Buffered Vitamin C by Integrative Therapeutics

If plain vitamin C upsets your stomach, buffered vitamin C delivers the same 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid in a gentler mineral form. It’s a practical pick if your fruit-and-vegetable intake is low, you smoke or vape (vitamin C turns over faster), or your Vitamin C, Plasma is low-normal. Endurance athletes and frequent flyers often use daily vitamin C for immune resilience. It also pairs well with non-heme iron when Ferritin is low, because vitamin C improves iron absorption.

Vitamin C is a required cofactor for collagen building enzymes, which is why it helps maintain skin, gums, and connective tissue. It also regenerates vitamin E in membranes and supports white blood cells during infection. The buffering minerals (calcium and magnesium carbonates) reduce acidity in the capsule, so you get the antioxidant and tissue repair benefits with a lower chance of heartburn or loose stools. Daily use can modestly shorten cold duration; it doesn’t reliably prevent colds in the general population.

Take one capsule daily, ideally with food if you’re sensitive. Absorption of vitamin C saturates at higher single doses, so if you need more than 1,000 mg, split the total into two or three doses. Combine your dose with iron if you’re repleting non-heme iron, and recheck Ferritin after several weeks. Plasma vitamin C typically improves within 1 to 2 weeks, and gastrointestinal tolerance is usually better with this buffered form.

Skip high-dose vitamin C if you have a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones, significant kidney disease, or iron overload (such as hemochromatosis). Coordinate with your oncology team if you’re on chemotherapy or radiation. High intakes can increase aluminum absorption from antacids; avoid taking them together. Large doses can skew some tests (fingerstick glucose, fecal occult blood), so tell your clinician before labs. If using iron, this is a good companion, but monitor levels.