IO Genix Vitamin C1000 Antioxidant - Immune Protection

What is IO Genix Vitamin C1000?

IO Genix Vitamin C1000 is a vitamin C in capsule form, with no flavouring, no sugar and no effervescence. One capsule supplies 1,000 mg of L-ascorbic acid, or 1,250% of the nutrient reference value. The bottle holds 90 capsules: three months at one a day.

L-ascorbic acid is vitamin C itself, in its simplest form. There is nothing else active in the capsule — no added bioflavonoids, no acerola, no buffered form. It is a single-ingredient product, and that is why it fits into one daily serving where an effervescent vitamin C tablet calls for a glass, some water and two minutes of waiting.

This format has a practical consequence we see on the shop floor every day: a capsule goes in a gym bag, an effervescent tube does not. For a daily serving taken all year round, that is the single criterion that makes the biggest difference to consistency. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our vitamin C section.

What does one Vitamin C1000 capsule contain?

1,000 mg is a high dose, and it is worth knowing what that actually means. Vitamin C absorption is not proportional to the dose: it is very good up to around 200 mg, then falls off markedly as the amount rises. At 1,000 mg, an appreciable share of the dose is not absorbed and leaves in the urine. That is not a flaw in the product, it is the physiology of this vitamin.

So why go up to 1,000 mg? Because certain European claims are conditional on a specific additional intake. In particular, the one that matters most to athletes: vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system during and after intense physical exercise, a claim whose condition is an additional intake of 200 mg a day on top of the recommended daily intake. A 1,000 mg dose meets that condition beyond any argument.

The other authorised claims for vitamin C are numerous and cover most of what can be said about it: it contributes to the normal function of the immune system, to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones, cartilage, skin, teeth, gums and blood vessels, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and it increases iron absorption.

That last line is the most underrated of the set, and it is the one with the most immediate practical use. Vitamin C improves the absorption of non-haem iron, meaning the iron in plant foods — lentils, spinach, pulses. Taken with the same meal, it genuinely changes what that meal delivers. If iron is your concern, our iron section is worth reading alongside this page.

A word on the capsule itself: it is made of gelatine, which rules this product out for vegetarian and vegan diets. It is a piece of information few product pages put forward, and it nonetheless rules out a share of buyers.

Ingredient list

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide). Capsule shell: GELATINE and colouring. No added sugar, no sweetener, no preservative and no flavouring.

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOY depending on manufacturing conditions.

How should you take Vitamin C1000?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, before or during breakfast; for athletes, an hour before the session. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a three-month course, repeatable, or continuous use as needed.

One detail the manufacturer gives and that is rarely followed: avoid taking the capsule at the same time as coffee or tea. The tannins in those drinks reduce absorption. An hour's gap settles the matter, and in practice that means taking the vitamin C at the very start of breakfast rather than with the last mouthful of coffee.

If your stomach reacts badly — it can at this dose, ascorbic acid is an acid — take the capsule in the middle of a meal rather than on an empty stomach. The discomfort almost always disappears. Keep yourself properly hydrated across the day as well: that is what helps clear the excess.

Should the dose be split? On paper, two 500 mg servings would be better absorbed than one of 1,000 mg. In practice, the product comes as 1,000 mg capsules and it is not designed to be opened. Take it in one go, and take the view that the dose compensates for the loss.

Vitamin C combines without redundancy with a vitamin D, a collagen — for which it is the synthesis cofactor — or a vitamin E, with which it works in a complementary way on the antioxidant side.

Who is Vitamin C1000 for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult looking for a simple daily intake, particularly at the start of autumn, during a period of hard training, or when the intake of fresh fruit and vegetables is low.

Three contraindications appear explicitly on the packaging and deserve to be read before buying. The product is not recommended for people prone to kidney stones, whether calcium oxalate or uric stones. It is not recommended in cases of iron metabolism disorder — haemochromatosis, thalassaemia — since vitamin C does precisely that, increase iron absorption. And medical advice is required in the case of anticoagulant treatment, pregnancy or breastfeeding.

As the capsule is made of gelatine, the product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. People with allergies must take account of the possible traces mentioned above.

What not to expect from it, and this is the point on which we most often disagree with what customers have read elsewhere. Vitamin C does not cure a cold and does not stop you catching one. No claim of that kind exists in Europe, and the available data does not support it. What it does is contribute to the normal function of the immune system — which is not the same thing. Nor does it make up for a diet low in plant foods: a kiwi, an orange and a red pepper over the course of a day already supply well over the reference value. This supplement makes sense when that base is missing, not in its place.

Do you need 1,000 mg of vitamin C, or is a more modest dose enough?

That is the real question, and it deserves an honest answer rather than a sales pitch.

To simply cover an adult's daily needs, 80 mg is enough: that is the nutrient reference value, and a multivitamin covers it without difficulty, supplying a good fifteen other nutrients along the way. If your aim is a general safety net, that is the cheaper and more sensible choice.

The 1,000 mg in this capsule answers a different need. They are relevant for an athlete stringing together intense sessions, because the immune claim tied to intense physical exercise assumes an additional intake of 200 mg a day — a dose a multivitamin never reaches. They are relevant too for anyone wanting to support iron absorption at a plant-based meal.

When is the multivitamin the better choice? As soon as your concern is not specifically vitamin C. If you do not know what is missing, a broad base is worth more than a high-dose single nutrient. And if your subject is oxidative stress rather than immunity, our coenzyme Q10 section offers a different approach, on complementary cellular targets.

Frequently asked questions

Does the body really absorb 1,000 mg of vitamin C?

No, not all of it. Absorption is very good up to around 200 mg then falls off markedly; at 1,000 mg, a large share leaves in the urine. The high dose offsets that diminishing return and makes it possible to meet the intake conditions of certain European claims.

Does this vitamin C protect against colds?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe. What is authorised is that it contributes to the normal function of the immune system, including during and after intense physical exercise. Contributing to normal function is not preventing an infection.

Can it be taken with coffee?

The manufacturer recommends leaving an hour between the two: the tannins in coffee and tea reduce absorption. In practice, take the capsule at the very start of breakfast, before the coffee, rather than at the end. It is a small thing, but it costs nothing to apply.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin. The ascorbic acid itself poses no problem, but the capsule holding it does. There is no plant-based version of this product.

Is there any risk in taking it every day all year round?

Vitamin C is water-soluble and the excess is eliminated, which gives it a comfortable safety margin. The main complaint reported at this dose is digestive: bloating or intestinal discomfort. People prone to kidney stones should, however, steer clear; the warning appears on the packaging.

Should it be taken with an iron-rich meal?

That is in fact its most concrete use. Vitamin C increases the absorption of non-haem iron, the kind in lentils, spinach and pulses. Taken with the same meal, it improves what that meal delivers. Conversely, it is not recommended in cases of haemochromatosis or thalassaemia, for that exact reason.

How long does one bottle last?

90 capsules at one a day: three months. That matches the course recommended by the manufacturer exactly, and covers the autumn-winter period from a single bottle if you start in October.

Where can you buy IO Genix Vitamin C1000?

The 90-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product that mainly moves from September onwards, and the question we always ask is the one about kidney stones: it is the one contraindication customers almost always overlook. The rest of our vitamins can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.