Liposomal Vitamin C

Choosing liposomal vitamin C mostly comes down to how much you value better delivery, and our naturopaths talk it through every day. Here's the short version.

A good fit if

• You take 500 mg or more at a time and want a bit more of it reaching your blood
• Large tablets are hard to swallow, and a liquid or softgel suits you better
• You're happy choosing it for better absorption, knowing there's no proven health difference

Check with us first if

• You've had kidney stones or been told you make too much oxalate. Oxalate in urine rose at 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day.
• You're having chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The NIH advises talking to your oncologist before taking vitamin C or other antioxidant supplements.
• You take niacin with a statin. Vitamin C taken with other antioxidants may reduce the rise in HDL cholesterol from that combination.
• You take iron supplements or have your iron monitored. Vitamin C increases how much iron you absorb from plant foods and supplements (non-haem iron).
• It's for a child. Children need 35 to 40 mg a day, well under a typical liposomal serve.

• Liposomal liquid or gel. Best known for: Vitamin C without swallowing a tablet, usually taken from a spoon or as a measured dose. Absorption: The blinded liposomal trial tested a capsule, not a liquid, so there's no direct data for this format. Typical use: Measured doses taken straight or in water.
• Liposomal capsule, softgel or tablet. Best known for: A fixed liposomal dose, commonly 500 mg, without the mess of a liquid. Absorption: In one blinded trial, about 27% higher peak blood plasma levels and 21% more plasma exposure over 24 hours than 500 mg of standard vitamin C. Typical use: One or two a day with water.
• Plain ascorbic acid (the comparison). Best known for: The form almost every vitamin C trial used. Absorption: The benchmark. It's fully absorbed up to a 200 mg single dose, and absorption falls from 500 mg. Typical use: Tablets or powder, split across the day.
• Ester-C calcium ascorbate (the comparison). Best known for: The one alternative form with a published trial on how gentle it is on the stomach. Absorption: In a small trial, it gave higher white-cell vitamin C at 24 hours than ascorbic acid, with no difference in blood plasma. Typical use: Buffered tablets if you find plain vitamin C harsh.

Reference values. Liposomal products don't change how much vitamin C you need. The NHMRC RDI for adult men and women is 45 mg a day, rising to 60 mg in pregnancy and 85 mg while breastfeeding for ages 19 to 50. The full age bands are on our vitamin C page.

Typical supplemental range. Liposomal products in Australia mostly provide 500 mg to 1,000 mg of vitamin C a serve. The blinded absorption trial used a single 500 mg dose.

Upper level. Australia hasn't set an upper limit. In the NHMRC's words: 'It is not possible to establish a UL for vitamin C, but 1,000 mg/day is a prudent limit.' That applies to liposomal vitamin C just like any other form.

Worth knowing. A single plain dose of up to 200 mg is fully absorbed. From 500 mg up, absorption drops and the extra leaves in your urine. That's the gap liposomal delivery is trying to close, so it matters most at bigger doses. What you need depends on your age, diet and health, so talk to one of our naturopaths.

Food first, where the diet allows it.

• Red capsicum, raw, half a cup: 95 mg
• Orange, 1 medium: 70 mg, which already clears the adult RDI of 45 mg
• Kiwifruit, 1 medium: 64 mg
• Broccoli, cooked, half a cup: 51 mg

If any of these sound like you, talk to one of our naturopaths or your doctor before you start.

• Hereditary haemochromatosis or iron overload. The NIH lists iron overload among the concerns with too much vitamin C.
• Kidney stones or hyperoxaluria. Oxalate and urate in the urine rose at 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day.
• Chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The NIH advises talking to your oncologist before taking antioxidant supplements.
• Niacin with simvastatin. Vitamin C with other antioxidants may blunt the rise in HDL cholesterol.
• Iron supplements or iron monitoring. Vitamin C increases how much non-haem iron you absorb.
• High doses in general. The NIH notes diarrhoea, nausea, stomach cramps and other stomach upsets.
• Children. Their recommended intake is 35 to 40 mg a day, far below a typical liposomal serve.
• If you take prescription medicines, check with your doctor, pharmacist or our naturopaths before you start.