The Most Effective Vitamin C Supplements In 2023 – A Buyer’s Guide
Discover the best vitamin C supplements that are worth buying and which ones to watch out for.
Vitamin C is a key vitamin, and consuming adequate daily amounts of it is critical for good health. However, it can be hard to consume the recommended daily dose of vitamin C through diet alone. This is why most people rely on high-quality supplements to ensure they are consuming enough of this important antioxidant.
Below we will outline what you should look for when choosing your vitamin C supplement, what you should avoid, and which are the top 5 best vitamin C supplements according to experts.
Why should I choose a natural vitamin C supplement instead of a synthetic one?
Almost every vitamin C product on the market contains synthetic vitamin C instead of natural sources of it (we checked over 200 products). The reason why is simple: it costs more to create a natural supplement. Brands use synthetic vitamin C to keep their costs low and their profits high. While synthetic vitamin C can have some benefits, we believe you're also much better off ingesting natural products where possible, which in the case of vitamin C comes from extracts of fruit.
One of the only benefits of choosing a synthetic vitamin C supplement instead of one made with natural ingredients is that they tend to be less expensive. However, like most products, you get what you pay for. This is especially true when it comes to nutritional supplements and we don't think it's worth it for something you're going to ingest.
What should I avoid?
Products with synthetic vitamin C
While synthetic vitamin C does provide benefits, it is not always as effective as natural vitamin C because certain synthetic forms are not as easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Moreover, natural sources of vitamin C also other minerals that synthetic forms do not, which makes it a much more favourable option.
Low potency products
When choosing a quality Vitamin C supplement, it’s important to choose a potent formula. Make sure that the supplement you choose contains adequate dosages for the ingredients in their product. Many brands pack their formulas with a great lineup of ingredients, but they don’t put the recommended dosage. Thus, if your supplement is not potent enough, you will likely not see the results you are hoping to see.
Beware of online reviews (especially on Amazon)
Before purchasing any product, one of the first things we do when researching it is check its online reviews. Unfortunately, these are not always a trustworthy way to measure the quality and effectiveness of a product. Companies often pay for reviews on popular online retailers, like Amazon, to try and trick their way to a five-star rating. While you should definitely consult these reviews before purchasing, do your own research as well.
How we evaluated the top 5
With its many health benefits, it’s easy to see why vitamin C is one of the most popular nutritional supplements that consumers add to their diets, and there are a lot of choices to choose from on the market. While it’s great to have many options to consider, it can also be difficult to narrow down which vitamin C supplements will deliver the best results. So, we made it easy for you.
We researched the top-rated vitamin C supplements on the internet to find the best ones available on the market and evaluated them based on product quality, customer service, and pricing.
Here are our top 5 vitamin C supplement picks for 2023.
1. Natural Vitamin C Complex
Total Ranking
830 votes
9.7/10
A+
Overall GradePROS
- Potent doses of each ingredient in their formula
- Contains 5 ingredients providing natural vitamin C, including: Rosehip, Acerola, Blackcurrant, Guava and Pomegranate
- No artificial colourants
- Money-back guarantee.
- Recommended by healthcare professionals.
- Made in the UK.
CONS
- Only Available Online
- Express delivery is only available in the UK and European countries.
The Bottom Line
Coming in our number 1 spot is Hey Nutrition’s Natural Vitamin C, a well researched and natural vitamin C supplement. Using only natural ingredients, their supplement provides a potent daily dose of vitamin C. This product contains several excellent sources of natural vitamin C, including Rosehip, Acerola, Blackcurrant, Guava and Pomegranate. They also pack 60 capsules into each bottle, meaning each bottle lasts 2 months where-as many other premium brands only give you a 1 month supply. This makes Hey Nutrition's product better value for money.
Moreover, Hey Nutrition’s product also provides 25mg of bioflavonoids per capsule. As we mentioned previously, highly effective and quality vitamin C supplements should have bioflavinoids in their formula. Bioflavinoids are rich in antioxidants and they have a complimentary effect when combined with vitamin C, providing even greater health benefits.
Hey Nutrition offers a 60-day money back guarantee on all purchases and reviews consistently praise their great customer service, so this really is a no-brainer and entirely risk-free to try! Moreover, out of all the other products we have reviewed, Hey Nutrition has the most 5* reviews on Trustpilot, a trusted source for reviews.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn About Our Top Pick2. Vitamin C with Acerola Cherry Extract
Total Ranking
312 votes
8.6/10
B
Overall GradePROS
- Contains Acerola Cherry extract
- Non-GMO and Vegan friendly
- Gluten-free
CONS
- Vitamin C is derived from l-ascorbic acid instead of a natural source
- No money back guarantee available
The Bottom Line
Naturelo’s Vitamin C supplement is one of Amazon’s most popular vitamin C products. Their supplement is reasonably priced, and it contains Acerola Cherry extract, which is one of the most potent natural sources of vitamin C available. It also contains bioflavonoids, which are an important criteria to look for when choosing a good vitamin C product.
While Naturelo’s supplement is a great product, it only has one source of natural vitamin C in its formula. The rest of the product is composed of l-ascorbic acid, a common form of synthetic vitamin C that is often included in supplements because it is cost effective.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More3. Vitamin C
Total Ranking
269 votes
8.5/10
B
Overall GradePROS
- Potent dose of Vitamin C
- Includes bioflavonoids
- Vegan and vegetarian friendly
CONS
- Vitamin C is derived from ascorbic acid instead of a natural source
- No money back guarantee available
The Bottom Line
Nature’s Aid’s Vitamin C supplement is a very reasonably priced vitamin C product that provides a potent dose of Vitamin C in each serving. Their product also contains a concentrated dose of bioflavonoids, which provides additional health benefits. Their supplement is suitable for vegans and vegetarians and it is also free of artificial colours and preservatives.
Unfortunately though, there is only one source of vitamin C in Nature’s Aid’s supplement: ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is the most popular ingredient in most vitamin C supplements because it is cheap to use and widely available, but it is a synthetic form. Therefore, it does not provide any additional benefits that a natural vitamin C provides.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More4. Vitamin C Tablets
Total Ranking
301 votes
8.4/10
B-
Overall GradePROS
- Potent dose of Vitamin C
- Includes bioflavonoids
- Vegetarian and vegan friendly
- Made in Europe
CONS
- Vitamin C is derived from l-ascorbic acid instead of a natural source
- Contains colourant
- No money back guarantee available
The Bottom Line
N2’s Vitamin C supplement is a concentrated formula that is made with a synthetic form of vitamin C, l-ascorbic acid. It also provides bioflavonoids, which are rich in antioxidants. Their product is non-GMO and it is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
However, we were disappointed to see that N2 (full name N2 Natural Nutrition) did not include even one source of natural vitamin C. Given that they pride themselves on delivering “natural” nutrition through health supplements, we were surprised that their vitamin C was made using l-ascorbic acid and contains colourants.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More5. Gentle Vitamin C
Total Ranking
207 votes
7.9/10
C
Overall GradePROS
- Vegan-friendly, GMO-free, no synthetic fillers and binders
CONS
- Only contains 50mg of 5-HTP
- Does not contain any GABA stimulating ingredients
- No money-back guarantee
- Does not include any additional ingredients
The Bottom Line
Healthspan is a well-known supplements brand, and it is particularly renowned in the UK. They create good health products at wallet friendly prices, and their vitamin C product is no different. Their Gentle Vitamin C supplement provides a concentrated dose of vitamin C and claims to be gentle on the stomach, as the name suggests. When taken in large doses, synthetic vitamin C can cause unpleasant digestive symptoms, like cramps, diarrhea, and more. This formula supposedly helps to avoid these unpleasant symptoms.
However, their product does not include any natural ingredients, which is likely why their supplement is reasonably priced. It also does not contain any bioflavonoids, which is an important component to look for in a quality vitamin C product.
*Results are based on the HeyLiving Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn MoreFinal Thoughts
The Bottom Line
When choosing a great vitamin C supplement, it is essential to choose a product that is made with high-quality ingredients, providing natural sources of vitamin C, that are delivered in potent doses.
After searching the internet to find the best sleep products and evaluating them based on their customer service, ingredients and pricing, we believe Hey Nutrition Natural Vitamin C Complex is the best on the market.
HeyNutrition provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
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CITATIONS
1. https://europepmc.org/article/med/9630738
2. https://academic.oup.com/cdn/article/5/Supplement_2/372/6293013?login=true
3. https://akjournals.com/view/journals/036/99/2/article-p133.xml
4. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0037290
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229917302601.
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22476977/
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* The information contained within this site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have, expect to have, or suspect you may have any medical condition, you are urged to consult with a healthcare provider. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or the European Food Safety Authority. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or medical conditions. Results are based on the opinion of the author and their own rankings and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Trademarks used on our website belong to their respective owners and no implied or expressed endorsement of our website or services is intended. Rankings can be affected by the relationship or ownership interest we have in various products featured.
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