Vitamin C is involved in numerous redox reactions as an antioxidant and cofactor, thus influencing numerous processes in the human body, such as energy metabolism and the immune system, and providing antioxidative protection to cells. It is also involved in the formation of collagen, the structural protein found in skin, cartilage, bones and blood vessels, as well as in the synthesis of hormones.
High concentrations of vitamin C are found naturally in fresh fruits, vegetables and berries such as camu camu, sea buckthorn berry, acerola cherry, rosehip, black currant, kale, parsley, kiwis and citrus fruits, among others.
Liposomal Vitamin C
Liposomal delivery systems have been shown to significantly increase vitamin C bioavailability compared to conventional vitamin C preparations. In fact, liposomes can considerably improve the absorption of many bioactives through the gut and into cells.
With liposomal delivery, the active ingredient is encapsulated in liposomes: small fat globules which, by enclosing the compound, protect it from stomach acid while transporting it through the intestinal wall and into the blood as well as through cell membranes to deliver the compound directly into cells.
Liposomes are highly bioavailable to the body, regardless of the compound they harbour inside. For this reason, packaging bioactives with low bioavailability into liposomes is an effective means of increasing the body's ability to absorb those compounds. In some cases, liposomes can increase bioavailability by up to 10-fold, as they can simply bypass the body's complicated absorption mechanisms and transport routes.
Liposomes, like human cell membranes, consist of a lipid bilayer. This allows them to channel their contents directly into cells without needing to use the usual membrane transport proteins. The one disadvantage of liposomal products is their relatively short shelf life compared to food supplements in powder or capsule form. Without a stabiliser, liposomes tend to clump together and lose their special characteristics; in Vitamin C Liposomal, we use a natural sea buckthorn extract to stabilise our formulation.
The role of vitamin C in the body remains an active area of research. Almost every year, new mechanisms of action are discovered for this fascinating vitamin. The following statements regarding vitamin C are provided by the EU:
Health Benefits of Vitamin C
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Vitamin C contributes to:
- The reduction of tiredness and fatigue
- Normal mental function
- The regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E
- Normal energy metabolism
- Normal immune system function
- The normal function of the nervous system
- Protecting cells against oxidative stress
- Normal collagen formation for normal blood vessel function
- Normal collagen formation for normal bone function
- Normal collagen formation for normal cartilage function
- Normal collagen formation for normal dental function
- Normal collagen formation for normal gum function
- Normal collagen formation for normal skin function
- Increasing iron absorption
- Maintaining normal immune system function both during and after intense physical activity