Since scientists first isolated vitamin C (ascorbic acid) from natural sources, it has become one of the most widely used compounds on the planet. Once extracted primarily from rose hips, the supplement industry later discovered a cheaper way to produce it synthetically, most commonly from genetically modified corn. While both versions share the same chemical structure on paper, how the body recognises and utilises them can be very different.
The difference between D-ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid is significant: L-ascorbic acid is the biologically active form of vitamin C, while D-ascorbic acid does not have vitamin C activity in the human body. Although the terms “vitamin C” and “ascorbic acid” are often used interchangeably, there are important distinctions between them. In supplement science, the distinction between synthetic versus natural vitamin C is important, especially when considering the chemical structure and source. Comparative studies have often found small differences in absorption, but this doesn’t account for the broader biological synergy found in natural food sources.
How Synthetic Vitamin C Is Made
Producing concentrated vitamin C from corn involves a highly industrial process. As Melanie Werner outlines in her book on the food industry, the journey begins not with fresh corn kernels but with sorbitol, a sugar alcohol derived through the rearrangement of corn molecules using enzymes and hydrogenation.
This sorbitol is then fermented using bacteria to create sorbose. A second fermentation stage, often involving genetically modified microorganisms, converts sorbose into 2-ketogluconic acid. Finally, it’s treated with hydrochloric acid to form crude ascorbic acid. The resulting material is filtered, purified, and milled into a fine white powder before being shipped worldwide as synthetic vitamin C, ready to be added to multivitamins, drinks, and cereals.
Although chemically identical to natural ascorbic acid, this highly processed form lacks the synergistic cofactors that occur in wholefood sources. In nature, vitamin C coexists with a network of flavonoids, polyphenols, and enzymes that enable its absorption and biological activity.
Does the Body Recognise Synthetic Vitamin C?
It’s easy to assume that if two substances share the same chemical formula, the body uses them the same way. However, research suggests that wholefood vitamin C behaves differently within the body compared to synthetic isolates. In natural foods like acerola or camu camu, vitamin C is accompanied by bioflavonoids such as rutin and hesperidin, which enhance absorption and prolong antioxidant activity. When consumed in isolation, synthetic ascorbic acid lacks these natural cofactors, leading to less efficient utilisation and faster excretion.
Furthermore, high doses of synthetic ascorbic acid can act as a pro-oxidant under certain conditions, particularly when iron levels are elevated. This means it can promote oxidative stress instead of preventing it, the opposite of what most people expect when taking vitamin C supplements.
Impact on Iron Regulation and Ferroxidase
One under-discussed issue with synthetic vitamin C and ascorbate mineral forms is their effect on the enzyme ferroxidase. This copper-dependent enzyme converts iron into its safe, transportable form in the bloodstream. When ferroxidase is inhibited, something that can occur with excessive ascorbic acid intake, iron regulation may become disrupted. Over time, this can contribute to iron dysregulation, oxidative damage, and cellular stress.
Wholefood vitamin C, by contrast, delivers a balanced spectrum of antioxidants that support ferroxidase activity rather than suppressing it. This helps maintain the natural synergy between vitamin C, copper, and iron metabolism, supporting overall energy production and mineral balance.
Wholefood Vitamin C: The Natural Complex
In food, vitamin C exists within a living matrix of plant compounds. Sources such as acerola cherry, camu camu, amla berry, and pomegranate provide a naturally buffered, highly bioavailable form of vitamin C that the body recognises and utilises efficiently.
Among the most vitamin C-rich foods are citrus fruits and orange juice, which are well-known for their high vitamin C content. Acerola cherry can provide over 1500 mg per 100 g, making it one of nature’s richest sources. These fruits contain a variety of co-nutrients including polyphenols, anthocyanins, and enzymes that enhance absorption and support collagen synthesis, immune resilience, and adrenal function.
Natural Vitamin C and the Antioxidant Network
Vitamin C doesn’t work alone. It’s part of a wider antioxidant network that includes vitamin E, glutathione, and plant polyphenols. Wholefood forms of vitamin C help recycle and stabilise these other antioxidants, keeping the body’s redox balance in check. This supports collagen production, wound healing, immune defence, and overall resilience. Synthetic isolates can’t replicate this biological complexity or synergy.
Dietary Sources of Vitamin C
The most effective way to maintain healthy vitamin C levels is through a diet rich in unprocessed, whole foods. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits provide around 70 mg per serving, while berries, kiwis, peppers, broccoli, and leafy greens add variety and additional cofactors.
Because vitamin C is water soluble, the body doesn’t store it for long periods. Excess is excreted in urine, so regular intake through wholefood sources is important. While synthetic fortification (in cereals and drinks) offers convenience, wholefood vitamin C remains superior for absorption and antioxidant effect.
The ELIVIDE Difference
At ELIVIDE, we believe vitamin C should always be taken as nature intended, in its wholefood form. Our Eclipse Wholefood Vitamin C (link opens in new tab/window) is derived from organic camu camu berries, known for containing one of the highest natural concentrations of vitamin C on the planet. Each serving provides a potent spectrum of antioxidants that support immunity, collagen production, and cellular health, with zero additives or synthetic isolates.
Our formulation captures the full spectrum of plant cofactors found in the fruit, ensuring maximum absorption and biological synergy. The result is a supplement that feels more natural in the body, supporting vitality without disrupting mineral balance or enzyme function.
While synthetic ascorbic acid and wholefood vitamin C share the same chemical base, their biological effects differ greatly. The synthetic version is cheap and mass produced, but it lacks the cofactors that make vitamin C function effectively in the body. Wholefood vitamin C, rich in bioflavonoids and polyphenols, offers a more complete and harmonious nutritional profile, closer to what nature designed and human physiology evolved to use.
For true antioxidant protection and bioavailability, wholefood vitamin C (link opens in new tab/window) from organic sources remains the superior choice. As research and experience continue to show, purity and synergy matter more than milligrams on a label.
