In this age of information overload... I understand vitamin C is good for you..

But what exactly should I take and how?..

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Hello, this is Gwak Cheol from Pharmacy Knowledge!

Today, let's navigate the vast sea of nutritional supplements with Gwak Cheol!

From now on, I, Gwak Cheol, am your captain.

By the time this column ends, I hope each of you has found the nutritional supplement you want from the sea.

Are you ready, crew?..!

<Everything You Need to Know About Selecting Vitamin C>

I, Gwak Cheol,,

made a quick stop at an island called Coopang for our crew

and analyzed dozens of vitamin C products..

As a result,..

I concluded that using these 5 criteria would be good for product evaluation.

Packaging: PTP + aluminum pouch
Raw materials: country of origin, naturally derived (corn) extract, NON-GMO
Dosage: daily nutrient reference value % (divided doses, split tablets, tablet/powder form))
Secondary ingredients, additives and excipients
Certification marks

✅ As mentioned above, vitamin C is ascorbic 'acid'.

This means it is susceptible to moisture, light, and heat,

making packaging to prevent oxidation extremely important.

Therefore, you should choose a product with dual packagingâPTP to block moisture from the air and aluminum packaging to block light

.

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✅ Most vitamin C (approximately 97%) is made up of a component called ascorbic acid,,

and it's important where and how this raw material is produced.

Specifically, from what corn this raw material is extracted, converted to glucose, then fermented and refinedâ

whether it comes from natural food sources (corn)),

or NON-GMO (genetically unmodified) corn If you check,

you can take these products with confidence.

The country of origin of vitamin C raw materials is mainly the United Kingdom and China ,

Check the country of origin, and also if the UK product (from DMS Corporation)) has a Quali-C mark,

it was awarded to products that passed strict quality standards, so this is also good to keep in mind.

✅ The daily nutrient reference value %varies by product from 100% to 3,000%%.

Vitamin C is water-soluble and is excreted through urine after a certain period of time,

For this reason, taking more than the reference value doesn't cause problems,,

and in another sense,it's also a vitamin that must be taken consistently.

The most ideal way to take it is to divide it into 2-3 doses per day,

but it can be a bit... or actually quite troublesome (it is for Gwak Cheol)..)

✔️ For readers like Gwak Cheol,

take the most commonly seen 1,000% (or higher) product once a day

✔️ For diligent readers,

take a product with a lower reference value % 2-3 times a day,

or split and take a 1,000% or higher product,

but you must be careful with storage and try not to let split pieces last past the same day

✅ Most nutritional supplements contain additives and excipients for stabilization purposes.

An appropriate amount of additives is fine, but it's best to avoid products with high amounts.

If you compare the amount of vitamin C per tablet with the total weight of one tablet,

you can see products with a large difference,and except for products processed for specific purposes,,

such as liposomal forms with increased absorption or neutral forms that can be taken on an empty stomach,

()

magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, and cellulose,

sweeteners, colorants, flavorings and other 'additives' are heavily included, so please check carefully.

📢For comprehensive functions such as zinc and vitamin D,

‘if a product contains 'secondary ingredients,' you should exclude the amount of that secondary ingredient from the total weight per tablet.

✅ Finally, you can find products with GMP marks or HACCP marks,

which are manufacturing facilities that comply with the 'Excellent Health Functional Food Manufacturing Standards' recognized by the MFDS,

‘or manufacturing facilities that have received 'Food Safety Management Certification,' respectively,

and can be seen as one indicator that you can take with confidence.

Crew members, it's been a long voyage... Have you chosen the vitamin C you wanted??

If so, then it's time to take it.

<Excess is not beneficial! Know the intake guidelines for vitamin C and take it appropriately.>

The recommended daily intake for adults is 100mg and the daily tolerable intake is 2g.

There's a 20-fold difference between the recommended intake and tolerable intakeâare you wondering why??

As mentioned earlier, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin

that does not accumulate in the body and is excreted after a certain period of time,

so as long as you don't exceed the tolerable amount, there shouldn't be major problems.

Taking 3g or more above the tolerable amount can cause loose stools and abdominal pain,,

and taking 4g or more can cause kidney stones and pain, so please avoid excessive intake.

If you know about scurvy in infants as a deficiency symptom, parents with children, pay attention!

The adequate intake for 6-11 month-old infants (considering breast milk and complementary foods) is 55mg,

The recommended intake for toddlers 1-2 years old is 40mg.

There's also simple information about vitamin C for pregnant readers!

Vitamin C is transported to the fetus through the placenta,

and typically vitamin C blood levels are higher in newborns than in pregnant women.

So you don't need to worry about vitamin C supply for our precious fetus.

For pregnant women, the recommended intake is adults + 10mg, and for nursing mothers, the recommended intake is +35mg.

There is a risk of miscarriage if vitamin C is deficient, so please take an appropriate amount.

<There are precautions to take when consuming vitamin C!>

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Vitamin C is an acidic substance, and taking it on an empty stomach can cause gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea, so,

you should take it with food or after meals.

Patients with hemochromatosis, sickle cell anemia, and severe thalassemia should be careful with intake,

because it promotes iron absorption in the small intestine,

and long-term intake can lead to iron overload.

Vitamin C has dependency,so,

if you stop after taking a lot, it can induce dependency and cause acute scurvy, so

if you are taking a lot, you should gradually reduce the dose.

✔️ Conclusion

Dual dual packaging (PTP + aluminum pouch))
Daily recommended intake 100mg, daily tolerable intake 2000mg
Avoid taking on an empty stomach
If you are taking excessive amounts, gradually reduce to avoid dependency

✔️ References

Preventive Pharmacy, 10th Edition, Korean Pharmacy Education Council, Preventive Pharmacy Division, Shinil Books

Photo source: alberttsong's blog