5 Common Forms of Vitamin C Supplements

This article is suitable for advanced supplement enthusiasts

Content Tags: Vitamin C

Original Author: Bucci LR

Vitamin C (vitamin C), also known as ascorbic acid (ascorbic acid), is a water-soluble molecule that plays an important role in maintaining various physiological functions.
As an antioxidant, it protects the body from the harmful effects of free radicals, pollutants, and toxins.
The body needs vitamin C to maintain normal physiological functions; it aids in the synthesis and metabolism of nutrients, supports both innate and adaptive immune systems, promotes the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, and increases the absorption of iron in the intestine.
A deficiency of this vitamin is often associated with anemia, infections, gum bleeding, scurvy, poor wound healing, capillary bleeding, muscle degeneration, atherosclerotic plaques, and neurological disorders.
Table of Contents:

What Forms of Vitamin C Supplements Are Available?

1. Ascorbic acid (抗坏血酸)

Ascorbic acid is essentially the common form of vitamin C supplement, reasonably priced, but due to its acidic nature, those with poor gastrointestinal function may experience discomfort after use.

5 Common Forms of Vitamin C Supplements

2. Mineral ascorbates (矿物抗坏血酸盐)

Also known as buffered forms of vitamin C, they utilize mineral salts combined with ascorbic acid, resulting in lower acidity, and are often recommended for those who experience gastrointestinal discomfort from regular ascorbic acid; they are generally more expensive than ascorbic acid.
The most common forms of mineral ascorbates include sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, and magnesium ascorbate.

5 Common Forms of Vitamin C Supplements

3. Ascorbyl Palmitate (抗坏血酸棕榈酸酯)

Ascorbyl palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C, also known as vitamin C ester, which is different from the mineral salt form of Ester-C.
It is an amphiphilic molecule, meaning one end is water-soluble while the other is fat-soluble, and it has various applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, having been approved by the FDA as a food-grade antioxidant.

5 Common Forms of Vitamin C Supplements

4. PureWay-C

PureWay-C is a patented compound supplement that includes vitamin C lipid metabolites, citrus bioflavonoids, and ascorbyl palmitate.
This component claims to provide better absorption, bioavailability, and cellular retention, making it a more effective free radical scavenger than other forms of vitamin C.
Small studies indicate that compared to other forms of vitamin C (such as ascorbic acid, calcium ascorbate, Ester-C), PureWay-C is absorbed more quickly and leads to higher serum vitamin C levels and a greater reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress markers.Note 1

5 Common Forms of Vitamin C Supplements

5. Liposomal Vitamin C (脂质体维他命C)

Liposomal structures are micro-hollow spherical vesicles made up of phospholipid bilayers, with a water cavity that can encapsulate the hydrophilic substance vitamin C, making it one of the most commonly used nanocarriers.
The use of liposomal delivery is a mature technology that has gained considerable clinical recognition due to its numerous advantages.
The absorption of liposomal vitamin C does not rely on vitamin C transporters like SVCT-1, but rather on the direct fusion of liposomes with intestinal cells, allowing for the direct release of vitamin C into the cells and ultimately into the bloodstream.
In terms of absorption, taking vitamin C in liposomal form has a higher bioavailability compared to traditional oral vitamin C supplements.
Due to the extensive equipment and technology required to manufacture them, liposomal vitamin C is often more expensive than the traditional forms of vitamin C mentioned above.

How to Distinguish Real and Effective Liposomal Vitamin C?

Although both are fat-soluble forms of vitamin C, liposomal vitamin C is significantly different from ascorbyl palmitate.
Here, liposomal vitamin C refers to the “liposome” form, which is made up of spherical structures formed by phospholipids (usually phosphatidylcholine) that encapsulate vitamin C.
However, the term liposomal is often confused with other products containing fatty acids and vitamin C.
Some products using fatty acids may label themselves as “liposomal” vitamin C, but they are not in the liposome form, as vitamin C is only covalently bonded with fatty acids.
A common example is fat-soluble ascorbyl palmitate, which is chemically combined with vitamin C and is also known as esterified vitamin C.
This type of esterified vitamin C, such as ascorbyl palmitate, is easily broken down by enzymes in the small intestine, releasing vitamin C (ascorbic acid molecule) and esters directly, with bioavailability similar to that of ascorbic acid, so caution is needed before purchasing!

Reprint Notice

[Non-original article] The copyright of this article belongs to the author. Personal forwarding and sharing are welcome, but reproduction is prohibited without permission. The author holds all legal rights, and violators will be prosecuted.

>>> Statement
*Supplement Frontiers is committed to upholding the principles of evidence-based functional food science, indicating that the copyright of original articles belongs to our website. For reprinting, please obtain written permission and indicate the source at the beginning of the article.
*References will be provided in the article, but objectivity may still be compromised due to commercial interests. Readers are encouraged to provide criticism and suggestions.
*All content in this public account is for general reference only. Readers should not act on any information in the article without specific professional advice. The operator of this public account will not be responsible for any losses caused by actions taken based on the article’s content.
*The products, ingredients, and effects mentioned in the article only represent the views of the relevant companies, and Supplement Frontiers only conveys this information and does not represent our absolute endorsement of these claims, nor do we support the marketing and sales of any products.
* The images included in the article are not related to commercial activities and are for communication purposes only, and their sources are indicated to respect the original design of the images.

Related posts

  1. Why ETH Will Ultimately Win the Store of Value Battle
  2. Why Is There Only 1.5V on My 3.3V Power Pin?
  3. The Powerful Effects of Vitamin C on Cancer Prevention
  4. The Important Role of Vitamin C in Metabolism
  5. The Truth About Vitamin C (3)
  6. Can Vitamin C Prevent and Treat COVID-19? Insights from Pharmacists
  7. How Vitamin C Enhances Immunity
  8. Exploring VIOBOT: 3D Vision Perception Technology for Robots
  9. Have You Learned to Pronounce the Letter C?
  10. Pronunciation Rules of the Consonant Letter C
  11. Understanding the ‘C’ Mark on Product Packaging
  12. Pronunciation of Letter C and Combination CC
  13. Essential Advanced Linux Commands for Operations Teams
  14. Which Consumes More Battery: Mobile Data or Wi-Fi?
  15. News Update | Clinical Performance of the Low Profile Zenith Alpha Abdominal Aortic Stent: 2-Year Results from the ZEPHYR Registry
  16. Differences in Mobile Phone Screens? Choose the Right One to Protect Your Eyes!

Leave a Comment