Natural vs Synthetic Vitamin C

WHOLE FOOD TRUE VITAMIN C CONSISTS OF:

Natural ascorbic acid – the outer antioxidant shell that protects the whole complex.
Vitamin K for coagulation / clotting
Vitamin J increases the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood
Vitamin P factors (bioflavonoids) for strengthening the vascular system making the vessels tougher and more durable
Enzymes – a major one is Tyrosinase, an organic copper, an adrenal activator

SYNTHETIC VITAMIN C/ASCORBIC ACID CONSIST OF:

Synthetic ascorbic acid only (synthetic antioxidant only)

Which one would you think belong in the body?

“To say that ascorbic acid is vitamin C is like looking at a wheel and saying that it is a car – it is only a small part of a car. It is the presence of all the synergistic factors which give a true vitamin C its potency.” Dr. Erik J. Rosseland, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic)

A CONTROVERSY?

At Natural Origins, our approach is pro-active, preventative, health supporting, health enhancement and health advancement.

We do not dismiss the supporting qualities that synthetic vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or other ascorbates may have under specifictemporary extreme or emergency circumstances, when the benefits of its action clearly outweigh the risks. There may be a time and place for the synthetic mediums to achieve therapeutic workings under critical and life threatening conditions in the short term, especially if one can bypass more hazardous pharmaceuticals. Ascorbic acid also varies tremendously in quality and it is vital to use a reputable source if one decides to proceed with usage.

Our standpoint, for average to good health individuals’ well-being enhancement, advancement and maintenance, is that in non critical long term usage there may be potential risk factors involved with the consumption of synthetic vitamin C over time and therefore we do not endorse synthetics for long term health progression.

COMMON SYNTHETIC VITAMIN C CONCERNS:

Ascorbic acid is a synthetic isolate, functioning as an anti-oxidant, equal to only 1/9th of the original food based state. The outer shell, the protector of all the other synergists in a food source vitamin C molecule, now acting alone, without the symbiosis of the other elements that are supposed to be present in order to confer vitamin activity in the body.
Chemically synthesised molecules manufactured in a laboratory/factory from fructose corn syrup, corn starch, often genetically modified corn sugar and sulphuric acid.
Ascorbic acid is an ACID. Acids are corrosive within the body. Large dosages are not tolerated well and can irritate the stomach and digestive lining, causing the body to flush in order to rid itself of the irritant.
Ascorbic acid kills pathogens and this is why many find ascorbic acid beneficial in the short term. The problem is that it is non- discriminative which means, it not only kills the bad bacteria, but it also kills the beneficial bacteria and natural probiotics in the body.
It may start depleting the body of the other vitamin co factors if it is taken consistently over a long period in order to replace nutrients missing from the false vitamin.
Found to be a calcium, copper, manganese and zinc antagonist.
It may deplete the body of vital nutrients like copper, affecting the production of Ceruloplasmin negatively. Ceruloplasmin is the major copper-carrying protein in the blood, and in addition plays a role in iron metabolism.
May block iron absorption, which may lead to anaemia.
Megadoses of isolated ascorbic acid may lead to imbalances and deficiencies in vitamin P (Bioflavonoids).
May influence kidney stone formation in people who are sensitive to oxalates. Ascorbic acid breaks down in the intestines into oxalates, oxalic acid. Oxalic acids bind with sodium and potassium which may lead to other health hazards. Oxalic acid is also a calcium antagonist. Calcium binds to the oxalic acid to neutralise this toxic acid and as a result the calcium is unavailable for its normal uses in the body.
Vitamin C is stored in the adrenals. As ascorbic acid is acidic, in large dosages and with long term usage, it has the potential to put strain on and burn out the adrenals.
Because most health conditions are due to acidity within the body, suppressing optimal cellular function, the acidic synthetic ascorbic acid in an acidic environment within the body may pose real risks towards the body with long term consumption. As per the famous Dr. Robert Morse: “One cannot treat acidity with acids”.

Microscopic image of Organic Acerola Freeze Dried powder mixed into a water solution – soft, fruit-like cell structures

Microscopic image of synthetic vitamin C crystals mixed into a water solution – hard, crystal structures

“Food source vitamin C is a recognisable physiochemical substance to the body. It contains many co-factors aiding in absorption. It may have smaller particle structure than the crystalline synthetics.

~FOOD FOR THOUGHT~

The difference is more than quantitative.

Even if one were to take 3.2 times as much of the so-called natural, non-food, ascorbic acid than food vitamin C, although the antioxidant effects might be similar in vitro, the ascorbic acid still will not contain DHAA, nor will it ever have negative oxidative reductive potential (ORP). An in vitro study performed at this researcher’s lab with a digital ORP meter demonstrated that a citrus food vitamin C has negative ORP, but that ascorbic acid had positive ORP.

It takes negative ORP to clean up oxidative damage, and since ascorbic acid has positive ORP (as well as positive redox potential), it can never replace food vitamin C no matter what the quantity! Furthermore, foods that are high in vitamin C tend to have high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC, another test that measures the ability of foods and other compounds to subdue oxygen free radicals). A US government study that compared the in vivo effects of a high vitamin C food (containing 80 mg of vitamin C) compared to about 15.6 times as much isolated ascorbic acid (1250 mg) found that the vitamin C-containing food produced the greatest increase in blood antioxidant levels (it is believed that bioflavonoids and other food factors are responsible).

Furthermore, it is even possible isolated ascorbic acid only has in vitro and no in vivo antioxidant effects: “it has not been possible to show conclusively that higher than anti-scorbic intake of {SYNTHETIC} vitamin C has antioxidant clinical benefit”. Why should people take supplemental synthetic ascorbic acid when it is NOT been proven to have antioxidant effects in humans?

“Cross sectional and longitudinal studies show that the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and cancer is inversely related to vitamin C intake…the protective effects seen in these studies are attributable to fruit and vegetable {FOOD} intake…In general, beneficial effects of supplemental {SYNTHETIC} vitamin C have been noted in small studies, while large well controlled studies have failed to show benefit”. The other quantitative is that in humans, “Plasma is completely saturated in doses of 400 mg and higher daily producing a steady-state plasma concentration of 80 mM…Tissues, however, saturate before plasma”. De-emphasizing vitamin C containing foods by attempting to consume higher quantities of isolated ascorbic acid simply will not have the effects on plasma vitamin C levels, ORP, ORAC, or other health aspects that many consumers of isolated ascorbic acid hope it will.

No matter how much isolated ascorbic acid one takes orally

It will never saturate plasma and/or tissue vitamin C levels significantly more than can be obtained by consuming sufficient vitamin C containing foods.
It will never have negative ORP, thus can never ‘clean-up’ oxidative damage like food vitamin C can.
It will never have the free radical fighting capacity of food vitamin C.
It will never contain DHAA (the other ‘half’ of vitamin C) or the promoting food factors.
It will never have the same effect on health issues, such as aging and cardiovascular disease as high vitamin C foods can.
It will not ever be utilized the way food vitamin C is.
It will always be a synthetic.”

The Truth About Vitamins in Nutritional Supplements – Robert Thiel, Ph.D., Naturopath

http://www.doctorsresearch.com/articles4.html (incl. reference sources)