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Esterified Vitamin C: Why It’s the Best Choice
Not all Vitamin C is created equal.
This might sound simplistic, but the form of the compound really matters.
Pure Vitamin C, known as ascorbic acid, is essential for humans and must be obtained through diet. However, it's not the ideal choice for supplementation for several reasons.
First, as an organic acid, it can be harsh on the stomach. High doses can quickly lead to stomach pain, which is something everyone wants to avoid.
Second, the body doesn't efficiently absorb ascorbic acid in high doses. For instance, at a dose of 1000mg, only 60% is absorbed, making high dosages less effective.
Some supplements use so-called sustained-release Vitamin C to tackle absorption issues. This means a mechanical barrier is used so that the Vitamin C in the capsule or tablet is gradually released into the body. However, these barriers are often not well tolerated by the body and aren't always recommended.
Esterified Vitamin C doesn’t have these drawbacks. It doesn't need to be embedded in a matrix to ensure slow release and doesn't cause absorption issues. Chemically, an ester is a bond between an acid and a phenol or alcohol. Studies have shown that the esterified form of Vitamin C is better absorbed by the body because it resembles natural compounds found within us. This means a higher Vitamin C level can be achieved faster, without causing stomach discomfort.
Quercetin, Rutin, and OPC – Vitamin C's Allies
Vitamin C supplements often include Quercetin and Rutin. These are flavonoids—plant compounds with various roles in plants but act as antioxidants in the human body.
The combination of Vitamin C with these two flavonoids is common in nature, and it's no coincidence. Quercetin and Rutin help regenerate Vitamin C after it has been used up as an antioxidant, allowing the Vitamin C you consume to work more efficiently.
Additionally, plant antioxidants like OPC (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins) are also popular in combination with Vitamin C because they enhance its antioxidant properties.
All these ingredients can be found in the supplement “NN Ester C plus” by Nikolaus Nature!
Dr. Reinhard Pichler – www.reinhardpichler.at
1) Gruenwald, J. et al.; Safety and tolerance of ester-C compared with regular ascorbic acid, Advances in Therapy, 2006
2) Gröber, U.; Orthomolekulare Medizin: Ein Leitfaden für Apotheker und Ärzte, 3. Auflage. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 2008.
3) Faya, Michael J. et al.; Stimulatory action of calcium L-threonate on ascorbic acid uptake by a human T-lymphoma cell line, Life Sciences, 1991
4) Heimer, K. A. et al.; Examining the evidence for the use of vitamin C in the prophylaxis and treatment of the common cold, Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 2009
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NN Ester C plus
We learn this as children: Vitamin C is good for us and important for staying healthy, especially during the winter. In fact, in addition to its function for the immune system, vitamin C is very important for the body's energy levels and performance all year round. NN Ester C plus combines a variety of different forms of vitamin C for maximum absorption capacity.
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