Vitamin C, which is also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that naturally exists in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Unlike most animals, human bodies cannot synthesize vitamin C, making it an essential dietary component.
Why Vitamin C? Vitamin C is necessary for the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine and certain neurotransmitters; Vitamin C also participates in protein metabolism. Collagen is a very essential component of connective tissue, which plays an important role in wound healing. It has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants in the body including alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). As a major biohacking element, Vitamin C supplements can give you a lot of benefits.
Our suggested Best Vitamin C Supplements for you and your family
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Researches are going on to examine whether vitamin C, by limiting the harmful effects of free radicals through its antioxidant activity, could help prevent or delay the development of certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and other diseases in which oxidative stress plays a causal role.
Vitamin C also plays an important role in immune function and improves the absorption of nonheme iron, the form of iron present in plant foods. Insufficient vitamin C intake causes scurvy, which is characterized by fatigue or tiredness, generalized weakness of the connective tissue and capillary fragility.
The intestinal absorption of vitamin C is regulated by at least one active transporter depending on the active dose. The cells accumulate vitamin C through a second specific transport protein. In vitro studies have shown that oxidized vitamin C, or dehydroascorbic acid, enters cells through certain facilitated glucose transporters and then reduces to ascorbic acid internally.
Probably now you are convinced that Vitamin C is very important, so let’s take a look at the details of our listed products!
NOW Foods C-1000
Why we picked it: GMP qualified, helps to produce collagen in the body
NOW Foods C-100 is an affordable vitamin C pill that is fortified with a complex of citrus bioflavonoids and routine powder. Another bioflavonoid found in fruits and vegetables is Rutin. It is commonly found in apples, buckwheat, citrus fruits, figs, black tea and green tea. It improves the body’s ability to use vitamin C, which makes it synergistically beneficial. It is non GMO, Kosher and is produced in a GMP certified facility, so it is a good vitamin C supplement in general.
Highlights:
- Fortified with bioflavonoids
- A powerful source of antioxidants
- Enhanced absorption
- Fortified with Rutin
- Vegan and vegetarian
- 1000mg vitamin C
- 25mg rutin powder
- 100mg citrus bioflavonoid complex
Who Makes It:
NOW Foods is a brand of natural supplements that has been around since 1968. Its products are produced in GMP certified facilities and adhere to strict quality control guidelines. NOW Foods is also one of the eco-friendliest supplement brands. They strive to be as sustainable as possible and partner with The Conservation Foundation.
Pros:
- Provides a sustained release of vitamin C
- Produces collagen
- GMP qualified
- Fortified with bioflavonoids
- Fortified with Rutin
- Vegan
Cons:
- The tablet size is a bit larger than usual.
Dr. Mercola Liposomal Vitamin C
Why we picked it: liposomal delivery system, Non-GMO
Dr. Mercola Liposomal Vitamin C is a vitamin C pill that uses a liposome delivery system to improve absorption. Liposomal technology helps the body absorb more vitamin C without gastrointestinal side effects. If you are looking for a powerful vitamin C supplement, this might be the product for you.
Highlights:
- Liposomal delivery system
- 1000mg vitamin C
- Contains 90 Servings
- GMO Free
- Gluten Free
- Soy Free
- 90-day money back guarantee.
Who Makes It:
Dr. Mercola is the best-selling author of The New York Times, who has created a career in consumer health information and education. He is an osteopathic doctor, which means that he is licensed to prescribe medications and perform surgeries in all 50 states. He has a website, a supplement brand and 9 books to his credit.
Pros:
- Liposomal delivery System
- 1000mg vitamin C
- Contains 90 Servings
- GMO Free
- Gluten Free
Cons:
- Can cause nausea.
Nature’s Way Vitamin C-1000
Why we picked it: powerful antioxidant, supports immune system
Nature’s Way Vitamin C-1000 A is a vitamin C pill enriched with citrus bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids are pigments found in colorful fruits and vegetables that act as antioxidants. The powerful variety of antioxidants helps strengthen collagen, helping with wrinkles and loose skin. It also regulates the healthy function of white blood cells, thus helping your immune system. This affordable product can be a great addition to your health regimen.
Highlights:
- Fortified with bioflavonoids
- Healthy vitamin C dosage
- Powerful antioxidant
- Suitable to vegetarians
- 1000mg vitamin C
- 50mg bioflavonoids
- Supports Immune Function
Who Makes It:
Nature’s Way is a collection of nutritional supplement brands, with their most popular types of products such as coconut oil, herbs, probiotics, and vitamins and minerals. They are associated with the non-GMO project and are certified by TRU-ID; which means that your supplement data really represents the ingredients of the supplement. They were founded in 1969 with all of its products based on science and traditional medicine.
Pros:
- Supports immune function
- Strengthens collagen for healthy skin
- GLUTEN-FREE
- Sugar free
- No salt, yeast, wheat, and soy
- Dairy free
Cons:
- Contains magnesium stearate
Viva Naturals Vitamin C
Why we picked it: vegetarian friendly, health vitamin C dosage
Vitamin C from Viva Naturals is a vitamin C pill enriched with rose hips and bioflavonoids. It is affordable and offers a powerful dose of antioxidants that boost the immune system which help reduce inflammation and keep you looking young. This is a good vitamin C option for those looking for the anti-aging vitamin C and immunostimulant benefits.
Highlights:
- Powerful antioxidants
- Fortified with bioflavonoids
- Rose hips
- 1000mg vitamin C
- 25mg citrus bioflavonoids
- 25mg rose hips
- Non GMO Vitamin C
- Vegetarian friendly
Who Makes It:
Viva Naturals is a wellness brand founded in 2011. They formulate all of their products in-house, which include organic foods, essential oils and nutritional supplements. Their products are totally natural, clinically proven certificates, tested by third parties, organic, non-transgenic and free of filters.
Pros:
- Fortified with bioflavonoids and rose hips
- Supports a healthy immune system
- Protect cells against the damaging effects of free radicals
- Supports Collagen for hair, skin, nails & joints
- Vegetarian friendly
Cons:
- Can cause eczema, nausea, and heartburn.
Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin C
Why we picked it: includes probiotics, promotes vision and health skin
Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin C is a versatile vitamin C tablets. It comes in a divided dose and is enriched with an organic blend of fruits and vegetables, as well as beneficial probiotics. The blend of raw fruits and vegetables offers a variety of antioxidant bioflavonoids, which increases the immune and anti-aging benefits of vitamin C.
Adding probiotics helps ensure healthy digestion so you can maximize your absorption of this supplement and all the foods you eat in a day. It is gluten-free, vegan and non-transgenic.
Highlights:
- Fortified with tons of bioflavonoids
- Includes probiotics
- Non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan
- 500mg vitamin C
- 720mg organic fruit and vegetable blend
- 60mg probiotic and enzyme blend (500 million CFU)
- Promotes vision and skin health
Who Makes It:
Garden of Life is a brand of raw and whole food supplements that is one of the best brands in the natural supplement industry. They only use USDA certified organic products and are part of the GMO-free project. They provide information on their farms website on their website as well so that you know exactly where your product is coming from. Its products are produced in GMP certified facilities and tested to guarantee quality, transparency and security.
Pros:
- RAW probiotic and enzyme blend
- Vegetable blend for nutritional support
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Non-GMO with No Binders or Fillers
Cons:
- The taste can be too strong to some
BulkSupplements Vitamin C
Why we picked it: Non-GMO, pure vitamin C
BulkSupplements Vitamin C is a pure vitamin C powder that is free from sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten or additives. Because it is a powder, it has the ability to measure your daily dose. This versatility is excellent for those who wish to accumulate their vitamin C supplements or control their dose of vitamin C. It is also ideal for athletes who like to supplement the use of protein shakes as it can be easily added to improve protein absorption. In general, it is a pure, versatile and affordable vitamin C supplement.
Highlights:
- Pure vitamin C
- Versatile dosing
- Free from sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten or additives
- 1000mg vitamin C
- Lab tested for verification & guaranteed purity
- Factory-sealed foil zip pouch
- USP (Pharmaceutical) Grade
Who Makes It:
BulkSupplements is a producer of pure supplement ingredients that supplement suppliers and consumers can purchase. Located in Henderson, Nevada, they provide more than 200 ingredients to consumers and manufacturers using a GMP certified FDA certified facility. All of its products are available in bulk at very affordable prices.
Pros:
- Free from sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten or additives
- Vegetarian friendly
- Pure vitamin C
- great value of price
- 1,000 servings
Cons:
- Synthetic ascorbic acid supplement
Nature’s Bounty Vitamin C-500
Why we picked it: vegetarian, antioxidant
Nature’s Bounty Vitamin C-500 is a vitamin C tablet that can be taken in divided doses up to four times a day. It has been laboratory tested for purity and safety, and Nature’s Bounty guarantees their quality. This tablet does not contain artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives, or sugar, starch, milk, lactose, soy, gluten, wheat, yeast or fish.
Highlights:
- Made in the USA
- Suitable to vegetarians
- Split dose
- Antioxidants
- 500mg vitamin C
- 250 tablets
Who Makes It:
Nature’s Bounty combines the latest advances in nutritional science with the best ingredients to help produce cutting-edge natural health supplements. The company contains several brands, Nature’s Bounty being its principal. Its other brands include Optimal Solutions, Earthly Elements and Nature’s Bounty Rewards.
Pros:
- Vegetarian
- Support immune health
- Gluten free
- Unsurpassed quality & value.
- Overseen by scientists and quality experts
- Supports heart health
- Supports healthy joints, skin, and gums
Cons:
- Can cause headache and nausea
Doctor’s Best Vitamin C 1000 mg
Why we picked it: prevent cell damage due to free radicals, non-GMO
Doctor’s Best Vitamin C is a powerful vitamin C supplement that helps boost your immune system, support your heart, brain, eyes, circulation and all other organ systems. This product can also help support joint health. It is a vitamin C pill made in Scotland and appreciated for its high quality and reliability. As a powerful antioxidant, Doctor’s best vitamin C will help prevent cell damage from free radicals, which has protective benefits against aging. This supplement is also gluten-free, non-transgenic, vegan.
Highlights:
- Pure vitamin C
- prevent cell damage due to free radicals
- Powerful antioxidant
- Healthy vitamin c dosage
- Gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO
- Single-ingredient vegetarian capsule
- 1000mg vitamin C
- Anti-aging agent
Who Makes It:
Doctor’s Best is a nutritional supplement company founded by a doctor in 1990. They offer over 200 products researched and supported by science. They strive to offer their customers consistent quality and transparency: their products provide exactly what is on the supplement label. Their supplements are also made in GMP certified facilities, which makes them a reliable brand in general.
Pros:
- Gluten-free
- Prevent cell damage due to free radicals
- Provides antioxidant
- Vegan, non-GMO
- Anti-aging agent
- Support joint health
- High quality and reliability.
Cons:
- Some find the capsule too large
Source Naturals Vitamin C
Why we picked it: Contains Ascorbic Acid Crystals, vegetarian friendly
Source Naturals Vitamin C contains Ascorbic Acid Crystals. Sodium Ascorbate is gentle to the stomach. So this is the option one should go for when they have stomach sensitivity. It is in a powder form and dissolves instantly for quick absorption. It is Suitable for vegetarians. It also Contains no yeast, dairy, egg, gluten, soy or wheat. It is free from sugar, starch, salt, preservatives or artificial color, flavor or fragrance.
Highlights:
- 4.22 grams of vitamin C per tablespoon
- Contains Ascorbic Acid Crystals
- Contains Sodium Ascorbate
- In a powder form
- Vegetarian friendly
- No yeast, dairy, egg, or wheat
Who Makes It
Source Naturals was created in 1982 by C.E.O. Ira Goldberg to support the potential of each individual to enjoy optimal health. At that time, the type of nutritional formulations I imagined, for maintaining well-being and improving life, simply did not exist. The idea of combining many nutrients, herbs and nutraceuticals in one formulation, although common today, was a rare before. Source Naturals launched the concept with Wellness Formula, now the industry’s no. 1 immune support product.
Pros:
- Vegetarian friendly
- Contains no yeast,
- Dairy, egg, and gluten free
- Contains no soy or wheat
- Supports immune system
- Gentle to stomach
Cons:
- California’s Proposition 65
Puritan’s Pride C-1000
Why we picked it: Anti-aging antioxidants, supports immune system
Puritan’s Pride Premium C-1000 is a vitamin C pill enriched with bioflavonoids and rose hips. Rose hips are the edible seeds of a wild rose plant, and fresh rose hips are rich in vitamin C, E, K, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols. Rosehip powders help enhance the benefits of vitamin C for arthritis prevention and also help boost vitamin C with antioxidants and additional nutrients.
Highlights:
- Fortified with bioflavonoids and rose hips
- Helps boost the immune system
- Anti-aging antioxidants
- 1000mg vitamin C
- 25mg bioflavonoid complex
- 20mg rosehips
Who Makes It:
Puritan’s Pride is a dietary supplement company with several brands to its credit, including Myology, Aromappeal and Perfectly Pure. Founded in 1973, they are committed to helping people lead healthier lifestyles. They produce products such as vitamins, herbs, essential oils, sports nutrition products and even pet products.
Pros:
- Fortified with bioflavonoids and rose hips
- Helps boost the immune system
- Anti-aging antioxidants
- Produced with the highest quality ingredients available.
- Helps neutralize cell-damaging free radicals in cells.
Cons:
- Large sized tablets
Twinlab C-1000 Caps
Why we picked it: pure vitamin C, GMP certified
Twinlab C-1000 Caps is a crystal clear vitamin C pill that is easy to swallow and assimilate. The crystal form of vitamin C is a powder. Surrounded by a hard gelatin capsule, it contains only pure vitamin C and does not contain common allergens. Twinlab also manufactures its products in its own GMP certified facilities, which allows them to closely monitor quality control.
Highlights:
- Pure vitamin C
- Manufactured in a GMP certified facility
- Powerful antioxidant
- Free from common allergens
- Helps boost the immune system
- 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 production of the first liquid protein supplement. David started it out of his garage with his wife.
Pros:
- Promotes Iron Absorption
- Ensures proper body function as well as good health
- Helps clear harmful oxygen compounds called free radicals
- Helps to support your heart health
- Backed by scientifically researched ingredients to produce high – performance products.
Cons:
- Might be too powerful for some
Guidelines to pick a good Vitamin C supplement
Since one has a lot of options to choose from, they have to be conscious about the supplement we are choosing and consider a few things to choose the best supplement according to their personal and specific needs.
Ingredients: You should look into the ingredient list in order to make the decision about which supplement to choose. The ingredients have to be pure and harmless or should not have any active ingredient.
Claims on the label: You need to understand what their needs are and look for the supplement that deals with those specific needs. And one has to be careful about the false claims the label may have in it. A supplement is not supposed to heal or cure any diseases.
Specific Ingredient: One may want to avoid a specific ingredient for health reasons or any other reason. They have to be careful about that as well.
Brand quality: Renowned company’s supplements are safe to try because it is easier to reach out to them if anyone faces any problem. Also, the well known brand always tends to have better quality products than the ones that are not that well known. On our list we have recommended some of the best company’s supplements available in the market.
Side effect: The consumer should be aware of the side effect the supplement may cause. On our list we tried to avoid supplements with severe side effects.
What are the uses and benefits of Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a very important nutrient that plays a key role in many of our body’s operations. It is important for the immune system, cell repair, wound healing, bone resistance and more. Some of the most important benefits of vitamin C include:
Skin: Vitamin C can help improve skin health, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and, in general, delay the process of visual aging. This effect has been observed with oral vitamin C supplements, as well as with topical creams.
Immunity: Vitamin C can help strengthen the immune system by improving resistance to certain pathogens. In healthy individuals, a higher intake of vitamin C may help slightly reduce the duration and severity of colds, but the evidence is mixed as to whether they can really help prevent the onset of colds.
Mineral absorption: the body needs tons of nutrients and minerals such as iron and calcium to stay healthy. Vitamin C plays a role in the absorption of some of these minerals, especially with regard to iron. Therefore, getting more vitamin C can help improve your body’s ability to absorb and use iron and other minerals, which can have a variety of positive effects on your health.
Antioxidant: Vitamin C is an antioxidant, a class of molecules that can help fight free radicals in the body and reduce the cell damage they can cause. Since oxidation and cell damage are believed to contribute to many serious health problems, including cancer, antioxidants such as vitamin C can help reduce the risk of many diseases and keep the body healthy in general.
Stress: Vitamin C can help reduce the physical and psychological effects of stress on the body. A recent German study found that those who received vitamin C before being exposed to a stressful situation remained calmer, and several stress markers, including cortisol stress hormone and blood pressure, were significantly lower to those of the participants who had not received one.
General health: Vitamin C participates in a large number of processes in the body and can greatly contribute to overall health. It is important for iron absorption, collagen formation, wound healing, maintenance of bones, teeth and cartilage, and much more. While most people who eat a balanced diet get enough vitamin C from food, some groups are more likely not to get enough.
Vitamin C is one of the most popular supplements, and for good reason. Insufficient vitamin C intake can lead to several problems, while on the other hand, it is actually impossible to take too much, because your body simply excretes the excess. The most effective vitamin C supplements also help provide additional antioxidants in your diet. As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C has the ability to help the aging process and improve the function of all your organs and bodily systems.
Who Should Take Vitamin C Supplements
Those with weakened immune systems: an immune system that is weak is weak defense system. This results in an increased risk of illness, infection and health problems. Your immune system can be weakened by excessive sugar intake, stress, lack of adequate fluid intake and being overweight. Some people have a more serious condition called immunodeficiency disorder, which can be present at birth or develop over time. Taking a vitamin C supplement can boost your immune system and keep you healthy, helping to prevent a weakened state of immunity.
People with allergies: Vitamin C can help regulate your immune system’s response to possible threats. This is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from allergies. Allergic reactions occur when the immune system confuses a safe substance with a harmful substance, which causes an exaggerated reaction. Symptoms may include inflammation, swelling, rash, nausea, diarrhea, runny nose, and anaphylaxis in severe cases. Vitamin C helps reduce inflammation and the immune system, which can help regulate allergy symptoms. It also helps to reduce the release of histamine, which is a substance that causes allergic inflammatory reactions.
Those who face stress: Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. It is the harmful hormone that is released when stress triggers it, causing damage to many bodily functions. Side effects of high cortisol levels include weakened immune function, reduced bone density, weight gain, and high blood pressure and cholesterol. It can also harm your ability to learn and store memory. Taking a vitamin C supplement can help reduce the physical and psychological effects of stress, improving your overall health and quality of life. This is in line with animal and human studies.
Travelers: traveling exposes your body to many stressors, viruses and bacteria that can weaken your immune system. This may be due to changes in your sleep schedule and diet, modified environments, and presentations to new people. It can also be due to traveling in a narrow plane, where many different people share the air, and pathogenic bacteria can survive for up to a week in armrests, seats and trays.
Aging adults: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with beneficial anti-aging properties. It has been shown to decrease oxidative stress in cells and help prevent wrinkles and skin opacity. It also helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which can wreak havoc on your body over the years. By boosting your immune system, it helps prevent harmful diseases and also supports your cardiovascular health. As an added benefit, a vitamin C supplement can help improve protein absorption. As you age, your ability to digest protein and use it properly decreases.
People at risk for arthritis: Vitamin C can help regulate the immune system, reduce inflammation, and support the health of connective tissue and collagen production. All of these benefits are great for people at risk for rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease caused by the immune system that attacks the joints and causes pain, stiffness, and inflammation. It can also help maintain the health of your joints, helping to prevent osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by joint wear). This means that vitamin C can help fight the development of the two main forms of arthritis.
Athletes: Vitamin C can help with sports recovery. Indeed, vitamin C is an important nutrient for wound healing, and studies have shown that taking vitamin C supplements in doses above the recommended daily amount improves recovery speed. It also contributes to protein metabolism, which improves the absorption and use of proteins. Men who take a vitamin C supplement also support healthy testosterone levels by reducing cortisol levels: the more cortisol you have, the less testosterone you will have.
How to Take Vitamin C Supplements
Taking Vitamin C supplements is very easy and simple. First, determine your preferred dose by talking to your doctor, and consume number of pills according to that. If your recommended dosage is 600 mg per day, then you can either take one 600 mg pill, or two 300 mg pills.
If you are taking Vitamin C syrups, then it’s okay to have it raw in proper amount. Vitamin syrups are tasty in general, and comes with fruit extracts. You shouldn’t face any problems consuming them.
Frequently asked questions about Vitamin C
Q: Is Vitamin C Vegan?
A: Yes.
Q: Is there any published scientific evidence of a benefit for vitamin C available?
A: Vitamin C is a nutritional supplement and has health claims on the back of the label that have been approved by EFSA (Vitamin C contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system and it also protects the cells against oxidative stress. Vitamin C contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to psychological function, and helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue by participating in energy metabolism. Normal collagen formation and normal function of bones, teeth, cartilage, gums and skin. Vitamin C helps to use vitamin E and increases the absorption of iron).
Q: What is the recommended dose?
A: 1 capsule per day. However, a healthcare professional may recommend having more than that for a short time.
Q: Can people with diabetes take vitamin C?
A: Yes, it can be taken by people with diabetes.
Q: What is the recommended age for taking vitamin C Supplements?
A: Vitamin C can be taken at 18 or over.
Q: Should Vitamin C be taken with food?
A: Yes.
Q: Can breastfeeding or pregnant women take it?
A: Probably not, unless you are under treatment for a known deficiency. It is best to have your midwife’s advice on this.
Q: What are the side effects of vitamin C?
A: Although most people tolerate vitamin C well, it can cause mild side effects, such as upset stomach, headache, and heartburn, especially if not ingested with food.
Q: Does Vitamin C contain artificial additives?
A: No.
Q: Should I take vitamin C at a certain time of the day?
A: No, as long as it’s time to eat.
Q: Can I take vitamin C with my usual supplements, like glucosamine, multivitamins and omega 3, etc.?
A: Yes, you can take it with other supplements, but not with other supplements that contain vitamin C in large doses.
Q: Should I keep vitamin C in the refrigerator?
A: Vitamin C should be stored in a cool, dry place. Storage in the refrigerator is acceptable.
Q: Is there a problem with taking vitamin C while taking prescription medication?
A: There may be interactions between drugs and nutrients. If you are taking other medications or regular chemotherapy, ask your doctor if it is safe to take vitamin C. You can interact with medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, antacids, and blood thinners.
Q: Can I take vitamin C before surgery?
A: Probably, but always check with your surgeon first.
Q: Should I take vitamin C every day? Can I take on alternative days?
A: Yes, but it may be better to take it every day to get the effect you want.
Q: If I cannot consume capsules, what are the other alternatives to taking vitamin C?
A: You can open the capsule and pour the ingredients into your cold / hot food / drink.
Final thoughts
Experts advise that vitamin C is one of the safest and most effective nutrients. It may not be the cold remedy (although it is believed to help prevent more serious complications), but Its benefits include the protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, eye disease, and even skin wrinkles.
Vitamin C has a lot to offer when taken as directed. It helps with many things like skin, immunity, stress; wound healing, absorption of minerals, antioxidants and general health. People should consider keeping vitamin C supplements in their daily diet. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for humans. It acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body from oxidative stress.
It is not realistic to expect that only food will meet the required amount of vitamin C in the human body. This is where vitamin C supplements come in handy. We have listed the best Vitamin C supplements of 2020 for you to choose from and enjoy the benefits you require from any of the above vitamin C supplements.
