Vitamin C

[dragonfly76]

Hello everyone could you please share with me your favorite vitamin c supplement to take along with iron for higher absorption. Thank you everyone that replies.

[HLAB35]

If you're just after improved iron absorption, plain ascorbic acid powder (not noticed any particular brand makes a difference as it is a simple chemical) worked fine for me.

Many of the fancier vitamin C options often contain bioflavanoids and are very good for immune health and are anti inflammatory. However, please note that Quercetin, a bioflavanoid is actually an iron inhibitor. People take quercetin if they have iron overload. So, probably not a good option for taking with an iron tablet.

My recommendation is to use cheap soluble ascorbic acid with your iron tablet mid/late morning (4 hours after Levo). Also take some quality vitamin C with bioflavanoids either at breakfast or sometime after lunch for immune health.

Oh and see my reply to helvella - forgot to mention that adding a pinch of sea salt to the ascorbic acid powder also seems to help.

[dragonfly76 in reply to HLAB35]

Than you

[milkwoman]

I like buffered vitamin C powder. I mix with my morning OJ and drink.

[helvella Administrator in reply to milkwoman]

Just wondering, I don't know the answer, does buffered vitamin C improve iron absorption?

I have always assumed that the acidity itself is a key part of its ability to enhance absorption. But there is far too much assumption in my own mind.

(Not saying there is anything wrong with buffered forms regarding increasing vitamin C intake - only questioning this one issue.)

[milkwoman in reply to helvella]

I truly don’t know that answer. I tried taking unbuffered vitamin C powder but found the taste too unpleasant.

[Howard39 in reply to milkwoman]

Hi

My new ascorbic acid has no bitter aftertaste. You are right one was less nice to take but not unbearable.

[HLAB35 in reply to helvella]

I add sea salt to my ascorbic acid powder to make it more palatable (honestly) and I think the combination is good as salt in solution contains chloride ions, which, when mixed with a weak acid can make HCl which is basically stomach acid, so helpful for iron absorption. Iron really struggles to be absorbed if you have tea, coffee or milk at a similar time.

[Howard39 in reply to helvella]

Hi

No it has no increased benefit. Some people prefer the buffered vit c if they have severe stomach issues but you cannot take it in very high doses because the item it’s bound to can cause imbalances. Buffered vit c say with sodium is exceptionally good for some types of skin cancer. ( I’ve tried it.)

HLAB35 is completely right plain ascorbic acid is the best. ( nothing plain about its cost now lol).

My specialist recommends 3000 grams per day to build up your immune system together with vit d3 and k2 mk7 and other precautions to help avoid the virus. I was a “ test rat” who was asked just how much ascorbic acid I can take in a day ( taken hourly) should I ever become ill.

[dragonfly76 in reply to milkwoman]

Thank you

[dragonfly76]

Thank you everyone for your answers, good thing I have the cheap type at home ascorbic acid powder and I really appreciate everyone's comments. Be Safe Everyone.

[helvella Administrator]

Both haem (heme) and ferritin iron are absorbed by different pathways to the common iron supplements such as ferrous sulphate, etc.

You can eat liver or buy haem or ferritin supplements (actual ferritin, not just supplements that claim they raise ferritin). And you can take both even while taking standard iron supplements!

I don't think that ascorbic acid affects haem or ferritin at all.

[dragonfly76 in reply to helvella]

So ascorbic acid won't absorb heme iron and it won't increase ferritin?

[helvella Administrator in reply to dragonfly76]

My point is this:

Ascorbic acid doesn't, to the best of my knowledge, help your gut to absorb haem iron. That is, haem iron in your diet, or taken as a specific supplement, will be absorbed whether or not you take ascorbic acid with it.

Similarly, ascorbic acid doesn't, to the best of my knowledge, help your gut to absorb ferritin. That is, ferritin in your diet, or taken as a specific supplement, will be absorbed whether or not you take ascorbic acid with it.

Ascorbic acid does help your gut to absorb iron supplements such as ferrous sulphate.

But any iron you do actually absorb, from any source, will help to raise ferritin within your body.

Taking supplements which contain haem or ferritin can be very effective.

You have one pathway which can absorb things like ferrous sulphate. You have one pathway which can absorb haem. You have one pathway which can absorb ferritin. They do not interfere with each other.

[dragonfly76 in reply to helvella]

Thank you so much.

[Heloise]

A little information about vitamin c: Most vitamin C supplements are nothing more than ascorbic acid (one fraction of the vitamin C compound) derived from GMO corn and highly processed in a lab.

We believe nature knows best and vitamin C is far better absorbed in our bodies when taken in whole food form. This means it is accompanied by the full spectrum of nutrients, minerals, and bioflavonoids that make vitamin C such a powerful nutrient.

Our Essential C Complex contains the most concentrated sources of natural, organic vitamin C on the planet with unripe acerola cherry leading the pack followed by camu camu and amla berry.

Our acerola cherries are organically grown in the rainforest of Brazil and picked before they ripen which is when the vitamin C content begins to degrade. As a result, one unripe acerola cherry is 120x more powerful than an orange.

Paleovalley

[dragonfly76 in reply to Heloise]

Hello thank you for all the information. What is the name of your Essential C Complex?

[Heloise in reply to dragonfly76]

I just got the ad from Dr. Pompa, one of the doctors who have put on summits about supplements. That IS the name, lol. Essential C Complex. It's from Paleovalley but I just thought the information was good. I bought mine last from Garden O Life who usually use whole foods for supplements. I think Standard Process makes one as well. Usually they are ascorbic acid which is much cheaper of course.

[Heloise]

revelationhealth.activehost...

[dragonfly76]

Thank you I really appreciate your time. What if we eat an orange with the iron supplement. Oranges have a lot of vitamin C and so do lemons and limes. We just don't know how much we are getting.

[helvella Administrator in reply to dragonfly76]

Cirus fruit does, indeed have quite a bit of ascorbic acid. But they also have a significant amount of citric acid, which seems also to help with absorption of substances like ferrous sulphate (though possibly not as much as ascorbic acid).

[dragonfly76 in reply to helvella]

Okay thank you.