18 replies to this topic

[ppp]

Does anyone have any experience of increasing the bio-availability of vitamin c? I know that liposomal C has the highest rates of availability, but it's incredibly expensive (particularly as there are no UK suppliers and I have to import). I've seen suggestions that mixing ascorbic acid solution with coconut milk improves availability as it can bind the water-soluble vitamin to the fats in coconut milk. Can anybody confirm if this is true? I've seen various posts that discuss using lecithin and other substances, but as a complete beginner to all this any practical advice would be gratefully received.

[Mixter]

Take it as 30% ascorbyl palmitate (fat soluble), 30% calcium ascorbate (very bioavailable + bowel tolerance due to high pH), 30% ascorbate...
Taking some of it as standardized acerola extract should work, too. LEF does it like this. And lipids would slow digestion and thus help, too.

[Lufega]

I've read some stuff that says sodium ascorbate is the more bioavailable form. You can buy it as it or you can mix sodium bicarbonate and ascorbic acid in solution to yield this. Also, try taking it with citrus bioflavonoids like rutin and hesperidin so increase it's function. You can buy these together as Vitamin C complex.

I buy rutin/hesperidin powder from LEF and mix it with Vitamin C powder....this adds a puckery kick to lemonade

[rwac]

I take swanson Supreme C.

It has a 1:1 ratio of Vitamin C, Citrus Bioflavonoids.

I take 3x1g Daily, without bad GI symptoms, so I'm absorbing it pretty well.

[ppp]

The problem I'm trying to avoid is the 'first pass loss' whereby the gut and the liver zap the vitamin c. Liposomal formulations get round this by embedding the ascorbate in lipid molecules so that they effectively go straight into the lymphatic system with no loss. As far as I can see mixing c with bioflavonoids doesn't get round the problem. I've seen posts on this board from people experimenting with resveratrol and lipids - has anyone tried doing the same with vitamin c?

Edited by ppp, 20 November 2008 - 03:19 PM.

[waldemar]

So what would be the more bioavailable form for the same amount of ascorbate: 200 mg pure ascorbic acid or 200 mg ascorbate from potassium ascorbate?

[Advanc3d]

So what would be the more bioavailable form for the same amount of ascorbate: 200 mg pure ascorbic acid or 200 mg ascorbate from potassium ascorbate?

they both worth equally the same

ascobate converts to ascorbic acid when it hits stomach acid... since acid and base react.

[ppp]

So what would be the more bioavailable form for the same amount of ascorbate: 200 mg pure ascorbic acid or 200 mg ascorbate from potassium ascorbate?

they both worth equally the same

ascobate converts to ascorbic acid when it hits stomach acid... since acid and base react.

True, but 200mg of potassium ascorbate only delivers 165 mg of ascorbic acid...

[waldemar]

Ok, what about speed of absorption?

Wouldn't potassium ascorbate be much better because it doesn't increase stomach acidity?

[Mousehunter]

And what is about vitamin C from LEF with Dihydroquercetin?

They write
"Fortunately, a flavonoid antioxidant known as dihydroquercetin functions as a vitamin C "supercharger." Studies demonstrate that dihydroquercetin acts to inhibit the oxidation of vitamin C, thereby helping to maintain its concentration and to recycle vitamin C throughout the body.This synergistic relationship between dihydroquercetin and vitamin C greatly enhances the efficacy of both molecules in the body's organs and tissues"

Does anyone have any experience with that product?

[waldemar]

Afaik some antioxidants like Lutein, Lycopene, Quercetin and Hesperidin decrease Vitamin C oxidation and also reduce oxidized Vitamin C back to the active form. Does anyone have quantitative information about that - which one helps how much?

[Wedrifid]

Increasing the bioavailability of vitamin C sounds a bit like upgrading the hard drive active LED on my computer. Sure, I could. But why? I can just take three times as much. Heck, most Vit. C supps taste like lollies!

[pycnogenol]

And what is about vitamin C from LEF with Dihydroquercetin?

They write
"Fortunately, a flavonoid antioxidant known as dihydroquercetin functions as a vitamin C "supercharger." Studies demonstrate that dihydroquercetin acts to inhibit the oxidation of vitamin C, thereby helping
to maintain its concentration and to recycle vitamin C throughout the body. This synergistic relationship between dihydroquercetin and vitamin C greatly enhances the efficacy of both molecules in the body's organs'
and tissues"

Does anyone have any experience with that product?

I just ordered a bottle of LEF Dihydroquercetin. I wish it came in capsule form. Oh well.

Does anyone take the Now Foods product "AlphaSorb-C" ???

Blurb:

"NOW Alpha-Sorb C contains the Vitamin C metabolite, Threonic Acid, which has been shown to enhance cellular uptake of Vitamin C. This buffered, non-acidic Vitamin C supplement also contains Alpha Lipoic Acid, an antioxidant known to help regenerate
Vitamin C in the body. Furthermore, studies suggest that Alpha Lipoic Acid may enhance the body's utilization of Vitamin C. The addition of Bioflavonoids as synergists helps to create a well-absorbed, highly effective Vitamin C supplement. Vitamin C is best
known as a highly effective antioxidant that can protect the body's cells and molecules from damage by free radicals."

More information on the NOW site about this product:

"AlphaSorb-C Revolutionizes Vitamin C Uptake and Bioavailability"


http://www.nowfoods....;item_id=101464

Edited by pycnogenol, 25 November 2008 - 04:30 PM.

[waldemar]

Increasing the bioavailability of vitamin C sounds a bit like upgrading the hard drive active LED on my computer. Sure, I could. But why? I can just take three times as much. Heck, most Vit. C supps taste like lollies!

At some point your stomach will start to dislike it. ;-)

[Mousehunter]

I just ordered a bottle of LEF Dihydroquercetin. I wish it came in capsule form

I ordered it one time. The product has tablet form

[raiyou]

My favorite Vitamin C product for daily use: http://www.iherb.com...511022436641206

Comes in capsules, I normally refuse to buy products with proprietary blends, but you can't always have it all.

[Advanc3d]

all vitamin C's absorb the same,
whether its calcium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate or just simply ascorbic acid.
they all work the same, ascorbates convert to ascorbic acid once in the stomach, taking straight ascorbic acid will add on to the acidity of your stomach (hence the discomfort at high doses) where ascorbates will reduce the acidity, it works in a way like an antacid..

i personally never had any disconforts, though i only take ascorbic acid, and i take it with food, sometimes at doses as high as 5000mg at one time.


they all work the same except the salts of ascorbic acid contain 2 products, the metal and the actual supplement.

[hamishm00]

What about ester-c?

[ppp]

What about ester-c?

It's better from some of the research I've seen, but Pureway-C is better still. However, none of these matches the availability of liposomal C. All these forms of c suffer the same first-pass problem - the gut and the liver clear a lot of the ascorbic acid. If you try and get a bigger dose then you'll hit your bowel tolerance limit. Liposomal c encases the vitamin c in lipids and these are not digested and end up in the lymphatic system where they can get to the tissues.

Which brings me back to my original question - how to get make your own. I see there's been a huge amount of discussion of this for resveratrol, has anyone tried similar for vitamin c?