Vitamin C

Good day,

I would like to ask for your opinion on dietary supplements: vitamins and minerals. I feel that I am unable to monitor their daily intake above 100% through diet alone. Do you think it is a good idea to supplement some basic vitamins and minerals? For example, Vitamin C, B12, iodine (in the form of aronia), Omega-3, and magnesium?

Thank you :)

If your diet displays the fundamental characteristics of diversity, you prefer natural, meaning unprocessed foods, and simultaneously do not experiment with reduction diets with a significant energy deficit, you should not have a problem ensuring the basic intake of micronutrients. Generally, with increasing stress and physical load, the need for a higher intake of these substances also increases; in such situations, supportive supplementation makes sense.

Hello,

I would like to ask for your opinion on an excerpt from a text by Dr. Jan Pláteník:

Dietary supplementation with antioxidants is clearly beneficial only in the case of a previous deficiency; otherwise, it is either ineffective or even harmful. A recent, exceptionally extensive meta-analysis of overall mortality in 68 studies on the administration of antioxidant dietary supplements (232,606 participants, 385 publications) concluded that carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E significantly increase mortality, while vitamin C and selenium have no effect.

I'm confused by this - I take supplements and the mortality rates alarmed me (I don't think I suffer from a deficiency).

Thank you.

This opinion, supported by the cited study, is relatively strong evidence that the consumption of isolated forms of antioxidants does not have a significant positive impact on our health. The reason for this is their isolation, which results in a pro-oxidative effect that leads to increased production of free radicals. Therefore, it is advisable to prefer blends in dietary supplements, always of natural origin (extracts, etc.).

Good day, Mr. Jelínek,

I would like to ask your opinion on the issue of vitamin C and its various forms and dosage sizes. Is it better for the body to supplement three times a day with smaller amounts (3×50mg), or is it sufficient to take 500mg once a day from a time-release tablet? Additionally, I am curious about your views on the production of ascorbic acid from corn as the main source of this artificial vitamin production process. Could there be any negative implications from the fact that most cultivated corn is not GMO-free and is heavily burdened with pesticides?

Thank you for your response.

For water-soluble substances, it is generally more beneficial to consume them in smaller doses and repeatedly. Any excess currently consumed is excreted by the body, and higher concentrations are usually only advantageous within a therapeutic approach. A sustained-release system makes sense; I certainly wouldn't dismiss such supplements. The synthetic production of vitamins is debatable on many levels—from the origin of the raw materials used to the potential for the produced substance to be "reasonably" metabolized in the body. However, because the cost of synthetically produced substances is many times lower than their isolation or standardization from natural sources, finding alternatives is very challenging. The use of a synthetic substance in combination with extracts from selected plants appears advantageous, where the binding of the vitamin to phytochemicals significantly increases the bioavailability of the entire mixture.

Hello,
May I know your opinion on vitamin C supplementation through infusion?
Thank you in advance.

This methodology falls within the therapeutic sphere, and its suitability is always determined by a physician. In recent years, intravenous administration of vitamin C has been experimented with in the treatment of certain diseases, such as immune system disorders or malignant diseases. In such cases, this treatment may be justified because it is not possible to provide the body with such high concentrations of vitamin C through other means.

Good day, Mr. Jelínek.
I am interested in your opinion on the liposomal form of vitamin C. Does it truly ensure the most effective oral absorption of this vitamin?
Thank you for your response.

Liposome is a very small sphere composed of two layers of phospholipids (produced from lecithin), inside which is an active substance (vitamin, mineral, etc.). In this form, the supplement passes through the stomach unaffected by its aggressive environment and is absorbed in the small intestine. Liposomal technology therefore allows for a significantly higher level of absorption of the substance and its transport into cells, making it highly effective in this regard.

Liposomes boast a high degree of usability and the advantages and disadvantages derived from it. Given the high level of bioavailability of active substances bound to liposomal technology, a certain degree of caution in dosing is reasonable, as there is theoretically a risk of overdose with improper handling. This means one should adhere to the dosage recommended by the manufacturer, without unnecessarily exceeding it (more does not necessarily mean better).

Hello,
I have noticed that the bread sold in chains contains vitamin C in its composition. I am curious about the reason for this and whether this, in my view, issue pertains to bread in general.
Thank you in advance for your response.

During industrial bread production, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is indeed used for several reasons:

1. The first reason is its ability to accelerate the maturation process of flour.
After grinding grains into flour, enzymatic reactions that break down starches into sugars start, and this process takes some time. Thanks to vitamin C, the flour can be used for dough production sooner.

2. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, which helps extend the shelf life of stored flour.

3. Upon contact with oxygen (during dough kneading), vitamin C gets oxidized. The substances produced in this way have the ability to strengthen the dough's structure and prevent over-proofing - if the dough over-proofs, the structure of the wall weakens and gas bubbles produced during fermentation leak out during rising. As a result, the volume of the bread would significantly decrease (it would not be as fluffy, which is a factor for which most people buy bread).

It is a matter of debate whether this is a downside, because vitamin C decomposes during baking (its decomposition point is around 170°C), so in the consumed bread, essentially no ascorbic acid remains (for this reason, bread manufacturers do not even need to list the content of this substance on the product label).

Good day, Mr. Jelínek,

I have a question regarding the dosage of vitamin C. I came across a powdered vitamin C Camu Camu - 100% organic powder, with a dosage recommendation of 5g/day (one teaspoon). However, this amount is much higher than what you mention (80mg/day or possibly 200mg/day). I noticed such a high dosage being recommended by another Camu Camu manufacturer as well, so I'm unsure of what to think.

Thank you.

The cited 80 mg is the recommended daily allowance (= reference intake value) for the average adult individual in the Czech Republic, whereas 200 mg is the commonly stated amount ingested on an ad-hoc basis, which according to some research, the body can absorb without unnecessary excretion (as a water-soluble substance). However, this does not mean these doses are optimal; for each substance, there is a wide range of recommended intakes, and vitamin C is a prime example of this "extreme" (its therapeutic dose is indicated to start from 1000 mg per day).

Hello,

The article states that the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for all or most vitamins is determined based on scientific research. Some time ago, I read a book about vitamin C, where it was stated, and very reasonably substantiated with facts, that the commonly cited RDA for vitamin C in our regions - 60-120 mg - is insufficient. It is allegedly supposed to be several times higher, and that's only for a healthy individual. In cases of illness, stress, or poor diet, it should be even more. This is supposedly also scientifically proven. So why do RDA values still insist on 60-120 mg?

Thank you.

The rules for establishing RDA (RI) also aim to set a level of a given substance where there is the highest probability that it will not have a negative impact on various population groups. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the realistic possibility of achieving such an amount in everyday diet. Therefore, RDA should never be viewed as optimal doses; in fact, the term "recommended" is not entirely accurate (hence the change from RDA to RI). Each country adjusts the values based on its own judgment. For instance, the USA has set the level for vitamin C at 180 mg (it is the most developed country with excellent availability of quality food, and the average weight of an individual is higher than in Europe or Asia, which is another factor that plays a role).