Vitamin C
Best Product
| The SC Quality Benchmark for Vitamin C Products Individual Vitamin C products should provide a minimum of 200mg Vitamin C to justify their existence, as this level is over and above the levels found in good quality multivitamins and minerals. Supplements that provide 500mg or more Vitamin C at their recommended dosages are likely to deliver the expected benefits of increased Vitamin C intake, and hence this is the SC benchmark for Vitamin C products. |
Vitamin C supplements are the most popular single vitamin product type in the U.K and are often taken in addition to a general multivitamin and mineral supplement. The reason for this is that although the RDA is 60mg, many nutritionists believe this to be the absolute minimum amount required, and realistically intake levels of 200-800mg per day more accurately reflect the amount delivered by a high quality diet. (The daily consumption of five portions of fruit and vegetables as advised by the government would typically provide between 200-500mg of Vitamin C).
Quality
The products reviewed here vary in their recommended daily dose between 60mg and 1000mg. This is a very wide range. The five products that only provide 60-100mg will deliver the benefits associated with the minimum level of Vitamin C intake, but most multivitamins provide this level and it is assumed that the consumer buying a Vitamin C supplement is looking for more than this. These products also represent the worst value for money (see below).
The other products typically provide 500-1000mg and tend to be presented either as chewable tablets or effervescent tablets to be made up with water. Both are pleasant and easy methods of taking Vitamin C, and all of these products are likely to deliver the benefits associated with increased Vitamin C intake. As such, there is very little to choose between the products; indeed the effervescent tablet products are all virtually identical, except for flavouring. Therefore, as many products in this category achieve the SC Quality Benchmark it is justifiable to look closely at the value of each product in making your decision.
Value
As mentioned above, the products that only deliver 60-100mg Vitamin C per recommended dose represent the worst value for money, whilst the higher potency products, which are mainly presented as chewable or effervescent tablets, offer much better value for money. The overall value range for Vitamin C products reviewed here is between £0.04 - £0.27 per 1000mg Vitamin C.
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