I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. I am not a doctor; please consult your practitioner before changing your supplement or healthcare regimen.
How and why to take Vitamin C with collagen, to heal the gut, is an encouraging topic. It’s hopeful, because it means we have one more lead in our process of wellness.
When searching out the missing pieces of how to seal and heal a leaky gut it never ceases to amaze me how many components there are. A friend may find one or two missing pieces and voila, experience wellness. She can eat liberally again and is virtually symptom-free. She learned what does and doesn’t work for her body and her leaky gut is a thing of the past.
Sounds dreamy, right? While others may toil away on a restricted diet for years…
Our bodies’ complexities know no bounds. We are always discovering new connections, how co-factors function to knit our bodies’ parts together to a healthy whole. Without certain components, our bodies don’t have the tools they need to build or maintain.
Let’s learn one more missing piece that may help some of us to heal and seal that leaky gut, too.
Collagen
Consuming gelatin and collagen (find it here– use the code BEAUTIFUL10 at check-out for 10% off) has become justifiably popular among Traditional and Paleo health-food advocates. In addition to using bone broth for a source of healing, using these powdered supplements provides the material to help our guts rebuild themselves. Even in healthy individuals, collagen production begins to decline once we hit our mid-20s. (source)
Have you wondered? What’s the process? We eat collagen… then what? How does it knit itself into our bodies?
In its natural state, collagen is composed of large molecules. In some supplements, the collagen is “hydrolyzed”—broken down into smaller molecules, called peptides, for better absorption. Studies have shown that collagen peptides are well absorbed in the digestive system and make their way to targeted tissues, where they act as building blocks and trigger our own internal collagen production. (source)
Research shows that when we consume collagen, collagen levels increase in our bodies. Research also shows that collagen can not form without one key vitamin: Vitamin C. If we have too little Vitamin C in our bodies, they can not produce as much collagen.
This is why collagen supplements that come in capsule form (find them here) often contain Vitamin C as well. These supplements are designed for joint repair and similar conditions. So why don’t we, who are trying to repair our guts, intentionally include Vitamin C as well?
(Because we didn’t know we should!)
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that our bodies can not produce. It must be acquired through diet.
The message many of us have not yet heard is that huge amounts of Vitamin C are required for collagen to form. (source) And our bodies do not produce Vitamin C on their own. (source)
This is an ongoing need. The body must continually produce collagen, even without a leaky gut issue; it is the most abundant protein in the human body. And, surprisingly, Vitamin C is destroyed in the process of forming collagen.
When collagen is produced, there is a complex series of events, some occurring inside of the cell, and some outside of the cell. Vitamin C is active inside of the cell, where it hydroxylates (adds hydrogen and oxygen) to two amino acids: proline and lysine. This helps form a precursor molecule called procollagen that is later packaged and modified into collagen outside of the cell. Without vitamin C, collagen formation is disrupted, causing a wide variety of problems throughout the body. (source)
What’s more? Heart health relies on Vitamin C. (source) Anemia can be healed by adding in Vitamin C to (often temporary) iron supplementation. (source) Vitamin C also boosts the adrenals and lowers cortisol levels, helping to reduce stress and improve sleep. (source) It helps the body to detoxify and is used by the body as a co-factor in absorbing iodine. (source) Vitamin C even improves blood sugar levels, when combined with a low-glycemic diet. Prenatal supplements and those for children should include Vitamin C, too. Vitamin C has a significant effect on skin health and aging, again because of its correlation with collagen. (source) Vitamin C is great for post-workout stress, helping to rebuild muscle.
Yet we primarily think of it as an immune booster.
Low levels of Vitamin C not only cause conditions like scurvy, but are also associated with heart disease, gall bladder disease, cancer and even osteoporosis. (source) Conversely, those who eat diets rich in Vitamin C are less likely to get arthritis. (source)
When it comes to gut healing, we definitely don’t think of Vitamin C as a key ingredient to the process. But we should. Collagen can’t be formed without it. If we’re consuming collagen, but not getting enough bioavailable Vitamin C, we’re missing out on collagen’s gut healing benefits and the potential for healing this supplement provides.
In being intentional about including Vitamin C, the next question is bioavailability. This is a hot topic among Vitamin C companies and among healthcare advocates. Which sources of Vitamin C are the most trustworthy and effective?
1. Food sources
Of course, the vegetable kingdom is full of beautiful Vitamin C sources.
Excellent produce-based food sources of Vitamin C include bell peppers, leafy greens, watermelon and cantaloupe, citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, berries, cauliflower, parsley, kiwi and bok choy. (source)
It’s noteworthy that produce picked too early or stored for long periods of time has less Vitamin C. (source) Eating vine-ripened, local produce means a higher Vitamin C content.
2. Which Vitamin C supplements absorb the best?
This is the hardest subject to tackle, actually. Because absorption of the vitamin can be fickle. Not everyone absorbs ascorbic acid well, which is synthetic. Natural L-ascorbate, on the other hand, has co-factors present and is food-sourced.
Vitamin C-dense supplements that are comprised of only whole foods include camu-camu (a fruit from Peru [find it here]), South American acerola berries (also called Barbados cherries [find the supplement here]), and amla (or Indian gooseberry [find it here]). I’ve used amla powder for my kids for years, and there are several good supplements, like this one (a 15% off discount will automatically be applied at check-out for Eat Beautiful readers!) that combine many Vitamin C rich foods into one pill. These are all fine options for those with optimum health.
For anyone with cogent health struggles, who needs to be assured their body is receiving Vitamin C, but is worried about how much is actually assimilating, there are better options. (For those with acute infectious or toxic health issues, intravenous Vitamin C [sodium ascorbate] may be recommended.) (source)
For almost complete absorption, the liposome-encapsulated form of Vitamin C (find it here) wins. This is a Paleo-friendly supplement, being non-GMO and excellent for those with compromised immune systems. It will literally help to trigger collagen production!
Liposomal Vitamin C does not require digestion, as it’s absorbed on a cellular level almost immediately. Because Vitamin C is used up and destroyed in the biosynthesis of collagen, and collagen is continually being formed, it may be ideal to consume Vitamin C 2 times daily.
For anyone who does not digest fruit well (which I do not), I take a corn-free, fermented tapioca-based Vitamin C, which you can find here.
Avoid Ester-C; although proponents claim better absorption, it is not a natural form of the vitamin, being created with high heat and under heavy pressure. (source)
Which collagen to buy?
I’ve started buying Perfect Supplements’ Hydrolyzed Collagen (find it here) because they’re the most transparent about their processes, including their cows grazing on sustainably-grown grass. I’m super excited that they’re offering 10% off their already affordable price for Eat Beautiful readers. Just type in the coupon code BEAUTIFUL10 when you check out. (You can use the coupon code on any supplements from this site.)
When contacting Perfect Supplements about their gelatin and collagen, here’s what they told me:
Our Collagen and Gelatin are 100% natural and free of pesticides, hormones, chemicals, GMOs and other contaminants. They are sourced from Brazilian Grass-Fed, Pasture-Raised Cows that spend their entire life free grazing on grass. There is regular testing to verify the area is natural and free of pesticides as well as regular testing on the products. The establishment that takes the cows for finishing ensures that they feed the cows grass while they are there, but they cannot guarantee the cows have not gotten into other animals food sources such as grains.
If you’ve ever investigated other gelatin companies you may know that this is an excellent assurance, much better than the leading competitors’ claims. I’m pleased to support this company and grateful for the company’s transparency and commitment to sustainability.
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
I LOVE Perfect Supplements!!! For some reason I didn’t know that liver had such a high dose of vitamin C, that’s fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that because I take the caps too 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing all of this knowledge with us, I learned a lot.
Megan Stevens says
I’m really glad! Thanks for commenting! <3
[email protected] says
can you please tell me how to consume the collagen and how much collagen and vitamin C we ned each day? I am making my own vitamin C caps with a capsule machine, adding equal parts of amla, camu camu, roehips and acerola (all form Mt. Rose Herbs) but I didn’t know how many caps to take.
Megan Stevens says
750 mg. is recommended by the practitioners I follow. You will need to establish how many mg. are provided by the real foods you’re using. 🙂 Regarding collagen, it’s a personal choice: anywhere from 1-6 scoops a day can be consumed for gut healing (and other) benefits. I have written about the need for also consuming fat and essential amino acids (protein foods) to make the collagen effective, as well. Cheers.
Michelle says
Can collagen be taken iwoth have methane sibo?
Justin & Erica says
Wow! This is great info! Thanks for taking the time to research and share. I need to get some of the liver supplement you recommend!
Megan Stevens says
You’re welcome. Yes, I’m so glad we can get liver in capsule form.
Sally Oh says
Excellent, thank you so much! Fortunately, I take Vit C and collagen in my coffee! Did not know you needed the C to enjoy the benefits of the collagen. 🙂
Megan Stevens says
Great, love that you were already doing it!
Renee Kohley says
THIS is so fascinating Megan! I had no idea! I am taking both a whole food C, 5-6 liver pills per day, as well as collagen – but the collagen i don’t always get in everyday. I will definitely be working on that!
Megan Stevens says
Great, Renee!! 🙂
Raine Saunders says
Yes, we are taking a liposomal Vitamin C from the practitioner who is guiding my iodine protocol. It’s liquid and very potent. We usually take 4000+ daily. It’s not a very inexpensive supplement, but one I know is making a difference for us. It is handcrafted with safe ingredients and does include the L-ascorbate you mention here. Other ingredients include minerals, moringa powder, guava powder, frankincense powder, & camu camu berry powder, rose hips powder, some of which also have Vitamin C. It’s great to know why many Vitamin C products may not be effective and why. Thank you so much for sharing this, Megan! <3
Megan Stevens says
Your supplement sounds great, Raine! Wonderful.
Karla Hutchinson says
Which C are you using?
Megan Stevens says
She shares a link in this post: http://healyourgutwithfood.com/2016/08/iodine-deficiency-weight-loss-and-other-chronic-health-challenges-whats-the-connection/
Virginia S. says
Yes, please, if Megan allows, share the name of this product with us. Sounds great.
Megan Stevens says
Raine shares a link in this post. 🙂 http://healyourgutwithfood.com/2016/08/iodine-deficiency-weight-loss-and-other-chronic-health-challenges-whats-the-connection/
Simone says
My liver supplement, which is a very good brand of grass fed pasture raised beef liver’s ingredient list states that it only contains 1mg of vitamin C per serving, so I am a bit confused…. It must depend upon which brand.
Megan Stevens says
LOL, that IS confusing. I can only guess that the label isn’t accurate… but ?
linda spiker says
I am so happy you do all the research…because I don’t lol. You are a good friend to have!
Megan Stevens says
Cute. Good. Glad to have you as a friend, too, inspiring me with your amazing food and photography!!
Tash @ HolisticHealthHerbalist says
I had no idea about this! I’m going to start incorporating more vitamin c rich foods into my diet because i really just don’t get enough. What helpful information! Thank you!
Megan Stevens says
I’m so glad. You’re welcome!
Marjorieann1977 says
Great information! I was happy to see that you had liver pills on the list. I take those everyday so I was doing something right without even knowing it!
Megan Stevens says
Yay, liver is pretty safe in that way, lol~ untold riches! 😉
Rhonwen says
I am a bit concerned about the idea of frequent use of liver for Vitamin C. I consumed liver every day or two for about a year and a half (along with other high Vitamin A foods) and ended up with Vitamin A levels that are very high (chronic hypervitaminosis A) and problems that are probably connected to that. I would advise great caution in relation to frequent liver consumption for anyone, but especially for pregnant women. It is off the charts in VA, which is a known teratogen.
Megan says
Hi Rhonwen, thank you so much for your comment. I actually agree completely and have had a similar experience with liver. I just updated the post accordingly and appreciate the awareness you provided so I could do that. Much health and many blessings!
thefoodhunter says
thanks for sharing all this useful information.
Megan Stevens says
You’re welcome.
Vallari Treacy says
This collagen sounds great but grass fed cows from Brazil makes me leary. Brazil is a country using banned pesticides, areal spraying, and heavy GMOs. They would be hard pressed to maintain a pure source at high volume for a sustained length of time. Also, the FDA just told grass fed suppliers that they would not be regulating the grassfed label anymore. Just makes it hard to trust companies anymore. Can we not do well enough with trusted local farmers and making beef broth?
Megan Stevens says
I know. It’s fascinating that it’s pesticide free and from Brazil! Seems mutually exclusive. Local farmers and beef broth sounds great!! I do trust this company; but you make a good point.
Erin Auer-Sears says
Great post! We drink warm lemon water in the water before our collagen coffee. Do you think that provides enough Vit C? we use half a lemon in our drink each. Thanks for the great info, I really prefer to take my nutrients through food or herbal infusions. I know nettle and purslane are also great sources as well.
Megan Stevens says
Thank you! Surprisingly, lemon juice is very low in Vitamin C, compared to acerola, for example. I agree and love your mention of the herbs! Another good choice. But no, the juice of 1/2 a lemon is not enough, in my opinion. It won’t get you anywhere near 750 mg. daily. Like I mention in the article, there are whole food powders that are an excellent option. I give my kids amla.
Rola says
Hi and Thank you,you gave us a very valuable information..I would ask you about the collagen is self . I noticed that am ganing weight coz of having collagen and grät is anoyning me can you give me an advice pls
Megan Stevens says
Hi Rola, weight gain is a complex and personal issue and should be discussed with a functional or naturopathic practitioner. 🙂
Rola says
Oh this is hopeless because it’s difficult to find this kind of help in Sweden not sure ??but thank you for feedbak
Megan Stevens says
I’m sorry for your discouragement! You might consider Skyping with a practitioner in the States; many do this now. Blessings in your process.
Anonymous says
Hi Rola.
Dr. Eric Berg, a chiropractor here in the states, mentions that when one starts to give their bodies back the nutrition they need, they may put on weight. Most of the weight gained, however, is muscle, NOT fat. People who have gut issues do not absorb their nutrients well. When one takes the steps to heal their gut, they are now able to absorb the nutrients they could not before. I had a very dysfunctional gut. I started by removing, sugar and carbs to get my insulin down. I introduced 1 Tbsp of BOTH lemon juice and apple cider vinegar in a glass of water once a day and drinking a glass of kefir made from kefir grains once a day (great source of pro-biotics). Once I got my gut in order, I ordered hydrolyzed collagen and vitamin C made from acerola berries in a powdered form which I mix together in a smoohie. Despite the inches on my waist going down, my weight went up BECAUSE I was giving my atrophied muscles back what they were missing, nutrients. My weight is now starting to go down because I can now focus on fat loss now that my gut is repaired. Hope this helps.
list=PLCisBXdMGCagEwOWwazbMtFRaMCTCfXnS&index=24
Elle
Rosebud Lamptey-Talabova says
Thank you so much for this info. Well researched and documented. I’ve taken everything to heart and gone on line to order my stuff. Thanks again.
Megan Stevens says
You’re welcome. I’m so glad it’s helpful! 🙂
Dora Boukouris says
How about Moringa powder, is there a significant amount of Vit. C in this? thanks!!
Megan Stevens says
Hi Dora, great question. It depends on the source of information. Many sites that promote moringa say that “one serving of leaves” has more vitamin c than several oranges. But the nutritional data on the back of moringa supplements show one tsp. to have 7% of our daily needs. Another source says that for 100 g of powder, moringa provides 17.3 mg of vitamin C. So while it’s a superfood it looks to be that vitamin C isn’t one of its greatest attributes. 750 mg is the average recommended daily dose of C. Too bad because I’d love to see a leaf source of C.
Dora Boukouris says
THank you for taking the time to answer. great information.!
Angie Curtis says
What a great article, thank you! I’m constantly researching articles on how to boost my 6 year old’s immune system. I feel like she does need vit c after reading this. Hmmm…I’d love if it’s the magic bullet for her. Although I feel like when I try supplements nothing helps…so many colds, flu, tummy bugs! Between probiotics, cod liver oil, extra d in winter…what am I missing? We eat grassfed meats, organic veggies and fruits and no wheat and dairy due to allergies.
angelina says
Hi Angie, I would suggest you do an OAT test (organic acid test) to find all the deficiencies before you give supplements – great plains lab is a good one. And if you have access to a functional medicine doctor they will help. If not you can still do over web, check their website
Andrea says
Could you please site where it is recommended and by whom to take 750 mg vit c a day? Acording to https://www.consumerlab.com/m/answers/Is+it+possible+to+take+too+much+vitamin+C/too_much_vitamin_c/ it is possible to take amounts that are too high, ranging fromm 500 to 1000 mg. They recommend 75 to 120 mg.
Megan Stevens says
Hi Andrea, I really like the work of Dr. Sarah Gottfried, a medical doctor who specializes in women’s hormones. She says, “Taking 750 mg/day is completely safe, even though the recommended daily
allowance is an abysmally low 75 to 90 mg/day. Incidentally, a daily
dose of 500 to 1,000 mg of vitamin C also helps prevent cancer and
stroke, keeps your eyes working well, boosts immunity, and increases
longevity. Because it’s water soluble, any excess vitamin C is excreted
in your urine. It’s a win/win situation.” (http://bit.ly/2hdohob) Here the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discusses why this dosage (and even higher) is safe for most bodies: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/81/4/736.full
If you have any doubt, the best way to approach vitamin C consumption is from whole foods, either from one of the berry-sourced supplements mentioned above or just from whole foods like the fruits mentioned. I see the controversial nature of dosage, which is one of the reasons I didn’t mention dosage in the post itself. Definitely listen to your own intuition and consult a practitioner as needed. The data can be confusing. Thanks for the question!
Robin Grizzle says
Hello. Just stated collagen in my diet and came across your page. I’m 47 yrs old woman. If you take the liver pill (didn’t even know there was such a thing lol) do you still need to take vitamin c too? What is the best way to do the collagen, vitamin c or liver pills. Thank you and have a blessed day.
Carey Bankier says
Hi Megan
I have the same question as Robin. You state “Here’s the beef liver I buy. (Use the code BEAUTIFUL10 at check-out for a 10% off discount.) If you choose this route, you may still want to add in another source of Vitamin C as well.”
Do the liver pills not contain enough?
Thanks!
Megan says
Correct. While liver is high in Vitamin C, it does not provide the daily recommended 750 mg.
JoAnn A Felicetti says
I started taking the Perfect Hydrolyzed collagen and took it for 3 weeks daily and was totally amazed at what it did for me. My metabolism got better and my skin is absolutely gorgeous!!! Every year around this time I’m packing on the body lotions and creams I haven’t had to put anything on!!!!
Debra says
I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a defect in my collagen…which causes countless issues, including a rupture in my intestines a few years ago. I am also fairly certain that I have leaky gut. Do you believe these supplements would help in my case?
Thanks!
Aisha Malik says
Hi I am taking Meiji collagen powder and vitamin c Melano serum for face but I heard it’s not good use these two things together. Is it true?
Unaiza Kaleem says
Very very informative. Thank a lot dear.
Alisha Ross says
You completed a few nice points there. I did a search on the theme and found nearly all persons will consent with your blog.
Nicoletta says
Hello, thank you so much for all of this valuable information, I’ve been confused for the past few weeks over how to take vitamin c with collagen. I’ve also been researching and comparing just about every brand of collagen peptides I can find. I narrowed it down to Orgain’s collagen peptides, specifically because they seem to have the highest mg count for their entire amino acid profile that I have seen on any brand.
My question is, how important is the amino acid profile? I’ve noticed that Orgain’s has numbers in the thousands. However, I am really interested in trying the Perfect Supplements brand.
Megan says
Hi Nicoletta, when it comes to amino acids, in one sense collagen is just powdered protein. Producers can’t get a lot more amino acids into one brand than into another. The reason Orgain’s Collagen looks like it has more is their serving size is 2 scoops. Perfect Supplements’ serving size is 1 scoop. (You can see from their calories and other nutritional data as well that they are measuring almost twice the amount of product.) I buy based on the purity of how the animal was raised. I choose Perfect Supplements because they test for pesticide residue, ensuring that the cattle farmers are also sustainable grass farmers. Grass-fed isn’t good enough. I hope that helps! 🙂
Nicoletta says
Hi Megan, thanks so much for the reply. That’s a silly overlook on my part! Thank you for clearing that up for me. I 100% agree with you, I am so so picky when it comes to the quality of my products, especially in today’s world. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I will be purchasing the Perfect Supplements collagen. 🙂
Caren Joubert says
Hi, I currently take my Collagen (only) with my coffee in the morning as a powder (1 scoop of 20g) . If I had to switch to a Collagen WITH VitC (Ascorbic Acid) will that affect the taste of my coffee?
Thanks,
Caren
Megan says
Hi Caren, yes, I think it will. I think it would be best to take vitamin C separately, just as a supplement.
Michelle says
What brand of collagen are you using that has 20 mg of collagen in one scoop or did you mean the scoop is 20g?