Save to favorites
This feature is restricted to active members.
Join now to save favorites and get all member benefits, including over 1,400 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign in here.
Our Members Asked:
Is Ester-C the best form of vitamin C?
Answer:
Regular vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is acidic. This is not the reason why high-dose vitamin C sometimes causes diarrhea, but the acidity can cause stomach irritation in some people. If you want a less-acidic vitamin C, you can choose Ester-C (calcium ascorbate) or sodium ascorbate. With each, vitamin C is attached to (and is "buffered" by) calcium or sodium. If you are watching your sodium intake, Ester-C would be preferable. However, there is no evidence of a significant difference in the absorption of any of these forms of vitamin C.
More details about these forms, as well as our Top Picks for vitamin C supplements based on our tests and comparisons, are found in the Vitamin C Supplements Review. The review includes information about other forms of vitamin C, such as slow-release, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, "fully reduced," liposomal, and PureWay-C, which includes fatty acids.
Join today to unlock all member benefits including full access to all CL Answers and over 1,400 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign In Here.
Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/
7 Comments
Join the conversation
Submit your comment
This feature is restricted to active members.
Join now to add comments and get all member benefits, including over 1,400 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign in here.
Agree to Comment Terms
Please abide by the following:
- If you make a statement of fact, such as whether a type of treatment does or does not work, state your basis -- such as personal experience or a published study.
- If you make a positive or negative comment about a product, note whether or not you have a financial interest in the product or in a competing product.
- Please be respectful in your tone.
- Please do not submit any type of HTML markup or scripting as it will not be accepted, nor will posts that exceed 2,500 characters.
For your privacy, only your first name (from your account) followed by a random number will appear with your comment. Your last name and email address will not be displayed.
Your comment has been submitted
We will review your comment before it is posted.
Related CL Answers (4)
Join over 95,000 Members
Find the best products with instant access to our latest tests & reviews of over 1,400 health products.
Save money by finding high-quality products at lower cost.
Stay safe with the latest clinical findings, warnings, and expert answers.
Suggest products to test.
Stay informed with our e-newsletter.
Evangelina11272
May 07, 2021I have been taking the Ester-C (24-hour immune) because I have seasonal allergies. I'm not sure what it is but after I take it I get a reactive cough and throw up what appears to be the residual of the supplement. It's supposed to be stomach-friendly.
bonnie11273
September 28, 2022I recently started NOW buffered Calcium Ascorbate powder and it consistently causes me to have stomach acid in my throat. This is confusing because I thought it is supposed to be the least stomach-irritating.
ConsumerLab.com
September 30, 2022Although calcium ascorbate is a non-acidic form of vitamin C that may be less likely to cause symptoms of acid stomach, it can still cause such symptoms in some people. As noted in the "What to Look for When Buying Vitamin C" section of our Vitamin C Supplements Review ( https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/vitamin-c-supplement-review/vitaminc/#buying), another vitamin C option that might help reduce digestive problems is slow-release products. Keep in mind that there are a number of causes of acid reflux, so it is important to get evaluated by your doctor to ensure that the correct cause of your condition is identified.
Reply to this post…
Doyle11268
January 10, 2020I have read that Absorbic acid is a synthetic form of vitamin C and that the natural form is much better. Can you comment on this?
ConsumerLab.com
January 10, 2020Actually, acorbic acid is the natural vitamin and it can also be produced synthetically, as sold in many supplements.
Doyle11270
January 10, 2020Does the synthetic form go y another name? Also, how do you know if you are getting the synthetic or natural form?
ConsumerLab.com
February 11, 2020Hi Doyle - The product label should say that the vitamin C is "from" a named natural source, such as rose hips. If it is synthetic it should say vitamin C "as" a named synthetic source, such as ascorbic acid.
Reply to this post…