Also known as ascorbic acid, this water-soluble vitamin plays a multifaceted and vital role in maintaining human health, acting primarily as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells against damage caused by free radicals.

Its most well-known function is strengthening the immune system, where it boosts the production and performance of white blood cells to fight infections more efficiently. However, its importance extends much further: it is essential for the biosynthesis of collagen, a fundamental structural protein for tissue regeneration, skin health, wound healing, and maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, tendons, and ligaments. In addition, this vitamin optimizes the absorption of non-heme iron (from plant sources), preventing anemia, and actively participates in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and carnitine, which directly influences energy levels and brain function.

For most mammals, vitamin C is not strictly a "vitamin," but a metabolite they synthesize in the liver from glucose. However, humans (along with other primates and guinea pigs) suffered a genetic mutation millions of years ago that inactivated the gene responsible for producing the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO). This enzyme is the final link necessary to convert sugar into ascorbic acid; by lacking it, our "internal factory" is broken and we cannot produce even a single molecule on our own.

This deficiency is what defines its essential nature: we depend entirely on an external source to survive. Without dietary intake, processes that rely on it, such as the stabilization of collagen fibers, simply stop. This causes the body to literally start falling apart (blood vessels rupture, wounds do not close, and tissues weaken), a condition known historically as scurvy.

Therefore, vitamin C is a critical component that our metabolism requires to function, but which our biology has delegated entirely to what we choose to eat each day.

But beyond avoiding diseases, vitamin C is key for:

1. Red Bell Pepper: Provides about 190 mg (twice as much as an orange). Yellow bell pepper is also excellent.
2. Fresh Parsley: Contains 130 mg. Using it as a base for green juices is a key orthomolecular strategy.
3. Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts: Provide between 90 and 110 mg (provided they are consumed raw or very lightly steamed).
4. Kiwi: Contains approximately 90 mg.
5. Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit): Although they are the most famous, they provide between 50 and 60 mg.

From the perspective of Orthomolecular Nutrition, the concept of "sufficiency" is not simply based on avoiding a deficiency disease like scurvy, but on achieving the optimal concentration so that biochemical pathways function at their maximum capacity.

The official recommendations (RDA) of about 75-90 mg daily are designed so that a healthy person does not get sick, but they ignore our evolutionary reality.

Having lost the GULO enzyme, we orthomolecular nutritionists argue that our actual need is comparable to that of other mammals of our weight that do produce it (such as goats), which synthesize between 2,000 and 13,000 mg daily naturally. The traditional diet, even when rich in fruits, hardly exceeds 200 mg per day.

We live in a pro-oxidant environment that our ancestors did not know. Factors such as:

1. Environmental pollution and heavy metals.
2. Chronic stress (which rapidly depletes vitamin C reserves in the adrenal glands).
3. Consumption of drugs and processed foods.

These elements "sequester" the available vitamin C to neutralize free radicals, leaving very little amount for critical tasks such as high-quality collagen synthesis or advanced immune support.

Vitamin C is extremely thermolabile and photosensitive. From the time a food is harvested until it reaches your table, its nutritional content drops drastically due to transport, storage, and cooking processes.

A study from the University of California confirmed that heat and storage reduce ascorbate content in vegetables by up to 85%. Furthermore, glucose competes with vitamin C for the same transporters (GLUT); in modern diets high in carbohydrates, the absorption of dietary vitamin C is competitively inhibited, making supplementation necessary to ensure its entry into the cell.

The body uses active transporters (SVCT1 and SVCT2) to absorb vitamin C. In rhinitis or inflammatory processes, cellular demand skyrockets (especially in leukocytes). Strategic supplementation, especially in liposomal forms, allows for overcoming the intestinal absorption threshold and reaching plasma levels that diet, due to gastric volume and digestion, cannot provide.

Vitamin C plays a fundamental role in cardiovascular and immune health, as it reduces myocardial damage induced by smoking, contributes to improving atherosclerosis, and protects the immune system from oxidative stress caused by infections.

Due to this impact, smokers require an additional daily intake of 35 mg to compensate for oxidative wear. Additionally, this vitamin exerts a key protective function by preventing leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, a harmful process that is triggered both by the presence of cigarette smoke and oxidized LDL cholesterol.

The human body needs to maintain a dynamic balance between the production of free radicals and the antioxidants that neutralize them, as, under normal conditions, these radicals are even beneficial.

The problem arises when there is an excess that exceeds the body's antioxidant capacity, generating a state of oxidative stress that damages cells, tissues, and DNA, accelerating aging and fostering degenerative diseases. Therefore, the key to health does not lie in trying to eliminate free radicals completely, but in preserving that balance through the intake of antioxidants like Vitamin C.

As early as 1938, it was reported that the fetus “acts as a parasite on the mother’s vitamin C reserves” after it was observed that vitamin C concentrations in the umbilical cord plasma of newborns were 2 to 4 times higher than those of their mothers at the time of delivery.

A low maternal vitamin C level has been associated with pregnancy complications, such as a higher risk of preeclampsia, premature birth, and low birth weight, and as with folate, an inadequate level of vitamin C during gestation has been linked to various developmental conditions, including neural tube defects.

A Cochrane review on vitamin C and the common cold indicated that 2 g/day of vitamin C reduces the duration of colds by 9.4%.

Although the available evidence shows that vitamin C can positively affect colds, the optimal doses and the magnitude of the maximum benefit are unknown.

Vitamin C is fundamental in the management of rhinitis, both allergic and non-allergic, due to its unique ability to act as a natural antihistamine and a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Unlike traditional drugs that block histamine receptors, vitamin C works by directly reducing the amount of histamine the body produces and accelerating its breakdown.

In a study of 40 patients suffering from allergic rhinitis, the effect of vitamin C on clinical manifestations was investigated. Vitamin C and a placebo were administered orally for a year and a half, with plasma levels of ascorbic acid and their effect on the signs and symptoms of rhinitis being recorded.

The results showed that vitamin C administration improved symptoms of allergic rhinitis, such as sneezing, tearing, itching, and general malaise.

While we have mentioned that vitamin C supplementation is the effective way to ensure all the benefits we obtain from this nutrient, unfortunately, the clinical and commercial potential of vitamin C is limited by its instability. This is because vitamin C easily degrades when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen, forming biologically inactive products.

Degradation reduces shelf life and significantly lowers oral bioavailability, especially at high doses (>1000 mg/day), where absorption efficiency can drop to approximately 50%.

Liposomes are microscopic bubbles composed of a double layer of phospholipids, structurally identical to the membranes of our own cells. They act as intelligent "transport vehicles" that encapsulate nutrients such as vitamins or minerals in their core to protect them from acidic degradation in the stomach.

The main benefit of liposomal technology in supplementation is that it revolutionizes bioavailability: by mimicking cell structure, the body does not recognize the nutrient as a foreign body, allowing it to cross intestinal barriers with ease and fuse directly with cells.

This ensures significantly higher absorption, prevents nutrient waste, and reduces common digestive side effects associated with traditional supplements.

Unfortunately no; while strategies that ensure greater bioavailability, such as liposomes, are fundamental for preserving the biological activity of vitamin C during processing and storage, extending the product's shelf life and ensuring constant therapeutic efficacy, there is another key element: the stabilization of the nutrient protected within the liposome.

Liposomal encapsulation offers a promising strategy by trapping vitamin C within a phospholipid bilayer, protecting it from environmental stress and gastrointestinal degradation, while allowing for controlled release.

However, conventional liposomes present challenges, such as high polydispersity, limited long-term stability, and dependence on organic solvents, which raise safety and scalability concerns.

In the world of advanced supplementation, stability is the greatest challenge. Although liquid liposomes were the pioneers, Orthomolecular science has moved toward dry liposomes.

These use gum arabic (GA) as a stabilizing agent—a natural and biocompatible polysaccharide derived from the acacia tree—which has become established as a functional stabilizer and emulsifier thanks to its unique physicochemical properties. Composed mainly of arabinogalactan and small amounts of protein, GA can form nanospheres through nanomilling and stabilize liposomal structures through electrostatic interactions and viscoelastic behavior.

A study published in ACS Nutrition Science & Technology presents an innovative formulation of liposomal vitamin C stabilized with gum arabic using Metazome technology, achieving an encapsulation efficiency of 88.49% and improving thermal stability. This technology addresses the instability and limited absorption of conventional vitamin C, offering greater systemic bioavailability thanks to lipid protection.

- The instability of liquid liposomes:

Liposomes in liquid format are extremely delicate and "living" structures that face several problems:

• Oxidation and Degradation: Being in an aqueous medium, the phospholipids that form the bubble can oxidize rapidly, breaking the sphere and leaving the nutrient (vitamin C) exposed to oxygen, which nullifies its effect.
• Vesicle Fusion: Over time, the liquid microspheres tend to clump and fuse together, creating larger bubbles that the body does not absorb as easily (they lose their nanometric scale).

• Short Shelf Life: Once the bottle is opened, stability drops drastically due to exposure to air and temperature changes.

- The superiority of dry liposomes

Dry liposome technology uses processes such as lyophilization (freeze-drying) or spray-drying to remove water without damaging the liposome structure.

• "Resting State": By removing the water, the molecules are immobilized in a solid structure. This stops oxidation and chemical degradation processes, allowing the supplement to be stable at room temperature for years.
• Better Bioavailability Upon Ingestion: Once the powder reaches the digestive tract and rehydrates, the liposome regains its shape but arrives intact at the point of intestinal absorption without having suffered prior degradation in the bottle.
• Gum arabic is not just a filler; it acts as a protective "armor" for the liposome.

- Stabilizing Matrix: It wraps the individual liposomes, acting as a physical shield that prevents the microspheres from colliding and breaking during storage.

- Protection against Gastric Acid: Gum arabic is a natural prebiotic fiber that better withstands the passage through the stomach. This ensures that the liposome reaches the small intestine (where it is absorbed) with its vitamin C load intact.

The most outstanding aspect is that it uses Metazome®️ encapsulation technology, which is a dry liposome process. As we mentioned before, this powder format is superior to liquids because it keeps the liposome structure "frozen" and stable without the need for chemical preservatives, preventing it from oxidizing in the bottle.

• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): The core of the formula for antioxidant action.
• Sunflower Lecithin (Non-GMO): The source of the phospholipids necessary to form the liposomal bubble. Being from sunflower, it is free of soy allergens.

• Black Pepper (Piperine): This is an interesting addition; it is usually included to further improve bioavailability and nutrient absorption at the intestinal level.
• No Harmful Excipients: No artificial colors or flavors, complying with the "clean label" philosophy.

• Concentration: Offers 1,000 mg per serving, a dose with therapeutic potential for immune support and collagen synthesis.
• How to use: It is suggested to divide the dose into 3 capsules per day (one every 4 hours). This is biochemically ideal, as it keeps blood saturation levels constant throughout the day, rather than a single peak that the kidneys would quickly eliminate.
• Vegan Friendly: We use HPMC (vegetable cellulose) capsules, which makes it suitable for plant-based diets.

Łukawski, M., Dałek, P., Borowik, T., Foryś, A., Langner, M., Witkiewicz, W., & Przybyło, M. (2020). New oral liposomal vitamin C formulation: properties and bioavailability. Journal of liposome research, 30(3), 227–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/08982104.2019.1630642

Development of Liposomal Vitamin C Stabilized by Gum Arabic Nanospheres Using Metazome Technology: Characterization, In Vitro Release, and Oral Bioavailability of Vitamin C in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Single-Dose, Two-Period, Two-Way Crossover Study. Augustine Amalraj, Eldo K. Abraham, Ann Mariya Jogy, and Sreeraj Gopi

ACS Nutrition Science 2026 1 (1), 18-27

DOI: 10.1021/acsnutrsci.5c00002

Ghalibaf, M. H. E., Kianian, F., Beigoli, S., Behrouz, S., Marefati, N., Boskabady, M., & Boskabady, M. H. (2023). The effects of vitamin C on respiratory, allergic and immunological diseases: an experimental and clinical-based review. Inflammopharmacology, 31(2), 653–672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-023-01169-1

Hemilä, H., & Chalker, E. (2023). Vitamin C reduces the severity of common colds: a meta-analysis. BMC public health, 23(1), 2468. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17229-8

Coker, S. J., Smith-Díaz, C. C., Dyson, R. M., Vissers, M. C. M., & Berry, M. J. (2022). The Epigenetic Role of Vitamin C in Neurodevelopment. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(3), 1208. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031208