More Supplements And Natural Sources Of Vitamin C

Vitamin C Ester (Ascorbyl Palmitate)

Ester C (mentioned above) should not be confused with vitamin C ester, also known as ascorbyl palmitate. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which is why we need a constant intake to keep levels optimal. Fat-soluble vitamins on the other hand tend to store in the body for longer periods. Ascorbyl palmitate is a fat-soluble antioxidant often found in vegetable oils to extend their shelf life.

The theory behind this fat-soluble form of vitamin C is that when taken orally it incorporates into cell membranes, improving bioavailability. However, it has been demonstrated that most of the ascorbyl palmitate breaks up in the digestive system (into palmitate and ascorbic acid) meaning that the bioavailability is similar to ascorbic acid alone. Ascorbyl palmitate may have better application in topical forms of vitamin C, as it is more stable than water-soluble forms.

Lipospheric Vitamin C

Probably the most far out vitamin C technology to date, and the most expensive on the market, liposheric vitamin C uses liposomal encapsulation technology, which borrows from principles of biotechnology and nanotechnology. Liposomal vitamin C is made using predominantly phosphatidylcholine as a phospholipid, which is then put in an aqueous solution of ascorbic acid. 

Because of its enhanced delivery capabilities, lipospheric vitamin C could be seen as a high dose vitamin C therapy. Results have shown that oral liposheric vitamin C can raise blood vitamin C levels to very high levels, leading manufacturers to conclude that liposheric vitamin C may have applications in treating conditions like cancer and HIV, which are theorized to respond to high dose vitamin C therapy. Studies relating to the safety of the use of oral liposheric vitamin C are lacking.

Natural (Food Sources) of Vitamin C

Although the levels of vitamin C cannot match the amounts we can get in from supplements, the role of food sources of vitamin C cannot be overlooked. The food-based approach is always the primary approach with supplements being nothing more than an adjunct (or supplement) to a normal healthy, vitamin C rich diet. Vitamin C is found in the highest concentration in fruits and vegetables. Excellent food sources of vitamin C include broccoli, bell peppers, lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, mustard and turnip greens, spinach, Swiss Chard, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, kiwifruit, snow peas, cantaloupe, tomatoes, zucchini, berries, celery and pineapples. Ton ensure adequate intake, this would mean eating at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, which should equate to about 200-400mg per day of vitamin C provided you choose from the vitamin C rich food mostly.

The Verdict

It seems that plan old ascorbic acid might be a good enough choice as a supplement to boost vitamin C intake. While the other forms of vitamin C may offer some additional benefits, the bioavailability over regular ascorbic acid seems to be minimal if at all. People who take vitamin C rich foods regularly probably don’t need to supplement at all. Smokers, the elderly, people with immune system disorders or conditions, people with skin conditions or those who don’t meet the minimum daily requirements through food might benefit from supplementation. High dose vitamin C supplementation and the use of liposheric vitamin C to treat certain conditions remains in question until more research becomes available.