Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) and immune
What 3 graded rows on vitamin c (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) agree on for immune, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) and immune
3 rows · 11,333 peopleSplit. 2 rows found an improvement and 1 found no difference.
- BGrade B× 1
- DGrade D× 1
- ∅No effect× 1
- Rows
- 3
- Trials
- 3
- At least: a review without a trial count
- People
- 11,333
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 598 people (2013) and found an improvement. 1 row is graded No effect, our grade for adequately powered trials that found no effect.
The row that found no difference was larger: 10,708 people, against a median of 313 people for the 2 rows that found an improvement.
Only the 2 rows that found an improvement name women, men and athletes or trained people in their population. Only the row that found no difference names children or teens in its population.
The rows
2 improved · 1 no difference- BGrade BChance of catching a cold under heavy physical stress · Improved
Meta-analysis · n 598 · 2013 · Marathon runners, skiers and soldiers on subarctic exercises (5 trials)
At least 0.2 g/day · Regular intake over the study period
Cold risk was roughly halved (RR 0.48; 95% CI 0.35 to 0.64).
Row on the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) page · PubMed 23440782 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DBlood vitamin C levels: liposomal vs standard · Improved
Crossover RCT · n 27 · 2024 · Healthy adults (19 men, 8 women)
500 mg, single doses · 24-hour sampling per arm
Liposomal vitamin C gave a 27% higher peak and 21% higher 24-hour exposure in plasma, and a 20% higher peak in white blood cells, than standard vitamin C.
Row on the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) page · PubMed 39237620 (opens PubMed)
- ∅No effectChance of catching a cold, general population · No difference
Meta-analysis · n 10,708 · 2013 · General community trials in children and adults
At least 0.2 g/day · Regular intake over the study period
No meaningful reduction in cold risk (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94 to 1.00). Regular vitamin C shortened colds by 8% in adults and 14% in children; vitamin C started after symptoms began had no consistent effect.
Row on the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid vs buffered vs liposomal) page · PubMed 23440782 (opens PubMed)