The Best 5 Vitamin C Supplements in 2024

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Summary: Best Vitamin C Supplements

Hi Health Ultra Plan Vitamin C 1000mg [Most Economical]
Most Economical
Summary:

Review Summary: A+

Hi-Health Vitamin C 1000mg got an A+ for its quality ingredients, formulation and dosing, and competitive pricing. This is a great “entry-level” option for those who aren’t quite sure they’re ready to invest in supplements but still want quality for an economical price. 

  • Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Efficient serving size (single capsule)
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Cons
  • Could use a vegan capsule
2 - Ancient Nutrition Vitamin C +Probiotics [Best For Immune Support]
Best For Immune Support
Summary:

Review Summary: A-

Ancient Nutrition boasts a great formulation that leans into vitamin C’s immune support benefits by adding 2 billion CFU of probiotics. Since there’s increasing evidence of a connection between gut health and immune system health, I thought this was brilliant. However, a few points were deducted for the pricing and a lack of transparency around the sourcing of their ingredients.

  • Pros
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Includes probiotics for immune support
  • Impressive list of certifications
  • Sustainable
  • Cons
  • Expensive per serving
  • As a B-corp, I expected better from the ingredient sourcing
3- NOW Buffered C-1000 Complex [Best Overall]
Best Overall
Summary:

Review Summary: A+

We can’t say enough good things about the NOW Vitamin C-1000 Complex. This supplement hit the mark in nearly every category, from the price and formulation to certifications and their pretty stellar transparency and philanthropy efforts. You really can’t go wrong here, which is why they received an A+.

  • Pros
  • Formulation
  • Transparency
  • Pricing
  • Cons
  • Capsule is a bit big
  • Bottle could be hard to open for some
4 - Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier Immune Support Drink Mix [Most Enjoyable]
Most Enjoyable
Summary:

Review Summary: B+ 

If you don’t want to feel like you’re taking a vitamin supplement every day, this might just become your go-to drink mix! This product is a fun way to get your vitamin C, among other essential nutrients. However, since this is not a true vitamin C supplement, was oddly resistant to questions about their transparency, and uses non-sugar sweeteners, it received a B+.

  • Pros
  • Very palatable
  • Convenient
  • Good dose of vitamin C and other nutrients
  • Cons
  • Added sugars
  • Non-sugar sweeteners
  • Could be more sustainable and transparent
5 - Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C delivery [Highest Quality]
Highest Quality
Summary:

Review Summary: A+

There’s almost nothing bad to say about Cymbiotika’s Liposomal Vitamin C supplement. This product has one of the best formulations on this list and uses a newer (but scientifically backed) vitamin delivery system that can boost the bioavailability and effectiveness of vitamin C. The only downside is its price ($2/serving!), but, honestly, it might just be worth it.

  • Pros
  • Unique supplement delivery system
  • Science-backed formulation
  • Great transparency & certifications
  • Tasty
  • Cons
  • Could do better on sustainability & philanthropy
  • Expensive

The Nutrition Insider Methodology

When looking for the best vitamin C supplements, we didn’t just select the first results that show up on Google.

Here at The Nutrition Insider, we utilize bespoke selection and testing criteria to help us find products that we believe are the best the market has to offer.

Some of these products are from our Trusted Brands, which we have reviewed in the past and can subsequently count on to offer high-quality products.

Others we’ve found in an extensive search using good old-fashioned search engine sleuthing, perusing internet forums, and consulting consumer reviews.

Here’s a breakdown of what this selection and testing process looks like.

Our Selection Criteria

First, these criteria are how we begin to vet supplements before we even test them out, taking a close look at their ingredients, dosage, certifications, transparency, and price. 

Price vs. Serving Size

Of course, price is an important factor when purchasing anything—and supplements are no exception.

While you may expect that a higher-priced supplement is of the highest quality, that’s not always the case. Some of the more economical supplements are excellent, while premium supplements aren’t always the best. 

We also consider serving size, dosage, and ingredient quality relative to the price tag when evaluating price.

Dosage and Concentration

The concentration (aka “dosage”) of a supplement is also an important consideration when choosing the best products—after all, you don’t want to take something that ends up not being effective in any way. 

When looking at a supplement, we answer questions like:

  • Is that dosage at or above the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)?
  • Is this dosage close to or exceeding the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for these substances?
  • Is this a safe dosage?
  • Is this dosage similar to dosages used in clinical studies?

The answers to these questions help us determine how safe or effective a supplement might be.

Certifications

Unfortunately, supplements are not a well-regulated industry. As scary as it sounds, literally anybody can put a supplement up on the shelves for you to buy—and theU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) probably won’t even take notice of it unless a problem arises and it ends up on their radar.

At some point––though it is not required before it is sold on the market—dietary supplements have to receive a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification.

However, the FDA only investigates products once they are on the market—so, theoretically, a supplement company could fly under the radar for a while before they get caught.

This is why we always look for third-party certifications on every single product we review and recommend.

Third-party certifications can help clear up any concerns or questions consumers may have about the following:

  • Identity. This ensures the product contains exactly what it claims and is accurately labeled.
  • Strength. Verifies how potent the product is, ensuring the product contains the correct amount of each ingredient and is accurately labeled so the consumer takes the right amount.
  • Purity. Verifies how “pure” the contents are and that they do not contain harmful chemicals, heavy metals, or ingredients not approved for those competing professionally.

Since the FDA requires it, the most common third-party certification is GMP, which can be acquired from multiple certifying bodies, though most commonly through the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation).

A supplement company can also get its products certified with the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia), guaranteeing accurate identification, purity, potency, and performance. 

Dietary supplement companies can also get certifications for being USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, certified gluten-free, and certified vegan. 

Transparency

When conducting our selection process, it’s not enough to just look at a bottle or product page online and make an assessment of that supplement.

When doing these deeper dives, we like to see how easy or difficult a company makes it to find more information about their business and their products.

This is what we call “transparency.”

The harder it is to find information, the less transparent we consider that company, which throws up a red flag for us as reviewers.

When a company makes it easy to find that information, they generally have all their ducks in a row, making them a more trustworthy option than others on the market.

Ingredients

Supplements don’t solely contain the vitamins or nutrients on the label—they also include ingredients for the capsule, anti-caking or flow agents, and filler compounds to stabilize or bind everything together without gumming up. 

While a laundry list of “other ingredients” on a supplement label may raise red flags, these compounds aren’t always bad—in fact, some of them are even beneficial to help you digest the compounds or can improve taste and aroma. 

That said, there are also many potentially harmful ingredients found in common supplements that we do not want to see, including:

  • Titanium dioxide
  • Artificial colors or flavors 
  • Hydrogenated oils
  • Artificial preservatives
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Shellac

Our Testing Methods

Duration & Frequency

As these vitamin C supplements were only in capsule form, we followed the same testing protocol for each, taking one serving daily in the morning for at least three days in a row.

Taste Test

The taste test for supplement capsules is pretty straightforward. Some supplements can have a pretty awful aftertaste, though, so we did take note of that. 

Usability and Accessibility

For some consumers, certain product characteristics are just as important as the efficacy of the supplement itself.

Aspects like whether or not the bottle is difficult to open, label legibility, and child-proofing can significantly impact a consumer’s ability to use and enjoy a product.

Plus, large capsules or pill sizes can be challenging for some people to take, so any supplements rivaling horse pills were noted. 

Why Trust Our Reviews?

Even after reading through our testing methodology, you might still be left wondering why you should trust our product reviews.

The Nutrition Insider prides itself on being a neutral third party that only reviews products we believe in.

Our team consists of doctors, registered dietitians, and food experts (such as yours truly) who are dedicated to providing you with the best science-backed takes on the latest food and nutrition trends and health products.

Beyond just providing you with research-driven product reviews, our goal is to educate and inform you––our health-conscious audience––of the best practices across the health and wellness spaces, including dieting principles, supplement buying guides, trends, and new developments in the industry, etc.

Our content dives deeper than surface-level branding and marketing claims, providing you with value-added “industry insider” information.
For more information about how The Nutrition Insider conducts its reviews and other aspects of our business, please feel free to read our Editorial Policy.

Top 5 Vitamin C Supplements: Reviews & Recommendations

Now, the content you’ve been scrolling for––the reviews!

Hi Health Ultra Plan Vitamin C 1000mg

Hi Health Ultra Plan Vitamin C 1000mg [Most Economical]

First up, we have Hi-Health Vitamin C 1000mg. I have selected this vitamin C product as an “entry-level” choice.

By that, I mean that this is for those who aren’t quite sure they’re ready to invest in supplements but still want quality for an economical price.

Hi-Health Vitamin C 1000mg uses high-quality ingredients in combination with bioflavonoids that enhance absorption and provide additional antioxidant benefits.

You get 100 servings for a solid $12.99 a bottle, making this an economical choice for the health-conscious on a budget.

Overall Rating: A+

I gave Hi-Health Vitamin C 1000mg an A+ for its quality ingredients, formulation and dosing, and cost-effective pricing.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

One of the biggest reasons why this Hi-Health product earned an A+ from me is thanks to its use of rose hips in its formulation. Rosehips are one of nature’s best sources of vitamin C and also contain polyphenols and carotenoids. These compounds have antioxidant properties that may have some beneficial effects, such as reducing inflammation and strengthening the immune system.

Price vs. Serving Size

One bottle of Hi-Health Vitamin C 1000mg contains 100 servings (1 capsule = 1 serving). Currently, it is sold for $12.99, making the price per serving around $0.12 for each capsule.

Dosing

Each capsule contains 1,000mg of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which is well above the recommended dietary intake (between 40 to 120mg depending on your sex and age). This dose has been used in many clinical studies of vitamin C, with some resulting in positive effects. However, there is no scientific consensus on what constitutes a therapeutic dose of vitamin C. 

If you are sensitive to acidic foods and easily get heartburn, take this relatively high dose supplement with a meal. Regardless of whether you have a sensitive stomach, do not take more than the recommended dose indicated on the bottle, as doses greater than 2,000mg can cause digestive issues.

Certifications

Hi-Health Vitamin C 1000mg is GMP certified, indicating they have undergone the necessary inspections of the manufacturing facility and testing of the product to confirm its potency as required by the FDA. They are also certified gluten-free. However, I wish they would have gone the extra mile to use a vegan capsule for a vegan certification.

Transparency

It was relatively easy to find all the ingredients, certifications, and nutrition information on the supplement bottle and the product page.

The Product Experience

The product experience for Hi-Health Vitamin C was pretty unremarkable, which is a very good thing as far as this sensitive-stomached reviewer is concerned. Some supplements can cause digestive upset, be difficult to swallow, or have an unpleasant smell or aftertaste, but this capsule produced zero of these issues. I must say, I also appreciate that each serving is just one capsule. Not having to take two huge pills at a time or remember to take another capsule later in the day is a big plus. 

  • Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Efficient serving size (single capsule)
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Cons
  • Could use a vegan capsule
Ancient Nutrients Vitamin C + Probiotics

Ancient Nutrition Vitamin C +Probiotics [Best For Immune Support]

One of the health benefits of vitamin C is its ability to support the immune system by fighting off free radicals and energizing immune cells, making them stronger and quicker to react to infections.

This is why our team of experts at The Nutrition Insider supports evidence-based recommendations to increase the intake of vitamin C, either through diet or supplementation.

Ancient Nutrition is one such company in our group of Trusted Brands that offers vitamin C supplements, but they take it a step further.

As science continues to research how the gut interacts with the rest of our bodies, it’s become increasingly evident that good gut health equates to good overall health, especially for the immune system.

This is why Ancient Nutrition’s Vitamin C +Probiotics supplement includes 2 billion CFU of an SBO (soil-based organism) probiotic strain called Bacillus subtilis.

This strain of probiotics helps support better nutrient absorption and a healthy gut microbiome, which may also help us fight off infectious diseases and infections.

This is one of the main reasons why I gave this supplement an overall A- rating

How did I decide on this grade? I’ll go over everything from ingredients to price, certifications, and more.

Overall Rating: A-

I gave Ancient Nutrition Vitamin C +Probiotics an overall A- rating. Its high grade is thanks to its stellar formulation, but its pricing and a few ingredient choices knocked it down from an A+.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

The primary reason I selected this product and gave it such a good rating is thanks to its formulation, which includes probiotics and uses Lipid Metabolite Ascorbate for the vitamin C. Per this study, Lipid Metabolite Ascorbate is “more rapidly absorbed and leads to higher serum vitamin C levels and greater reduction of plasma levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers than other forms of vitamin C.” With the addition of probiotics, this supplement could potentially give your immune system a major health boost.

Where it loses a point or two is in its “other” ingredients, including organic acacia gum, hypromellose, and organic Copernica cerifera wax (also known as carnauba wax). These ingredients are completely safe to consume and, I assume, are used primarily in the capsule. However, I question the sourcing of their carnauba wax. 

This ingredient primarily comes from the palm fronds of carnauba trees in Brazil and was confirmed by Ancient Nutrition that theirs does as well. The reason this matters is because Brazil is the home of the Amazon rainforest, one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world that also plays a role in climate stabilization. 

However, it is also under extreme stress from deforestation and agricultural expansion. I would have liked to see a more sustainably sourced ingredient here, especially since Ancient Nutrition makes a major point of being a sustainable business and heavily supports sustainability initiatives.

Price vs. Serving Size

There’s no denying that quality can come at a steep price. For better or worse, the Ancient Nutrition Vitamin C +Probiotics supplement is a high-quality product that also demands a higher price tag. One bottle of 30 servings will cost you about $21, which comes out to about $0.71 per serving. 

This is quite a bit more than the more economical choices in this list, which is one of the reasons why I took the grade down to an A. However, consider this: you aren’t just getting vitamin C, you’re also getting a dose of probiotics at 2 billion CFU. If you’re already taking probiotics or are interested in trying them, this might make the supplement price tag worth your while.

Dosing

The dosing for this supplement is pretty standard at 900mg of vitamin C per serving. This is well above the recommended dietary intake and a similar dosage to those used in clinical trials. Unlike some of the other products in this list, you do have to take two capsules instead of just one, but, again, you are also getting probiotics with this supplement. 

Make sure to follow the suggested serving size on the bottle and do not take more than recommended. Doses of 2,000mg of vitamin C or above can lead to digestive issues.

Certifications

Ancient Nutrition goes above and beyond with their certifications. They also make this information easy to find on their website, inching them up a notch in our grading scale.

Their impressive list of certifications includes: 

To explain the asterisk (*) on their GMP certification, I noticed the GMP label is not used on their website or supplement bottle. This could be because they work with manufacturers and don’t create their supplements in-house.

Transparency

I am extremely impressed not only by the quality of Ancient Nutrition’s Vitamin C +Probiotics but also by their entire line of supplement products. The information about their vitamin C supplement is complete and factual, their exhaustive list of certifications was easy to find, and their support line was helpful in answering my questions in a timely manner.

While they do list their carbon-neutral certification on the bottle, I wish they displayed a few more, such as their CCOF or USDA organic certification. I also think they could explain where they manufacture their products somewhere on the website since it’s not done in-house, which may explain why the GMP certification isn’t shown on the bottle either.

The Product Experience

The experience of trying this supplement was not too eventful. I did not notice any remarkable effects after taking the capsules, but that’s actually a good thing and to be expected. There was no aftertaste or strange smells, and the capsules were easy to swallow. The black packaging also looks very sleek, and the text on the bottle is easy to read and open.

  • Pros
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Includes probiotics for immune support
  • Impressive list of certifications
  • Sustainable
  • Cons
  • Expensive
  • As a B-corp, I expected better from the ingredient sourcing
Vitamin C-1000 Complex, Buffered Tablets

NOW Buffered C-1000 Complex, Buffered Tablets with Immune System Support [Best Overall]

This next product is also one of The Nutrition Insider’s Trusted Brands. After speaking with their VP of Sales and Marketing last year at Expo West, we got a solid understanding of their track record in the supplement industry and were thoroughly impressed by what they have achieved.

After giving their Vitamin C-1000 Buffered Tablets a try and doing some due diligence, I gave it an A+ for the formulation, competitive pricing, and certification transparency. 

Overall Rating: A+

The NOW Vitamin C-1000 Complex Buffered Tablets with Immune System Support earned an overall A rating. This is thanks mostly to its economical price point and excellent formulation, making it the perfect choice for those of our readers who want to be health-conscious without breaking the bank.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

This vitamin C supplement has a bit of a different formulation than its competitors on this list. It derives its vitamin C from calcium ascorbate, which also provides an additional 8% boost in your daily serving of calcium. They also include 250mg of a Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex that could potentially boost the absorption of vitamin C, further contributing to this product’s antioxidant potential.

It also includes 50mg of Acerola powder, which is another great source of vitamin C, phytonutrients, and carotenoids. Lastly, it contains 50mg of Rutin powder, which may help boost blood circulation, prevent blood clots, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce arthritis pain by suppressing inflammation in the body.

This product is also buffered––which comes from the addition of a mineral salt (such as calcium)––meaning it is more resistant to pH changes, making it a better formulation for those with sensitive stomachs. High doses of vitamin C (>2,000mg) can cause stomach upset, so a buffered formulation like this is ideal.

Per the information on the bottle, this vitamin C product is made and quality-tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. It is also soy, egg, nut, and dairy-free. While their products are made without gluten, they are not certified gluten-free, so that’s something to note for celiacs. For those with extremely sensitive allergies, you should know that this product is not manufactured with any of the legally recognized allergens (wheat, gluten, soy, egg, sesame, etc.), but it is produced in a GMP facility that processes ingredients containing these allergens.

Price vs. Serving Size

The current price for this product is $17.99 for 90 tablets, which equals 90 servings of 1,000mg of vitamin C. This comes out to about $0.20 per serving. This is higher than our economical option, but you’re not paying more for nothing. Their formulation and quality of production and testing make this an excellent option for seasoned supplementers looking for a vitamin C workhorse that doesn’t break the bank.

Dosing

At 1,000mg, the dosing for this product is pretty standard compared to others on the market. The primary difference here is that this formulation is buffered, reducing the chances of digestive upset that you might experience with high doses of vitamin C.

The recommended intake of vitamin C is around 40 to 120mg, depending on your sex and age. The dose used in this product is similar to those used in clinical studies of vitamin C, which resulted in positive effects. However, there is no scientific consensus on what constitutes a therapeutic dose of vitamin C, only that the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is about 2,000mg and above.

Certifications

NOW is pulling no punches when it comes to its certifications. After nearly half a century in business, it’s no surprise that they’ve been able to acquire and maintain them. They’ve clearly got the system down, demonstrating their continued commitment to producing pure, high-quality products.

Their certifications include:

  • Kosher
  • Non-GMO
  • GMP certification from Intertek
  • Certified Vegan

Transparency

When digging into their website, I was honestly (very) pleasantly surprised to find they have a whole page of information dedicated to their sustainability efforts. They explain how they sustainably source ingredients from USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO farms and cultivations and fair trade certified suppliers. They also use environmentally friendly packaging such as PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic.

They also make charitable donations to a long list of organizations, from local/US-based groups to global disaster relief and conservation groups.

Their supplement bottles are also very detailed in their certifications (I hardly had to go digging for them, which I appreciate as a consumer) and explain where and how their products are made. This should be the bare minimum standard for all supplement products.

The Product Experience

Now for a couple of things I didn’t like. One, this pill is huge and honestly a bit uncomfortable to swallow whole. To play devil’s advocate to myself, I can see how this is an improvement over swallowing two or three smaller pills or taking multiple servings throughout the day. Instead, this is a one-and-done deal.

Two, the packaging might pose an accessibility problem for those with reduced finger nimbleness. As someone with family members who have arthritis, I can imagine them having some difficulty with the pull tab on the bottle and flipping the lid open each time. Again, on the flip side, some people have a hard time unscrewing caps, so this point might be moot. Maybe it’s just time to redesign the pill bottle entirely?

As with the other capsule supplements in this list, the taste, smell, and experience of taking this vitamin C were excellently unremarkable. A+. 

  • Pros
  • Formulation
  • Transparency
  • Pricing
  • Cons
  • Capsule is a bit big
  • Bottle could be hard to open for some
HYDRATION MULTIPLIER® +IMMUNE SUPPORT

Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier+ Immune Support Drink Mix [Most Enjoyable]

I like to say that the Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier+ Immune Support literally had me drinking the vitamin C kool-aid.

Not only does it taste great, but it delivers a multitude of health and immune benefits that can’t be found in many other products on the market.

Liquid IV has been consistently impressing us since we discovered them at Expo West 2022 as a hydration and recovery drink brand. 

Now, with the addition of their Immune Support variation, we just had to add them to this list.

However, because they are not a true vitamin C supplement, there were some things I had to mark them down for, including non-sugar sweeteners and a reduced dosage. 

Additionally, their customer support was also non-responsive in regards to my inquiries about their consumer sustainability report, which raised some flags about their transparency.

With that being said, the taste and convenience make this a fun way to enhance your daily vitamin C supplementation, earning them a solid B+.

Overall Rating: B+

I gave the Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier+ Immune Support a B+ for its convenient product design as a drink mix, great taste, and powerful vitamin formulation. Points were docked for a few runaway ingredient choices, the steep pricing per serving, and the reduced dosage (compared to true vitamin C supplements). 

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

Each serving of this drink mix contains 45 calories, almost all of which come from added sugars. 

As an electrolyte drink, there is also a good amount of sodium in this drink mix. This is to be expected since our bodies need these compounds to rehydrate and balance our electrolytes. 

However, the ingredients list is packed with sugars (pure cane sugar and dextrose) and non-caloric sweeteners (stevia leaf extract). Real could spike your blood sugar and, if consumed frequently, increase the risk of diseases like diabetes and obesity. The WHO just published new guidelines on non-sugar sweeteners cautioning against their use as a weight control substance. 

With that said, this mix also contains potassium, a range of B Vitamins, and zinc, the last of which is also essential for immune function. Liquid IV also uses a trademarked Cellular Transport Technology (CTT®) delivery system which supposedly helps enhance the absorption of water and other nutrients.

While this doesn’t necessarily compare to your traditional vitamin C and immune support supplements, it’s certainly a whole lot better than drink mixes like Crystal Lite and Mio, which provide zero nutritional value. 

Price vs. Serving Size

For $24.99, you get two resealable packs of 14 packets, equating to 28 total servings. This comes out to $0.89 per serving. With only about 504mg of vitamin C per serving, you’re not going to be relying on this product as an economical way to boost your intake of the vitamin.

With that being said, this product does contain a laundry list of other vitamins and minerals, so you are getting additional benefits from those, too––not just vitamin C. This could make it worth your while.

After consuming quite a few of these, I found that you could mix just half the amount into the same amount of water it recommends in the directions, and the taste remains very good. So, if you want to make these packets last you a bit longer, you could give this a try.

Dosing

Each packet of the Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier+ Immune Support contains 540mg of vitamin C. This is well above the recommended dietary intake of vitamin C, which is between 40 to 120mg. While other vitamin C supplements come in at around 1,000mg, this doesn’t make the drink mix less effective at vitamin C supplementation.

Certifications

Liquid IV is certified non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. Beyond that, it’s a bit difficult to find any other certifications. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, though, since they aren’t purely a supplement company.

Transparency

I noticed nothing out of the ordinary when it came to this product’s nutrition facts or ingredients. They make no over-the-top claims about the product’s effectiveness either, which I appreciate. Their website even has a page explaining the science behind the Liquid IV product.

As for their impact, they contribute to global campaigns for improved water security, water access, and hydration aid. They are also committed to more responsible operations as a business. 

In October 2022, they published their first-ever consumer-facing sustainability report. However, they don’t make it easy to find and when I asked their customer support to send it to me, I got no response, even after several tries reaching out to them. To me, this sort of defeats the purpose of it being a consumer-facing report.

The Product Experience

Although I’m being a bit harsh on Liquid IV as a vitamin C supplement, I actually extremely enjoyed this product. Their packaging is visually appealing and easy to open, and the little individual packets are convenient to bring to work or on a trip. 

I tried both their Wild Berry and Tangerine flavors and found the taste very pleasant. However, if you mix the entire packet into the recommended amount of water, I found it to be too sweet. 

As a result, I preferred to mix only half of the packet into 16oz of water at a time instead of the whole thing. That said, it mixes into water very easily and I never got a pocket of sour powder while sipping from my tumbler.

The only thing I would remark on is the sustainability aspect. While they do use sustainable packaging, I would love to have a tub or tin of the powder to scoop from to save on waste.

  • Pros
  • Very palatable
  • Convenient
  • Good dose of vitamin C and other nutrients
  • Cons
  • Added sugars
  • Non-sugar sweeteners
  • Could be more sustainable and transparent
Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C delivery

Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C delivery [Highest Quality]

Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C is one of the products on this list that came out of left field and pleasantly surprised me––in a good way! 

Before I began my research for this article, I had never heard of Cymbiotika, and it had yet to grace the web pages of The Nutrition Insider. 

What I had heard about was liposomal vitamin C, an advanced form of ascorbic acid that is encapsulated in liposomes, artificial spheres made of lipids (aka fat). This allows for improved oral delivery of vitamin C, which results in higher concentrations of vitamin C in the body.

Since vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin––meaning it is dissolved in water once it enters the body and excess amounts cannot be stored for later use––encasing it in a lipid could allow for vitamin C to be absorbed more effectively and stick around longer in our systems. This suggests that Cymbiotika’s supplement could be one of the best vitamin c supplement for absorption.

This is why I was excited to give Cymbiotika a try, seeing as there are very few companies selling a product like this, and there are no others I could find doing it in a gel form like this.

After reviewing the product and the brand, I can confidently give Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C an A+ rating. Here’s why.

Overall Rating: A+

Cymbiotika has produced a stellar vitamin C product. The formulation is unique and utilizes a delivery system that is novel but well-researched and evidenced to deliver vitamin C more effectively. There’s no BS here, which I love to see. On top of that, the company has a long list of certifications and unparalleled transparency.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

As mentioned previously, the Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C uses a liposomal delivery method to make this vitamin C supplement more effective. But that’s just the beginning of all the good stuff Cymbiotika has packed into this product. In each gel pack, you get vitamin C (from ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate), potassium, biotin, and phosphatidylcholine. If you’re like me and have never heard of phosphatidylcholine, you can look it up in the database housed on their website, which tells you more about the actives used in each product. 

The other ingredients you’ll find in the supplement are all-natural and organic, with absolutely no fillers in sight. Additionally, Cymbiotika states that they selectively source only the highest quality ingredients and that all raw materials they use undergo third-party testing.

Each pack totals 35 calories and delivers 1,000mg of vitamin C and 30mg of biotin (100% of your daily recommended intake).

Price vs. Serving Size

Okay, I’ve hyped up this product a lot, but I gotta be honest––I may have buried the lede a little. One box of Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C contains 30 packs (each pack is one serving), which will run you $62.00. So, if you do the math, that’s a little more than $2 a pop. That’s a heck of a lot more than most are willing to pay for a supplement, but if you want a high-quality product, this is what you get.

I assume the price tag is due to the unique formulation, the high-quality ingredients, and the fact that it’s all made in the USA. 

Dosing

Similar to other supplements in this list, Cymbiotika Liposomal Vitamin C delivers 1,000mg of vitamin C. This is well above the recommended dietary intake of 40 to 120mg daily. This dosage is often used in clinical studies with positive effects on the participants. You should limit your intake to 2,000mg per day (this is the Tolerable Upper Intake Level). Though there is no research indicating high doses like this are harmful, they can cause digestive problems.

Certifications

As I look for with all supplements, the GMP certification is front and center on the product page, indicating that Cymbiotika is directly involved in the manufacturing process. They also have a cruelty-free certification, which is something that I’ve not seen on other supplement websites. This product is also certified gluten-free, keto, soy-free, sugar-free, and vegan. 

I would have liked to see some organic certifications since they claim to use organic ingredients, but they appear to be a newer company, so maybe that’s in the works.

Transparency

In my research of this product, I noticed throughout the Cymbiotika website that they lean heavily into the science. They even have an advisory board of doctors of varying backgrounds. There isn’t much explanation of what they do, but I think we can assume they advise on the product formulation and information in their knowledge center.

Cymbiotika has an extensive FAQ section that will probably answer any questions you might have as a purchasing customer, but also about their products. 

In particular, I wanted to learn more about their sustainability. This is what they had to say: ”Sustainability is one of our core values, and we do our best to package our products with recyclable materials such as cardboard or glass whenever possible. We believe it is our collective responsibility to protect natural resources and to leave the Earth better than we found it. We are always working with our partners to improve our ecological footprint.”

It’s not as much information as I would have liked, but at least they’re doing the bare minimum. Hopefully, in the future, we see more effort from Cymbiotika in this aspect of their business, along with more philanthropic endeavors.

The Product Experience

First off, for $62, I definitely expect nice packaging and a good product experience. Thankfully, that’s pretty much what I got. 

The gel packs come in a nice cardboard box with a perforated opening that you can leave on or take off entirely. If left in the box, the packs can fit easily (and aesthetically) on your counter or cupboard. The packs themselves are of a nice quality, too, and open easily.

Now, I’m a texture person, so I was nervous about the gel aspect of it all. In reality, it wasn’t that bad––I would compare it to a liquidy orange jelly––but it wasn’t my cup of tea. On my second test of the product, I opted to try it mixed into some water, which was a major improvement and very enjoyable. The gel had zero unpleasant aftertaste, and I noticed no side effects. It was a 10/10 for me.

  • Pros
  • Unique supplement delivery system
  • Science-backed formulation
  • Great transparency & certifications
  • Tasty
  • Cons
  • Could do better on sustainability & philanthropy
  • Expensive

Key Takeaways

To be perfectly honest, I really don’t think you can go wrong with any of these vitamin C supplements. After all, this is why they’re on our best of the best list!

When deciding on which one to try from this list, don’t get too hung up on which one is the best. Just look for one that’s the best for you and your needs, whether that’s the more economical option or one that is just fun and easy to take.

Lastly, here at The Nutrition Insider, we’re all about giving you the most information possible so you can make the right decisions about your health and nutrition. 

So, before deciding which vitamin C supplements to get, we want to pull back the curtain a bit.

If you eat a balanced diet packed with foods like these, you are likely getting more than enough vitamin C to satisfy the recommended dietary intake. 

While clinical studies have shown some considerable benefits to taking a supplemental dose (200-2000mg) of vitamin C, in many cases, there was a non-insignificant percentage of participants who were low or even deficient in their plasma levels of vitamin C.

This could mean that the resulting effects of vitamin C supplementation were heightened since all participants did not start at a normal baseline. 

This does not at all mean that it’s worthless to take vitamin C supplements––both supplements and food-derived vitamin C are equal in bioavailability––but we don’t want to overstate their effectiveness in place of a balanced diet. 

Here is the gist: Obtaining your vitamin C from foods you eat is always considered more optimal, thanks to the associated health benefits that come from a balanced diet.
With all of that being said, increasing your intake of vitamin C has almost no negative side effects when taken at appropriate doses and may have therapeutic effects for some individuals.

FAQs

What is the best form of vitamin C to take?

The best form of vitamin C to take is the one that you will remember to take consistently. Whether that’s a capsule, gummy, or powder, all are basically equally effective. With that said, liposomal vitamin C has some of the best clinical evidence in raising plasma levels of vitamin C and helping the body keep it around longer, which could have some added benefits you won’t find with other supplements.

Is it better to take vitamin C in the morning or at night?

There is no perfect time to take vitamin C. Unlike some supplements, vitamin C doesn’t have an impact on energy levels or sleepiness. What matters is how much you take and the frequency. As vitamins go, vitamin C is a pretty safe supplement to take and rarely interacts or interferes with other medications, supplements, or foods when taken at the appropriate dosages; the same generally goes for vitamin-C-rich foods. The only contraindication is that it can cause nausea or indigestion if taken on an empty stomach since it is an acid; especially when the vitamin C content of a food (or supplement dose) is high.

So, the best time for taking vitamin C is whenever you will remember to take it––whether that’s the morning, afternoon, or evening––preferably with a meal.

What is the best mg of vitamin C to take daily?

Getting adequate levels of vitamin C (at least 40 to 120mg per day) can be a great first step to improving your overall health. You can get this through your diet or supplements. While it is rare to experience serious side effects from taking vitamin C, doses above 2,000mg per day are not recommended.

What is the purest form of vitamin C?

The purest form of vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid.



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