Vitamin C

Vitamin C absorption drops below 50% above a gram a day. See what blocks it, why your kidneys clear the surplus, and where liposomal delivery fits.

What depletes vitamin C? Smoking, alcohol, illness, surgery and some medications all drain it faster than food replaces it. Here's what research shows.

Is it good to take vitamin C before bed? For most healthy adults, yes. See why dose matters more than the clock, plus two overlooked bedtime risks.

Do you pee out excess vitamin C? Yes, once your blood is close to full. How much your kidneys keep, what they flush, and what bright yellow pee really means.

Can too much vitamin C cause joint pain? Rarely. See the two medical exceptions, why too little vitamin C is the better-documented problem, and what to check.

Can too much vitamin C cause heart problems? For most adults, the big trials say no. See the 4 groups who need caution and what liposomal forms change.

Vitamin C forms compared: the best one depends on your dose. What the evidence shows for ascorbic acid, buffered, Ester-C and liposomal, and who paid for it.

Is banana rich in vitamin C? Not by label rules: a medium banana has about 10mg, 11% of the Daily Value. What bananas are rich in, and better vitamin C picks. 

What is the best time to take vitamin C tablets? No hour has been shown to beat another. Dose size, food, iron and colds matter more. Here's the evidence.

What is Ester-C vitamin used for? The same jobs as any vitamin C. Its real edge is a gentler stomach, not better absorption. See what the research shows.

Is Ester-C better than regular vitamin C? Gentler on sensitive stomachs, yes. Better absorbed, only inconsistently. What the trials show, and who paid for them.

Does hot water destroy vitamin C in lemon? Not on contact. Heat speeds a slow loss, but dose is the real limit: about four lemons to meet a man's daily need.