Vitamin C seems to come in so many forms, which one is the best? – Carol S. 

In short…doesn’t really matter!

Vitamin C is one, if not THE most popular single Vitamin supplement that individuals take.  

Emergen-C, tasty gummies, fizz drinks, whether it’s for optimal health or when you’re feeling sick, Vitamin C is the go-to vitamin to cure all. 

Formulator note: the fact that it’s a pretty inexpensive ingredient to source, doesn’t have much taste issues, and doesn’t take up a lot a space in a tablet, capsule, gummy, we formulators will load it up in your product to make a nice label. 

Vitamin C comes in all sorts of forms, Ascorbic Acid, Ester-C, Liposomal Vitamin C, from natural sources like lemon or orange peels, etc.. So which one is best source or form?

There is no evidence to say one is better than another. Whatever additional benefits you get, such as the bioflavonoids from the lemon or orange peel source, is negligible and not worth the cost. All these forms will be the same compound/molecule: L-ascorbic acid. 

If you are taking very high doses of Vitamin C, which you shouldn’t without supervision from a health care provider, the ascorbate forms can be easier on your stomach. 

But again, be careful taking too much. At high levels, Vitamin C becomes an Oxidant and Free Radical, which is highly stressful for the body and can be very destructive and inflammatory. 

Few tips when purchasing and using Vitamin C:

• Vitamin C is very sensitive to breakdown, so store in a dark, cool area and use within a month or two max. 

• Do not choose gummies, Vitamin C is corrosive, so they can stick to your teeth (which can promote decay), same with Vitamin C drinks. Wash your mouth right after. 

• Do not overpay for fancy Vitamin C, all forms will be highly usable by the body, and it’s a very inexpensive ingredient for the manufacturer. BTW – natural and synthetic are equally recognized by the body. 

• Do not take in excess, an observational study of 10,000 adults showed a 33% greater risk in all-cause mortality and 60% greater risk of cardiovascular disease morality when blood levels of Vitamin C were on the high end of adequate (48 to 70 mcmol/L).