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  • Vitamin C supplements come in various forms, each with unique absorption and side-effect limiting profiles.
  • Optimal daily vitamin C intake is around 200mg, supplementation can help when dietary intake is low.
  • Supplement choice depends on individual needs: absorption concerns, dosage, and side effects.

Vitamin C is essential to so many aspects of our health that it is no surprise that it is one of the nation’s most popular supplements. But with so many types of vitamin C available, how do you know which vitamin C is right for you? This is your ultimate guide to vitamin C supplements so that you can be sure to find the best vitamin C supplement for you.

Vitamin C is essential for humans, we can’t live without it. We are in a small minority of mammals that cannot produce our own vitamin C. Whilst many people find a good base amount in their diet from fruit and vegetable sources there are lower amounts present in processed foods and many people struggle to fit in their 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Additionally, there are times that we can use more vitamin C than normal. These include when we are fighting an infection or healing. We can also have higher requirements for vitamin C if we are exposed to more oxidative damage from stress, sun, pollutants and inflammation.1 At these times topping up your vitamin C level by using supplements may be helpful.

Vitamin C is useful in the body to help protect cells from free radical damage2 and also for maintaining healthy skin,3 blood vessels4, bones5 and collagen6. It also helps with wound healing4 and plays an important role in our immune system.7

 Different types of vitamin C

Many people have heard about vitamin C but they aren’t always aware that there are different types of vitamin C supplements. Probably the most popular type of vitamin C in supplements is ascorbic acid. This is the type that is found naturally in foods, although most supplements will use synthetic ascorbic acid which is biologically identical and has a similar absorption.

Higher doses of vitamin C in the ascorbic acid form can sometimes lead to water being pulled into the digestive system and result in loose bowel movements. This is completely reversible if the dosage is reduced. One solution to prevent this is to use a timed-release formula so that you can keep the release of ascorbic acid constant to minimise any side effects.

Another way to avoid ascorbic acid from causing bowel upset is to bind the acid to a mineral. This is known as buffered vitamin C and it can prevent the water accumulation in the bowel.

Food forms of vitamin C benefit from being consumed alongside lots of other nutrients that are good for you, including fibre and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are just a fancy way of saying the natural chemicals found in plant foods; they are often very good for you so ensuring that you are eating healthily is always a priority. However, it is thought that some of these phytochemicals, known as bioflavonoids, can aid the absorption and utilisation of vitamin C and as such vitamin C and bioflavonoids are often found in combinations in supplements. The research to support this is mixed but some of these phytochemicals also have health properties in their own right, such as supporting blood vessels, histamine regulation and providing additional antioxidant support8 so is considered to be worth combining. Also due to the additional benefits of bioflavonoids this could mean that you can minimise the amount of vitamin C you need to take to reduce the chance of negative side effects of high doses.

One final way to take vitamin C is to use a specially designed form such as Pureway-C™. Specialist forms of vitamin C often utilise new technologies for rapid absorption and they are well researched to show minimal side effects and maximum results.

Another way to avoid ascorbic acid from causing bowel upset is to bind the acid to a mineral. This is known as buffered vitamin C and it can prevent the water accumulation in the bowel.

 Our expert advice about the best vitamin C

When considering the best type of vitamin C for your needs you need to think about why you are looking for a vitamin C supplement in the first place. The government recommends 40mg per day to prevent the vitamin C deficiency disease called scurvy. This is usually easy to achieve with diet. However, this is not believed to be an effective optimal amount of vitamin C, merely the amount to keep overt deficiency symptoms at bay. A recommendation for an optimal amount has been suggested by experts to be around 200mg per day.9 This level can help to keep tissues saturated with vitamin C and this appears to help prevent and support respiratory and systemic infections.10

There are also many studies available looking at the use of higher amounts of vitamin C as an antioxidant support for times of increased inflammation, infection and free radical damage. These studies can use often hight therapeutic amounts, however, doses of over 500mg can see bioavailability drop as the intestinal absorption mechanism reaches saturation.11

So, if you are choosing higher doses of vitamin C then a timed-release formula can help to avoid this saturation. If you are concerned about absorption, for example if there is a digestive disorder present, then you could choose a dedicated innovative form such as Pureway-C™.

Best vitamin C supplements

Below is a summary of the benefits of vitamin C supplements.

1. Vitamin C as ascorbic acid

Taking vitamin C as ascorbic acid is readily available but it isn’t a consideration for all. This pure form of vitamin C cannot be taken at higher dosages without the risk of absorption problems and gastrointestinal side effects so whilst it may appear the best value vitamin C supplement, it is often a gamble as to whether it will cause side effects.

2. Time-release vitamin C

Time-release vitamin C formulas release their vitamin C more slowly throughout the day to ensure that the problems of higher dosages are avoided. By avoiding dumping high levels of vitamin C all at once and instead releasing slowly throughout the day studies have shown that vitamin C bioavailability and side effects can be minimised.

3. Vitamin C combined with bioflavonoids

Combining vitamin C with bioflavonoids can create a synergistic formula which is thought to support absorption of vitamin C, although the findings on this are mixed.

Bioflavonoids can also have their own health benefits and as such by including them in a formula with vitamin C, not only are you mimicking how vitamin C is found in nature, but you are also providing some similar benefits alongside the vitamin C meaning you can use a lower amount of vitamin C. For example, quercetin, rutin and citrus bioflavonoids, have been shown to support blood vessels, have strong antioxidant properties and also have immune benefits too.

4. Buffered vitamin C (mineral ascorbates)

A buffered vitamin C is one that has been neutralised by adding the ascorbic acid to something else, usually a mineral, to become an ascorbate. Common mineral ascorbates are calcium, magnesium and potassium ascorbates and these can work very well for people who feel the side effects with ascorbic acid.

5. Pureway C ™ (mineral ascorbates)

Using the latest innovative techniques can be a great way to increase absorption of nutrients. Pureway-C™ is a new delivery system for vitamin C to help it bypass the usual absorption channels. Supplements containing Pureway-C™ have been shown to be more rapidly absorbed by cells than other forms of vitamin C. Additional studies using Pureway-C™ have looked at its potent antioxidant effect, it’s protective effect on cells and its ability to support the immune system. 12,13,14,15

Maintaining your vitamin C levels

Remember that vitamin C supplements are designed to supplement your diet during times where you have increased requirements or for times when you are struggling to consume enough through your diet and as such are not a substitute for a healthy diet. A daily multivitamin containing a good level of vitamin C can be handy in maintaining your daily vitamin C. For example, our Multi Essentials range contains 250mg per tablet.

References:
1. A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System-Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection - PubMed
2. Vitamin C—Sources, Physiological Role, Kinetics, Deficiency, Use, Toxicity, and Determination - PMC
3. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health - PubMed
4. Vitamin C revisited - PubMed
5. Vitamin C and Bone Health: Evidence from Cell, Animal and Human Studies - PubMed
6. Vitamin C: a wound healing perspective - PubMed
7. Vitamin C and Immune Function - PubMed
8. Chemistry and biological activities of flavonoids: an overview - PubMed
9. Authors' perspective: What is the optimum intake of vitamin C in humans? - PubMed
10. Vitamin C and Immune Function - PubMed
11. The Long History of Vitamin C: From Prevention of the Common Cold to Potential Aid in the Treatment of COVID-19 - PMC
12. Absorption rates and free radical scavenging values of vitamin C-lipid metabolites in human lymphoblastic cells - PubMed
13. Vitamin C-lipid metabolites: uptake and retention and effect on plasma C-reactive protein and oxidized LDL levels in healthy volunteers - PubMed
14. A novel vitamin C preparation enhances neurite formation and fibroblast adhesion and reduces xenobiotic-induced T-cell hyperactivation - PubMed
15. A novel vitamin C preparation enhances neurite formation and fibroblast adhesion and reduces xenobiotic-induced T-cell hyperactivation - PubMed

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Nutri Advanced has a thorough research process and for any references included, each source is scrutinised beforehand. We aim to use the highest value source where possible, referencing peer-reviewed journals and official guidelines in the first instance before alternatives. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate at time of publication on our editorial policy.