Re: All The Different Kinds Of Vitamin C

The ascorbic acid (vitamin C) commonly sold is a very unstable synthetic made from sugars. Back in high school chemistry we took some ascorbic acid crystals and exposed it separately to heat, light, and moisture. Then about 40 minutes later we tested each group for the presence of vitamin C. In each case the synthetic vitamin c was completely destroyed in that short time.

This is one of the reasons I prefer natural forms of vitamin C, such as berries, kiwis, and watercress. The second reason is that vitamin C requires bioflavonoids to work properly. Again these are found in conjunction with natural vitamin C sources such as berries. acerola cherry, rosehips, etc. My personal favorite is amla berry, which is a stronger and more stable form of vitamin C. The polyphenols in the amla berry actually protects the vitamin C in the berry from oxidation. The vitamin C in amla has been found to be about 12 times stronger than synthetic vitamin C sources, and it provides many other benefits such as elevation of superoxide dismutase and protection of the DNA by heavy metals. Other good herbal sources include acerola cherry, rosehips, nettle leaf, and chickweed. Camu camu is a rich source provided it is eaten fresh or dried immediately. Otherwise it is very unstable and will deteriorate rapidly if not dried immediately.

As for Ester C and other ascorbates, these are basically ascorbic acid buffered with alkaline minerals like sodium, calcium, potassium, etc. Still synthetic, still unstable, and still lacking the bioflavonoids unless added separately.

The synthetics are more popular because they are cheaper, not because they are effective. Synthetic C runs about $3 per kilo in small quantities from raw material suppliers. Bought in large quantities by manufacturers the manufacturers can buy ascorbic acid for a fraction of that cost. Amla and many of the other sources I mentioned are considerably more expensive. It is one of those you get what you paid for scenarios.

I personally only use ascorbic acid as an acidifier to increase mineral absorption. Otherwise I use natural sources for actual vitamin C activity.

As for amount, taking mega doses can be a problem for some people. For example my step mother gets urinary tract infections from even small doses of ascorbic acid. And several studies have found that mega doses can cause kidney stones in people with kidney disease as the excess ascorbic acid is broken down in to oxalic acid. Also keep in mind that if you do mega dose for a while it is recommended to slowly wean off the high doses if you ever decide to quit to avoid rebound scurvy.
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