Natural Vs. Synthetic Vitamin C

For many of us, taking a vitamin C supplement is an important part of our strategy for enhancing our seasonal wellness. There's lots of scientific research behind this recommendation, and the many health benefits of vitamin C are well documented. In fact, the nutrient does much more than support a healthy respiratory and immune system (to learn more check out What You Should Know About Vitamin C).

While the benefits of taking a vitamin C supplement are clear, the choice of which C supplement to choose has become more complex. Advances in research and technology have sparked novel ways to get more C, making the decision daunting. The variety of vitamin C products can be dizzying, and it can make choosing a high-quality, effective C supplement a challenge.

Some different types of Vitamin C supplements include:

• Synthetic Ascorbic Acid
• Mineral Ascorbates
• Ascorbic Acid with Bioflavonoids
• Liposomal Vitamin C
• Whole-Food Vitamin C

Let’s break down each of these sources of C so you can make an educated decision on the best way to take this essential nutrient.

Synthetic Ascorbic Acid

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, was discovered in 1912, isolated in 1928, and first synthesized in 1933. By the 1960s, China was mass producing the synthetic version of this vitamin, and the vast majority of vitamin C supplements you’ll find in the marketplace use this low-cost, lab-made form.

Synthetic ascorbic acid is commonly derived from genetically modified corn and processed with a host of chemicals such as acetone (yes – just like nail polish remover). Not only that, as it says in its name, ascorbic acid is acidic, and can upset empty stomachs when taken alone. 

Although, technically speaking, synthetic ascorbic acid is chemically identical to naturally occurring vitamin C, there are significant differences that set them apart. More on that in a moment.

Mineral Ascorbates

Mineral salts (in chemistry, “salts” are neutral combinations of acids and bases) of ascorbic acid, such as sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, or magnesium ascorbate, are supplements that bond synthetic ascorbic acid to a mineral.

These mineral ascorbates are less acidic, and are therefore considered “buffered.” Because of this, mineral ascorbates are often recommended to people who experience an upset stomach from plain, synthetic ascorbic acid.

Ascorbic Acid with Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids, or flavonoids, are natural compounds found in plants. Most vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables are full of these beneficial compounds. Since they are antioxidants, just like vitamin C, they are thought to enhance the efficacy of the nutrient in the body.

Unfortunately, the majority of vitamin C supplements with bioflavonoids are simply synthetic ascorbic acid with some flavonoids sprinkled in. They are often marketed as “natural.” But buyer beware: there is no current definition or regulation on the term “natural”, meaning - depending on the source - the term is generally empty of value.

Liposomal Vitamin C

Liposomal vitamin C is yet another form of this essential nutrient that mixes synthetic ascorbic acid or a mineral ascorbate with a vegetable oil. Emulsifiers are added to disperse the oil in tiny spheres that surround the water-soluble vitamin C. Theoretically, the fat layer helps cells absorb more of the ascorbic acid, as our cells are surrounded by a fat-soluble membrane.

Whole-Food Vitamin C

All of the types of C supplements above are made with synthetic ascorbic acid as their base ingredient. Only whole-food vitamin C supplements are derived strictly from plants. In the case of Pure Radiance C®, vitamin C is derived from 12 of the most vitamin C-rich fruits and berries that nature has to offer, including organic camu camu, acerola cherries, and rose hips.

If synthetic and naturally occurring vitamin C are chemically the same, why is this important? Because whole foods contain so much more than just ascorbic acid. In nature, ascorbic acid is always connected to a multitude of other compounds. Many of the health benefits we associate with vitamin C come from not only ascorbic acid but also from the synergistic interaction of numerous phytonutrients in whole foods including bioflavonoids, polyphenols, catechins, anthocyanins, rutin, and enzymes.

Synergy of the Whole

Several studies on the antioxidant activity and protective effects of synthetic ascorbic acid versus food-based vitamin C give the points to nature.  In a famous 2007 study in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers looked at the effects on oxidative stress of synthetic vitamin C (150 mg) vs. blood orange juice (containing 150 mg of vitamin C).  A statistically significant increase in resistance to oxidative damage was measured in participants who drank the blood orange juice. Since vitamin C in fruits is delivered with a family of bioactive compounds, the authors propose that such compounds act synergistically with vitamin C to confer the protective benefit.

How Can You Tell If a Supplement Is from Whole Foods?

It’s easy to find vitamin C supplements labeled as “natural” when only thing natural about them is their chemical similarity.  Absent of its nutrient-rich food matrix, isolated ascorbic acid is less-than natural to your body. Make sure your vitamin C is truly natural – from whole foods – to be sure you capture all of its wellness.