Vitamin C is the nation’s favorite supplement, and it seems with some justification.
While previous claims that it could prevent the common cold by boosting the immune system have been debunked (although it may shorten the duration of illness by a day or two), new research has shown that its antioxidant effects have the potential to reduce the risk of stroke, improve muscle mass in older people and even help fight skin cancer.
And some experts now believe that the UK’s recommended daily intake of 40mg needs to be at least doubled to provide the health benefits of the vitamin, which is found naturally in fruit and vegetables.
Vitamin C is the nation’s favorite supplement and, with some justification, it seems
While the consensus is that vitamin C is best obtained from the diet, its use as a supplement dates back to 1934, when it became the world’s first vitamin to be mass-produced in tablet form.
Vitamin C deficiency is rare, but research suggests that about 40% of people do not get 80 to 90 mg a day, the amount that has been shown to fight cell damage caused by free radicals and support healthy metabolism. immune system as we age, says pharmacist Aidan. Goggins, an independent consultant to the supplement industry.
We asked the experts to review some of the latest vitamin C products and supplements on the market. Then we rate them…
Patch
PatchMD Vitamin C Plus Topical Patch, £18.50 for 30, patchworksuk.com
Claim: “This topical slow-release vitamin C patch results in more of the vitamin entering the bloodstream,” says the manufacturer.
Each patch contains 90 mg of vitamin C and 10 mg of zinc, which “may reduce the duration of infections and help your body form collagen, improving skin, nails, and hair.” Use daily for eight hours.
Expert verdict: “We know that vitamin C and zinc are good for the immune system, but there is limited evidence that vitamins can be absorbed well beyond the epidermis (the top layer of skin) and much less directly into the bloodstream through a skin patch. , in concentrations high enough to make a difference to health,” says Dr Lindsy Kass, a sports scientist and functional nutrition expert at the University of Hertfordshire.
You’d better take a pill or a liquid. At 61 pence a day, the patch is expensive.
2/10
PatchMD Vitamin C Plus Topical Patch
Tablets
Doctor’s Best PureWay-C 500mg, £10.22 for 60 tablets, iherb.com
Claim: This supplement has fatty acids and bioflavonoids for “superior absorption compared to other forms of vitamin C,” says the manufacturer. Take one pill twice a day.
Expert Verdict: “This pill has been modified to enhance absorption through normal vitamin C transporters in the gut,” says Aidan Goggins.
Fatty acids bind to vitamin C to improve absorption and bioflavonoids, natural antioxidants, prevent damage to vitamin C molecules.
“This is helpful because in the small intestine, vitamin C is exposed to oxygen, acids, and food, which can break it down. Bioflavonoids function as bodyguards that carry vitamin C through the gastrointestinal tract safely so that the maximum amount can be absorbed.
“I’m pretty impressed with this new mechanism of maximum vitamin C delivery. It’s a reasonable dose and a reasonable price.”
8/10
Soda
Get More Vits Vitamin C Sparkling Orange Drink, £1.40 per 500ml, sainsburys.es
Claim: This drink is “sugar-free, low-calorie, and fortified with 160 mg of vitamin C per bottle,” says the manufacturer.
Expert Verdict: “Although it’s sugar-free, this drink is full of sweeteners and preservatives, so it’s not the healthiest choice,” says Dr. Kass.
“It doesn’t appear to contain real orange juice either, just flavorings. You’d be better off making your own drink with 50% fresh orange juice and 50% sparkling water: a 500ml glass would give you around 125mg of vitamin C but with no sweeteners and 75 calories.
‘Most people who eat fruits and vegetables don’t need a fortified drink. For those who are low on vitamin C, a healthier option would be a medium orange (70 mg of vitamin C) or a kiwi (65 mg).’
3/10
Spray
BetterYou Vitamin C Oral Spray, £11.95 for 50ml, betteryou.com
Claim: This cherry and pomegranate flavored daily oral spray contains 120 mg of vitamin C per squirt. It delivers nutrients “directly into the bloodstream through the buccal membrane of the inner cheek, bypassing the intestine,” says the manufacturer.
Expert verdict: “Some vitamin C is destroyed when it reaches the intestine by oxygen, food, and acids that break it down,” says Dr. Kass.
“Taking it as a spray where it absorbs through the tissue in the cheek and then directly into the bloodstream instead of swallowing it like a pill avoids this problem.
‘This product could be particularly useful for people with malabsorption problems, such as intestinal conditions, and those who cannot swallow pills. It does, however, contain the sweetener xylitol, which can cause stomach cramps, although absorption into the cheeks should prevent this.
7/10
gummies
Vitamin C Gummies Boots
Boots Vitamin C Gummies, £2 for 30, boots.com
Claim: The black currant-flavored gummy contains 80 mg of vitamin C “to support a healthy immune system,” says the manufacturer. For adults and children over 12 years. Take one a day.
Expert Verdict: “With glucose syrup as the number one ingredient, you know this is going to be a high-sugar product that will simply add unnecessary calories to your diet,” says Dr. Kass.
‘They taste quite nice and will give you 80mg of vitamin C (200 per cent of the recommended daily amount). But it’s better to take a cheap tablet or eat a handful of strawberries to get the same benefit.
4/10
Dust
Nature’s Best Vitamin C Soluble Powder, £9 for 250g, naturesbest.es
Claim: This is “the cheapest way to buy vitamin C,” says the manufacturer. It is recommended to add between ¼ teaspoon (1,000 mg) and ½ teaspoon (2,000 mg) daily to beverages.
Expert verdict: “While our need for vitamin C increases when there is chronic stress on the body’s cells, for example, smoking lowers levels by about 50 percent, the dose suggested here is too high,” says Aidan Goggins .
“Most people don’t need 1,000 mg or 2,000 mg of vitamin C a day and can’t absorb that much.
‘The only situation where these megadoses may be useful is for people with chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. There is some evidence that these conditions cause an accelerated turnover of vitamin C in the body, which could lead to a deficiency.’
5/10
Nature’s Best Vitamin C Soluble Powder
wrapped in bubbles
Lipovitamin C, £29.99 for 250ml, amazon.es
Claim: This liquid contains a high dose (1450 mg) of vitamin C encapsulated in liposomes, a bubble of protective fat, “to protect it from the digestive tract,” says the manufacturer. Take 1 to 2 teaspoons (1450 to 2900 mg) per day.
Expert Verdict: “The goal here is to bypass the body’s normal vitamin C absorption process in the intestine, which is capped at 200 to 400 mg, by using liposomes to allow the extra vitamin C to get directly into the blood,” says Aidan Goggins.
“While this approach will provide the body with additional vitamin C, it ignores the fact that the body doesn’t need more for daily functions.
“Research has also shown that high doses of vitamin C can negate the benefits of exercise and increase levels of oxalic acid in the body, leading to kidney stones. This product is a big no-no in my book.’
0/10
Tea
Vitabiotics Tea+ Vitamin C, £3.95 for 14 bags, vitabiotics.com
Claim: Cranberry Orange flavored tea bag contains echinacea, green tea and ginseng, and provides 80mg of vitamin C per 200ml cup. ‘Enjoy at least one a day,’ says the manufacturer.
Expert Verdict: “This is a weird way to get more vitamin C, as we know it’s easily damaged by heat and oxygen,” says Aidan Goggins.
“I would be interested to see how much vitamin C is left after three minutes of brewing in boiling water. A 2009 study from Zhejiang University in China found that boiling broccoli for five minutes reduced its vitamin C content by about a third.
“You most likely won’t get the full 80 mg in one cup. Drink it if you like the taste, but I wouldn’t trust this to meet all your vitamin C needs.’
5/10
Vitabiotics Tea+ Vitamin C
Serum
La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C 10 Serum, £40 for 30ml, boots.com
Claim: The serum contains a 10 percent concentration of vitamin C that “prevents and helps correct the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines,” says the manufacturer. Apply in the morning.
Expert Verdict: “Skin products that contain antioxidants like vitamin C may offer protection against free radical damage created by UVA and UVB exposure that are linked to skin cancer and premature aging.” says Dr. Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist at Tarrant Street Clinic. in Arundel, West Sussex.
‘Vitamin C also plays an important role in the production of collagen which keeps skin firm, elastic and line-free, making it an ingredient worth adding to your skin care regimen. However, higher concentrations can irritate the skin.’
8/10
mini muscle might
The tiny muscles that play important roles
This Week: Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) Above Knee
The vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) is one of the four thigh muscles and its specific function is to stabilize the patella, helping to keep it in alignment when you bend the knee and preventing the knee from falling inward. It runs from the pelvis to the inside of the patella on the inner edge of the thigh.
Many people have a weak VMO, says physical therapist Clare Lewey, and this can lead to misalignment of the patella and pain and swelling: “You may notice a weak VMO as popping in the knees, pain in the front of the knee when stands up after sitting for a long time or going up and down stairs,’ he says.
To keep it healthy, try sitting on the floor with your legs straight, a rolled towel under your knees, and flex your thigh muscles with your leg slightly turned outward, holding the contraction for five to ten seconds. If you can’t do it without pain, try half squatting (lowering slowly as if about to sit on a high chair) with your feet out, or squeezing a soft ball between your knees, always making sure your VMO is contracting .
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