Vitamin C Sources

I have read conflicting things about vitamin C. It is clear that vitamin C is an essential nutrient to take in and in large quantities, as humans are one of few animals that do not synthesize it. Goats manufacture something like 15 grams (yes grams) per day. Apes and other primates take in several grams worth per day.

It appears that the consumption of small, tart, wild fruits and organ meats (particularly liver and adrenal glands) provided natural sources of dietary vitamin C for early man. Raw milk also has some. The question becomes how to procure adequate vitamin C today.

On one hand, I have seen a lot of evidence in scientific literature that high doses of ascorbic acid (1-3 grams daily) are beneficial. Here I can think of Linus Pauling and his extreme consumption. Dr. Eugene Shippen recommends 1-3 grams per day in his book The Testosterone Syndrome. On the other hand, I have read things (specifically by Dr. Cowan of the Weston A. Price Foundation) that high doses of ascorbic acid are dangerous for the kidneys and are not really effective since ascorbic acid is only the preservative portion of the vitamin C complex. He recommends exclusively natural sources of vitamin C; like acerola and camu camu.

I'm curious whether any of you have recommendations. Nid recommended the lyposomal vitamin C which looks pretty neat, but, again, I wonder about it's safety.

EIC wrote:I have read conflicting things about vitamin C. It is clear that vitamin C is an essential nutrient to take in and in large quantities, as humans are one of few animals that do not synthesize it. Goats manufacture something like 15 grams (yes grams) per day. Apes and other primates take in several grams worth per day.

It appears that the consumption of small, tart, wild fruits and organ meats (particularly liver and adrenal glands) provided natural sources of dietary vitamin C for early man. Raw milk also has some. The question becomes how to procure adequate vitamin C today.

On one hand, I have seen a lot of evidence in scientific literature that high doses of ascorbic acid (1-3 grams daily) are beneficial. Here I can think of Linus Pauling and his extreme consumption. Dr. Eugene Shippen recommends 1-3 grams per day in his book The Testosterone Syndrome. On the other hand, I have read things (specifically by Dr. Cowan of the Weston A. Price Foundation) that high doses of ascorbic acid are dangerous for the kidneys and are not really effective since ascorbic acid is only the preservative portion of the vitamin C complex. He recommends exclusively natural sources of vitamin C; like acerola and camu camu.

I'm curious whether any of you have recommendations. Nid recommended the lyposomal vitamin C which looks pretty neat, but, again, I wonder about it's safety.

I'll let IH field your question EIC, but IH recommended this brand to me. Seems to be working pretty well.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SWU407/ItemDetail?n=4294967188

http://lifestar.com/Pages/vitaminc.html
or
http://www.newchapter.com/products/c-food-complex

are superior sources of vitamin c.

I like asorbic acid because of its acid nature which kills bacteria when I have a cold.

Thanks for the recommendations, guys. I'll take a look at those.

Gibson wrote:http://lifestar.com/Pages/vitaminc.html
or
http://www.newchapter.com/products/c-food-complex

are superior sources of vitamin c.

I like asorbic acid because of its acid nature which kills bacteria when I have a cold.

Gib,

That Lifestar stuff looks pretty cool. Have you tried it before?

EIC--
Their vitamin supplements are the best I have ever tried. I went through a bottle of their C once, but I was more a fan of other vitamin products that they long ago dropped: men's multi plex; b plex.

I personally recommend powdered camu camu berry as a whole food source of vit C.

We have begun seeing more and more evidence that synthetic vitamins are just not providing the health benefits expected by nutritionists and researches.

hey sublime,

the one I recommended isn't a synthetic.

http://www.lifestar.com/Pages/vitaminc.html

No diss on the supplement you linked. More or less one of ramblings.