What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C?
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orbitc
Enthusiast
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:27 pm
Posts: 99
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 What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C? What does pharmaceutical grade mean exactly with ascorbic acid? Does it go through specific national tests or something? Is it a better type?
How does it compare with the ascorbic acid that is 'all natural'? What exactly do these two labels mean and which is better?
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| Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:25 pm |
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ofonorow
Ascorbate Wizard
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:16 pm
Posts: 8145
Location: Lisle, IL
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Natural Vitamin C Complex Forum I hope you have noticed that we devote an entire forum to this topic - So called Natural Vitamin C.
I'm not sure if/what the official purity definition is, but every "synthetic" product comes with an assay of its purity and what else (impurities) may be in the product, etc. Ascorbic acid comes in different grades, but as the number of producers has dwindled, I doubt there is all that much difference.
As far as the Foundation product, it is made in Ireland by Roche, is the highest quality vitamin C there is. We asked our bottler, Douglas Laboratories, if we can say pharmaceutical grade on the label, and they said yes.
One of the problems with so-called "Natural C" is that there is no grade on purity, because it is a plant extract.
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Owen R. Fonorow, Orthomolecular Naturopath
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| Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:21 am |
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Cis4me
Vitamin C Master
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:58 pm
Posts: 225
Location: North Carolina
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I don't have a reference handy, but I believe that "pharmaceutical grade" basically just means that a given product meets standards of purity, documentation of manufacture (lot numbers, locations of all sources are known etc.) sufficent to be allowed to be used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Food grade would imply that it is pure enough to use for making food or adding to food intended for human consumption.
I think pharma. grade is the more strigent of the two.
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| Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:15 pm |
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pamojja
Vitamin C Master
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:44 am
Posts: 201
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Re: What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C? orbitc wrote: What does pharmaceutical grade mean exactly with ascorbic acid? Does it go through specific national tests or something? I asked at a health store if there was ever a test on impurities done with their 2,- €/100 gr ascorbic acid - and got no answer. I asked at the local pharmacy if theirs - double the price - was tested. Allegedly they did test it on being real ascorbic acid, but not on any impurities. Considering that most ascorbic acid comes from China anyway, I don't think there is that much difference here, except with the price. If anyone heard of ascorbic acid tested on toxins I'm very interested to hear.
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| Mon Aug 03, 2009 6:39 am |
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Dolev
quack
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:01 am
Posts: 758
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Re: What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C? Quote: If anyone heard of ascorbic acid tested on toxins I'm very interested to hear. You'll want Dr. Thomas Levy's book for that - Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins. He has around 850 references. I once counted.
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Dolev
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| Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:08 am |
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pamojja
Vitamin C Master
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:44 am
Posts: 201
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Re: What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C? Dolev wrote: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins The title suggests this book is more about detoxifying with Vitamin C - than impurities or even toxins which might come with some Vitamin C Products. I'll order it anyway, thanks.
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| Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:47 am |
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Dolev
quack
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:01 am
Posts: 758
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Re: What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C? Your language wasn't clear that you were talking about toxins IN vitamin C products. Out of the mistake, however, will come a very educational experience if you order the wonderful book.
I have seen lab tests of ascorbic acid from a Chinese company, and the material was quite pure.
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Dolev
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| Tue Aug 04, 2009 2:59 am |
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ofonorow
Ascorbate Wizard
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:16 pm
Posts: 8145
Location: Lisle, IL
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Re: What 'pharmaceutical grade' mean with Vitamin C? Every manufacture provides a "spec sheet" which specifies the chemical properties and purity of their chemicals, in this case, ascorbic acid. The manufacture tests the products, and provides the assurance that the product contains less than some part per (million/billion) impurities. Others may run tests, and a company's reputation is on the line.
Now I haven't seen the DSM Quali-C spec sheet, but I have seen sheets from vitamin C that originate in China and the purities are very high, from 99.9% to 99.999% pure, etc. It is my understanding, and I am willing to be corrected, that Quali-C is 100% pure.
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Owen R. Fonorow, Orthomolecular Naturopath
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| Tue Aug 04, 2009 3:01 am |
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