Does liposomal vitamin C work better than regular vitamin C?
Liposomal vitamin C reaches higher blood levels than regular vitamin C, but whether that translates into real health benefits has not been proven. The higher price cannot yet be justified for most people.
Liposomal vitamin C reaches higher concentrations in your blood than regular vitamin C, but whether that actually does anything for your health has not yet been proven. Nine out of ten studies examined showed higher blood levels. The only well-designed double-blind study (27 participants) found a 27% higher peak concentration and 21% higher total blood exposure. White blood cells contained 20% more vitamin C with the liposomal form, which may be relevant for your immune defence.
The explanation is straightforward: liposomes are tiny fat globules that protect vitamin C against heat, light, oxygen and fluctuating acidity in your stomach. This means more of it arrives in the blood intact. But higher blood levels do not automatically mean better health. Not a single study measured how much vitamin C was excreted in urine, and only two studies looked at effects inside the body. Whether it leads to fewer infections or faster recovery has not been demonstrated.
If you still want to try it, pay attention to the label: choose a product stating 'liposomal vitamin C', available as a liquid or capsule. The only double-blind study used 500 mg per dose; long-term studies are lacking, so there is no evidence-based guideline for how long to take it. The wide variation between formulas makes it difficult to compare brands, meaning the manufacturing process used does matter.
No side effects were reported in the available studies, but those studies were short-term and small. An alternative for people who experience stomach complaints from regular vitamin C is calcium ascorbate: a systematic review showed fewer stomach complaints with that form. For most people without stomach problems, the higher price of the liposomal variant cannot yet be justified.
Evidence based on a scoping review (10 studies), a systematic review, and multiple RCTs, including one double-blind placebo-controlled RCT specifically for liposomal vitamin C. There are methodological limitations: widely varying formulations, doses (0.15-10 g) and measurement periods make direct comparison between studies difficult. No study measured urinary excretion; clinical endpoints (infections, recovery) have barely been investigated.
Does taking vitamin E have any proven benefit?
For the most widely studied application, the heart, vitamin E demonstrably does not work; for skin and fertility the evidence is too thin to say it helps, so there is no clear reason to take it.
Which form of vitamin B12 is best to take?
The form of vitamin B12 matters less than the dose: when correcting a deficiency, what counts above all is taking enough. When there is an absorption disorder, injections are the indicated route; discuss that with your doctor.
Is ubiquinol better than regular CoQ10?
Ubiquinol is not automatically better than regular CoQ10: the formulation, such as soft-gel or water-soluble, matters more than the form stated on the label. Clinical evidence for specific benefits of ubiquinol is preliminary and has only been studied in people with medical conditions.
Does rapamycin help people live longer in good health?
Rapamycin works in mice, but whether it also leads to a longer and healthier life in humans has not yet been demonstrated. Side effects are real, long-term data in healthy people are absent, and use outside a clinical context cannot currently be justified.
Is taking extra vitamin C worthwhile?
Extra vitamin C is of little use for most people. Intensive athletes and people following a carnivore diet do have good reason to supplement, and those who take it daily experience slightly milder cold symptoms on average.
Does a vitamin C serum help against pigmentation spots and ageing?
Vitamin C serums probably reduce pigmentation spots and early signs of ageing, but the studies are too small or lack control groups for firm conclusions. A combination serum with niacinamide or tranexamic acid has the best support, always supplemented with daily sun protection.