Vitamin C 500mg by Thorne

If you want a steady, maintenance dose of vitamin C 500 mg for everyday immunity and skin integrity, this fits. It’s useful if your diet is light on fruits and vegetables, during heavy training, or when healing from minor musculoskeletal injuries where collagen repair matters. It also pairs well with iron if your Ferritin (your iron storage marker) is low, because vitamin C improves non‑heme iron absorption. If you’re aiming to prevent colds entirely, the evidence isn’t strong; regular vitamin C more often shortens cold duration modestly rather than blocking infections.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water‑soluble antioxidant that regenerates vitamin E and tames free radicals that damage cells. It’s also a required cofactor for enzymes that build collagen, the structural protein in skin, joints, and blood vessels. Immune cells concentrate vitamin C to improve their response, which is why regular use can trim a typical cold by about a day. The added citrus bioflavonoids (plant compounds like hesperidin and rutin) travel with vitamin C in nature and complement its antioxidant activity; some data suggest they may aid absorption and reduce capillary fragility, though their added benefit is modest at this dose.

Take one capsule daily with food, as Thorne suggests. If you have a sensitive stomach, split the dose morning and evening or take with a meal to reduce acidity. This is a maintenance dose; higher intakes are sometimes used short term, but they commonly cause loose stools above 1,000–2,000 mg per day. If you’re repleting iron, take vitamin C with your iron supplement and recheck Ferritin within 8 to 12 weeks to confirm progress.

If you have a history of calcium‑oxalate kidney stones, avoid high vitamin C intakes, as very large doses can raise urinary oxalate. People with iron overload conditions (like hereditary hemochromatosis) should not pair vitamin C with iron. High oral doses can skew finger‑stick glucose readings; confirm with a lab glucose if numbers look odd. If you’re in active chemotherapy where your oncologist advises avoiding antioxidants, defer extra vitamin C until treatment plans are clear.