C are alkaline-forming because as the body burns the acid, it leaves an alkaline end product. However, the acidity may still affect your stomach as vitamin C travels into your gastrointestinal tract. So if you avoid acidic foods because of a sensitive stomach—perhaps you have a gastric condition like acid reflux or a peptic ulcer—then you’ll want to take a buffered form of vitamin C.

Ascorbyl palmitate is a fat-soluble antioxidant used to increase the shelf life of vegetable oils and potato chips (13). It is an amphipathic molecule, meaning one end is water-soluble and the other end is fat-soluble. This dual solubility allows it to be incorporated into cell membranes. When incorporated into the cell membranes of human red blood cells, ascorbyl palmitate has been found to protect them from oxidative damage and to protect α-tocopherol (a fat-soluble antioxidant) from oxidation by free radicals (14). However, the protective effects of ascorbyl palmitate on cell membranes have only been demonstrated in the test tube. Taking ascorbyl palmitate orally probably doesn't result in any significant incorporation into cell membranes because most of it appears to be hydrolyzed (broken apart into palmitate and ascorbic acid) in the human digestive tract before it is absorbed. The ascorbic acid released by the hydrolysis of ascorbyl palmitate appears to be as bioavailable as ascorbic acid alone (15). The presence of ascorbyl palmitate in oral supplements contributes to the ascorbic acid content of the supplement and probably helps protect fat-soluble antioxidants in the supplement. The roles of vitamin C in promoting collagen synthesis and as an antioxidant have generated interest in its use on the skin (see the article, Vitamin C and Skin Health). Ascorbyl palmitate is frequently used in topical preparations because it is more stable than some aqueous (water-soluble) forms of vitamin C (16). Ascorbyl palmitate is also marketed as vitamin C ester," which should not be confused with Ester-C ® (see above). D-Isoascorbic acid (Erythorbic acid) All Garden of Life products are third-partytested for quality and purity, and they operate FDA-certified manufacturing facilities. If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, remember that your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Another 2021 study suggests that high dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C may reduce some of the side effects of cancer therapy. Other work found that high dose vitamin C may also have anticancer properties through its ability to inhibit the migration and metastasis of breast cancer cells.A buffered form of vitamin C is an improved alternative to the sodium and potassium bicarbonate combination, free of sodium and with a neutral taste. It also contains large quantities of calcium and magnesium, which have anti-allergy effects of their own. However, although most people can get enough vitamin C from fruits and vegetables, others may have difficulty getting enough vitamin C from their diet. Timed-release form At Nutri Advanced we believe that no matter what your choice, a formula should always be: Nyyssonen K., Poulsen H.E., et al. Effect of supplementation of smoking men with plain or slow release ascorbic acid on lipoprotein oxidation. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1997; 51:154–163.

Liposomes contain phospholipids. If you remember from chemistry class, phospholipids are phosphorus-containing, fat-like substances that make up a cell membrane. The phospholipid cell membrane is essential for protecting cells from the outer environment. It also helps your body get the most out of Liposomal Vitamin C. Vitamin C supports metabolic function, helping our bodies convert food and drinks into energy – meaning it can reduce tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C also supports healthy psychological performance. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.Powders can be especially convenient because you can customize your dose. The powder form is great for adding to recipes like these as well. Lemon Blueberry Burst Smoothie If you are taking the extended-release capsules, swallow them whole. Do not crush or chew extended-release capsules or tablets. Doing so can release all of the drug at once, increasing the risk of side effects. Swallow the whole tablet without crushing or chewing. Take this product with a full glass of water (8 ounces/240 milliliters) unless your doctor directs you otherwise. Uchida E., Kondo Y., et al. Absorption and excretion of ascorbic acid alone and in acerola (Malpighia emarginata) juice: Comparison in healthy Japanese subjects. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2011; 34:1744 – 1747.