Vitamin C Gold

General Questions about Vitamin C

What is vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble micronutrient that is essential for many vital functions in the human body. While plants and most animals have the ability to synthesize their own vitamin C, humans do not have this ability and must consume vitamin C each day either in the diet or through supplementation. 

• As an antioxidant, vitamin C supports immune health and protects cells from free radicals. 
• Vitamin C also has the ability to extend the life of other key antioxidants, like vitamin E, by recycling or regenerating them. 
• The production of collagen in the body depends upon vitamin C. Given this, the health of connective tissue (skin, tendons, ligaments) requires vitamin C for normal functioning and structure. 
• Vitamin C also supports liver, heart, eye, and prenatal health. 

What are some risk factors for a vitamin C deficiency?

Consuming a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables each day may provide adequate amounts of vitamin C for some individuals. However, today’s over-reliance on refined and processed foods can provide a challenge to optimal vitamin C for others. It is important to note that vitamin C is not stored in the human body and must be consumed each day, either from the diet or through supplementation. Vitamin C requirements are sometimes increased during periods of psychological (e.g. anxiety) and physiological stress (e.g. infection, alcohol and drug use, injury, surgery, burns or fatigue). Other individuals that are at risk for a vitamin C deficiency include smokers and those with gastrointestinal disorders such as malabsorption syndromes, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Are there any food sources of vitamin C?

Vitamin C can be found in a wide variety of plant-based foods. Consuming at least five servings a day of fresh fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure an adequate intake of vitamin C. Fruits that contain substantial amounts of vitamin C include strawberries, kiwifruit, bell peppers, papaya, pineapple, lemons/limes, watermelon, and grapefruit.  The richest vegetable sources of vitamin C are broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, bok choy, collard greens, swiss chard, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and winter/summer squash.

What is the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C?

The 100% daily value (%DV) for vitamin C for individuals 18 years of age and older is 90 mg. This goes up to 120 mg per day during pregnancy/breastfeeding. As with any supplement, please talk to your healthcare provider prior to supplementation to ensure you are following the dosing schedule that is right for your particular health needs.

Is there an established upper toxicity limit for Vitamin C?

The Upper Tolerable Limit (UL), established by the Food and Nutrition Bard (FNB) of the Institute of Medicine, is considered to be the highest amount you can take of a nutrient without theoretical risk. The UL for vitamin C in adults is set at 2,000 milligrams per day. This UL has been established primarily in an effort to prevent gastrointestinal disturbances (e.g. diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps) which can occur from a high intake of vitamin C. In addition, excess Vitamin C (~ 2000 mg a day) may increase urine oxalate, a component of a common variety of kidney stone.

Can vitamin C supplements be taken with OTC or prescription medications?

Taking vitamin C supplements at the same time as some medications may result in decreased absorption and efficacy of the medication and/or the vitamin C supplement. If you are taking or planning to take an OTC or prescription medication, please consult a licensed pharmacist or your healthcare provider before beginning supplementation to minimize risk of side effects associated with potential supplement-drug interactions.

Still have questions?

• For general information about vitamin C, check out the resources below—
• Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Consumers — Office of Dietary Supplements
• Vitamin C — Linus Pauling Institute
• Vitamin C — Harvard School of Public Health
• Vitamin C in Disease Prevention and Cure: An Overview
• For specific guidance on the suitability of vitamin C to support your particular health goals, please talk to your healthcare provider.

Questions about Vitamin C Gold

What is the source of vitamin C in Vitamin C Gold?

Vitamin C Gold provides a gentle and nourishing form of  plant-based vitamin C from amla and other ingredients in the organic food blend. The full list of organic foods can be found under the ‘Organic Food Blend’ in the supplement facts panel (on the label) and on the product page on our website. Vitamin C Gold is not synthetic vitamin C fermented, grown or cultured in yeast or a blend of organic foods fortified with synthetic vitamin C and marketed as “whole-food” or “food-based” vitamin C.

How does Vitamin C Gold compare to other commercially-available vitamin C supplements?

Most vitamin C products on the market provide ascorbic acid, a lab-made compound that does not occur in its isolated form in nature and is distinct from the vitamin C that is naturally present in food. Ascorbic Acid is frequently used to describe vitamin C, but ascorbic acid is merely the shell of vitamin C. In nature, vitamin C actually contains numerous other biologically active compounds (e.g. bioflavonoids) and enzymes, in addition to ascorbic acid, that work synergistically to deliver health benefits.

Vitamin C Gold provides plant-based vitamin C from organic amla and other fruits and berries in the organic food blend.  The full list of organic foods can be found under the ‘Organic Food Blend’ in the supplement facts panel (on the label) and on the product page on our website. Vitamin C Gold is not synthetic vitamin C fermented, grown or cultured in yeast, or a blend of organic foods fortified with synthetic vitamin C and marketed as “whole-food” or “food-based” vitamin C. 

Due to its acidic nature, some people experience gastrointestinal problems when supplementing with ascorbic acid.  In an effort to make it less irritating to the digestive system, some brands offer buffered forms of ascorbic acid which is made by binding it to an alkaline mineral, such as calcium. Synthetic vitamin C, regardless of the delivery form, is not the same as vitamin C from living foods like amla, strawberries, kiwi, and papaya, among others. Generally speaking, plant-based forms of vitamin C do not cause digestive upset and therefore do not require any extra buffering agent.

I was told that it is okay to take vitamin C in high dosages. Can I take more than what is suggested on the label?

Because we are not a licensed healthcare provider, we regret we cannot make any recommendations with regard to taking a dosage higher than what is suggested on the product label. However, we can provide context for why we offer a 240 mg vitamin C supplement (instead of a higher dose vitamin C product) so you can make the purchasing decision that is right for you.

There is very little consensus on what the optimal daily amount of vitamin C is and the actual amount varies from about 250 mg to as much as 10 grams per day. Some of this variation may be explained by the reasons for supplementing with vitamin C. Vitamin C requirement is increased during periods of psychological (e.g. anxiety) and physiological stress (e.g. infection, alcohol and drug use, injury, surgery, burns or fatigue), so depending on the reasons for supplementation, recommended dosages can vary based on diet, lifestyle factors, and individual health goals.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for an adult ranges from 75 mg to 120 mg per day and this dosage is considered adequate for the prevention of vitamin C deficiency. However, if a higher dosage is warranted, there are a number of reasons why smaller doses of vitamin C taken throughout the day may be more effective than taking a single high dose of vitamin C —

• Blood levels of vitamin C take about 2 to 3 hours to reach their peak, after which point levels start to decrease as unabsorbed vitamin C is eliminated in the urine and through perspiration;
• Higher doses of vitamin C don't necessarily provide additional benefits beyond what are achieved at smaller doses (~ 250 mg);
• Taken orally, the larger the dose, the less is absorbed. For example, 80% of a 250 mg vitamin C supplement will be absorbed, whereas only 50% of a 2000 mg supplement will be absorbed (the rest is excreted through urination or perspiration)
• Excess vitamin C (~ 2000 mg a day) increases urine oxalate, a component of a common variety of kidney stone, by 22%, and men who take 1000 mg or more of vitamin C have up to a 40% higher risk of stone formation.

Given this, we believe the optimal dosing for vitamin C may be to take a small daily dose (~250 mg) to minimize deficiency risk and increase the frequency of dosing (~ 250 mg every 3 to 4 hours up to 4 times a day) during times of psychological and/or physiological stress to support the body’s increased need for vitamin C. As a matter of principle and in the interest of your health and safety, we encourage you to consult your healthcare provider prior to supplementation to determine what use, if any, is best to support your particular health goals.

How does NutriGold ensure the purity of the ingredients used in its Vitamin C Gold products?

At NutriGold, we go above and beyond what is recommended or required under current GMPs to independently verify that the raw materials used in our products as well as the finished products themselves meet industry-defining quality and purity standards. Depending on the complexity of the testing involved, including determining what needs to be tested, what methods are fit-for-purpose, and which lab is most qualified to perform the testing, we sometimes have results from as many as 4 or 5 different independent, ISO-certified labs for each product. We take these results from third-party labs and summarize them in lot-specific Certificates of Analysis that are  freely available in the spirit of authentic transparency on the product pages on our website so consumers can make informed purchasing decisions.

What assurance can you provide that the amount of  vitamin C listed on the label is actually in the product?

All of our products are verified by independent third-party labs to meet identity, purity, and potency label claims. We take these results from third-party labs and summarize them in lot-specific Certificates of Analysis (C of A) that are  freely available in the spirit of authentic transparency on the product pages on our website so consumers can make informed purchasing decisions. The C of A provides assurance that the claims made on the label accurately reflect the contents of the product inside the bottle. If interested, more information on our our commitment to independent, third party quality testing can be found at this link - https://nutrigold.com/pages/accountability  

What is the best time of day to take Vitamin C Gold? Should it be taken with food?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that can generally be taken anytime, even on an empty stomach. However, as a matter of principle and in the interest of your health and safety, we encourage you to consult your healthcare provider prior to supplementation to determine what use, if any, is best for your individual needs.

What is a pullulan capsule? What is it made of?

Pullulan is a vegetable-derived, water-soluble polysaccharide produced through a natural fermentation process. Pullulan capsules are considered more natural than HPMC (cellulose) capsules because they are naturally derived from fermented tapioca. Unlike cellulose capsules, which are considered semi-synthetic and not permitted in certified organic products, pullulan is included in the USDA’s National Organic Program list of accepted ingredients for organic products. 

Can I break apart the capsule and add the contents to liquid/food to consume?

All of our products are formulated to be taken as capsules and our purity and potency claims are based on the product being taken as recommended. We generally do not recommend breaking apart the capsules because it can introduce contaminants or otherwise compromise product potency and effectiveness.

Is Vitamin C Gold suitable for children (under 18 years of age)?

Vitamin C Gold is formulated for individuals over 18 years. Because children are considered a vulnerable population, we regret we cannot make any recommendations regarding the use of our products by or for children under the age of 18. We ask that you talk to your pediatrician or family practitioner about whether or not Vitamin C Gold is suitable and safe for your child’s particular healthcare needs prior to supplementation.

Questions about capsule shell

What is in the capsules used by NutriGold to encapsulate its products?

Depending on the formulation, NutriGold products are encapsulated using cellulose, pullulan, organic pullulan, or soft gel capsules. Information regarding the composition of the capsule shell is provided in the “Informed Purchasing Decision Checklist” and is accurate to the best of our knowledge based on information available in the public domain as well as supply-chain documentation provided by the capsule and soft gel manufacturers/vendors.

Are any processing aids used in the production of the empty vegetarian capsule?

Yes. Minor amounts (~ 3%) of processing aids are used in the production of the empty vegetarian (cellulose) capsule shell. The processing aids used in the manufacturing of the capsule shell have been identified as proprietary by the capsule manufacturer and protected by intellectual property and confidentiality agreements between the capsule manufacturer/vendor and NutriGold. As such, we are legally bound to maintain this information strictly confidential and regret that we cannot provide this information to consumers. We can, however, assure you that the processing aids are non-toxic, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), compliant with both the United States Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia, and do not pose an allergen risk.  

Are the processing aids used in the production of the empty capsule shells present in the finished product?

Processing aids that are used in the production of the capsule shell may be present in the finished empty capsule shell. We regret we cannot provide precise information on the type of processing aid(s) or the approximate residual amount of the processing aid(s) in the finished capsule shell because it would require us to divulge information proprietary to the capsule manufacturer. We can, however, assure you that the processing aids used in the production of the empty capsule shell are non-toxic, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), compliant with both the United States Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia, and do not pose an allergen risk.

I am concerned about a possible allergy to the processing aid(s) used in the production of the capsule shells. How can I find out what processing aids are used so I can determine whether the product is safe for me to take?

Although we make every effort to provide as much information as we can about the ingredients in our products to help consumers make educated purchasing decisions, there may be times when we cannot provide the requested information or clarification because it is proprietary to the manufacturer, as in the case of the processing aids. Disclosing protected information to unauthorized individuals, within and outside our organization, is not just unethical, but also unlawful. If you are concerned about a potential allergy to the processing aid(s) that may have been used in the production of the capsule shell, we encourage you to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider prior to making a purchasing decision. 

Why does NutriGold® sometimes use soft gelatin capsules to encapsulate its products?

At NutriGold®, we are committed to offering sustainable products using non-GMO, organic, and/or vegan ingredients, and this includes the capsule shell we use to encapsulate those ingredients. In fact, many of our products are certified vegan by Vegan Action®, helping provide unbiased assurance that the product (and the ingredients it contains) comply with both dietary and ethical vegan standards. However, there are some ingredients (e.g. fish oil, ubiquinol, astaxanthin) that are more sensitive to oxygen and can, consequently, oxidize or degrade. For ingredients like these, bovine gelatin soft gelatin capsule shells offer better protection and help ensure finished product integrity until the end of the shelf-life of the product. That being said, we are hopeful that growing consumer awareness of and demand for vegan options will continue to drive innovation in dietary supplement delivery systems and we are committed to replacing the gelatin soft gels in our products with a clean-label, vegan capsule shell that offers the same protection from the elements as the gelatin capsule when such an option becomes available.

Questions about the ‘Best By’ date and ‘Consume by’ recommendation

What does the “Best by” date printed on the bottom of the bottle mean?

The “Best By” date printed on the bottle is the date until which a product will meet label claims as long as the product is sealed or, once opened, stored and handled as recommended on the product label.

Is the product safe to take after the “Best by” date printed on the bottle?

As long as the product is stored and handled under conditions that will not cause it to become contaminated, the product should be safe to take past the “Best By” date printed on the bottom of the bottle. However, we do not guarantee that the product will meet stated label claims past the “Best By” date printed on the bottle.

Why does the product I purchased have a recommendation on the label to consume the product within a certain number of days after opening the bottle?

The “consume by” recommendation is included on products that are formulated using ingredients that are sensitive to environmental factors (e.g. heat, light, humidity). Although exposure to these environmental factors does not adversely impact or compromise product safety, it can degrade the potency of these eco-sensitive ingredients and, consequently, make the product less effective. So, to ensure that you get the most out of products that are made using eco-sensitive ingredients, please consume the product within the timeframe recommended on the label.

What is the difference between the “Best by” date and the “Consume by” recommendation on your products?

The “Best By” date printed on the bottle is the date until which a product will meet label claims as long as the product is sealed or, once opened, stored and handled as recommended on the product label.

The “Consume by” recommendation is included only on products that are formulated using ingredients that are sensitive to environmental factors (e.g. heat, light, humidity). Although exposure to these environmental factors does not adversely impact or compromise product safety, it can degrade the potency of these eco-sensitive ingredients and, consequently, make the product less effective. So, to ensure that you get the most out of products that are made using eco-sensitive ingredients, it is important to consume the product within the timeframe recommended on the label.

If the product I purchased contains ingredients that can degrade once the bottle is opened, how can I be confident that I am still getting the declared amounts of the nutrients on the label?

To ensure that our products provide the nutrients in the amounts declared on the label, we intentionally include higher amounts of eco-sensitive ingredients than what is declared on the label to compensate for degradation that may occur once the bottle is opened. The amount of an ingredient that is added above what is declared on the label is referred to as an intentional “overage” and it is added for the precise purpose of compensating for possible potency degradation during routine product storage and handling. That being said, we would like to assure you that we take great care to ensure that the amount of the overage does not exceed established tolerable upper limits and there is no risk of toxicity when the product is taken as directed.

Because there are practical and regulatory considerations on how much of an overage we can include in our different formulations, the most effective option we have available to ensure that consumers get the most out of our products is to provide the “consume by” guidance on products that contain eco-sensitive ingredients. You can be confident that you are getting the declared amounts of the nutrients as long as you store and consume the product within the recommended time frame.

Why do you recommend consuming the product within a certain number of days after opening the bottle even though the “Best by” date is months (or years) away?

NutriGold products are made with natural ingredients and without chemical preservatives. While the vast majority of ingredients we use in our products are stable and remain potent even after the product is opened, there are some ingredients that are particularly sensitive to environmental factors and must be handled with care from source to shelf, and beyond.

If the product you purchased includes a recommendation to finish the product within a prescribed time, it is important that you follow this guidance (unless it conflicts with instructions from your healthcare provider), so you can enjoy the health benefits that can only be realized when the product is taken consistently as recommended.

Will the product still provide benefits past the “consume by” recommendation on the bottle?

If the product you purchased includes a recommendation to finish the product within a prescribed time, it is important that you follow this guidance so you can enjoy the health benefits that can only be realized when the product is taken consistently as recommended. Although not consuming the product within the recommended time frame once the bottle is opened will not cause the product to “spoil” or become “unsafe,” the potency of some of the more eco-sensitive ingredients may start to degrade and this can diminish the product’s potential to support your health goals.

What is the best way to store NutriGold products?

NutriGold products are made with natural ingredients and without the use of any chemical stabilizers or preservatives. So, the best way to store them is in their original container away from direct sunlight and humidity. It is not recommended to empty the capsules or soft gels from their original container and store them in pill boxes or plastic bags because it could not only cause some of the more eco-sensitive ingredients to lose potency, but may also increase the risk of cross-contamination with other products or environmental pathogens.

Follow these simple guidelines to get the most out of NutriGold supplements —