How To Do a Vitamin C Flush & Why You Should

You always hear everyone talk about Vitamin C and its importance when you are sick for boosting your immune system. We all know Vitamin C is good for us but we don’t really know why or how! So below are few amazing benefits of Vitamin C and some of it’s ideal forms. I also go into detail on how to do a C-flush to help detoxify all sorts of toxins from the body.

The many benefits of taking high doses of Vitamin C have been proven through several studies. It can help with mercury and other heavy metal detoxification (if taken at a high enough dose for a long enough time), it boosts the immune system and helps it target viruses and harmful bacteria quicker, it supports the adrenals and their function to regulate cortisol, it helps detoxify the liver, colon, helps stimulate bowel movements, supports collagen production and so much more!

Vitamin C is an anti-toxin and is anti-pathogenic. It is perfect for those with hepatitis A, B and C. All pathogens including hepatitis proliferate more in the presence of oxidative stress (toxicity/inflammation) and since we are all exposed to high levels of toxins and stress regularly, you can imagine why we all seem to have major viral issues. Dr. Thomas Levy states that with Acute hepatitis, vitamin C can be used over the course of 4-7 days with intravenous therapy to help reverse the manifestation of the virus. Vitamin C is of great use in chronic hepatitis also but the pathology is different. In chronic hepatitis the pathogens become hidden behind scar tissue and aren’t as readily available and aren’t circulating the bloodstream so they are not as accessible for the vitamin C to target. Vitamin C in extremely high doses can help maintain chronic hepatitis. High doses of vitamin C can also be used to help the body fight other chronic and harmful viruses. Dr Levy’s books ‘Curing the incurable” and “Primal Panacea” share a list of references that discuss the  incredible benefits of taking high dose vitamin C to fight chronic viral infections.

Vitamin C can get inside the cell and reduce the oxidized detoxification enzymes to make them more potent. It also stimulates the immune system in at least 20 different ways. vitamin C does not chelate heavy metals. It goes inside the cell and reduces the oxidized enzymes and then your body becomes more efficient at kicking out toxins.  Oxidative stress doesn’t cause disease, it IS disease. Oxidation in the body is what damages the cells and destroys our bodies over time. Dr Thomas Levy states that “The degree of oxidation in each body system is what determines your disease/condition. If cells can go from their oxidized state to their normal state, you can “reverse” disease”.

An inadequate amount of Vitamin C to act as a cofactor to lysine and proline (amino acids) will slow down the production of collagen in the body and compromise its quality. Vitamin C promotes the growth of fibroblasts which help synthesize collagen in the skin. Without Vitamin C, the amount of collagen found in the skin diminishes. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant which is important because collagen is easily targeted by free radicals. Antioxidants scavenge Free Radicals so that they don’t do damage to the cells.

A deficiency in vitamin C speeds up the aging process! Also, did you know that sugar cravings can mean you have very low vitamin C levels!? The next time you are craving sugar consume a good amount of vitamin C 🙂

Benefits of vitamin C

What form of Vitamin C is best?

Regular vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is not absorbed well into the cells so when taken in a high dose, it reaches the colon and becomes a concentrated (seeks to dilute itself) salt in the colon which attracts/pulls in water. As this happens diarrhea occurs which helps eliminate the excess unabsorbed vitamin C and accelerates gut motility. This gets undigested and rotted food that is producing toxins OUT of the body. High dose of vitamin C, before it reaches the colon, manages to get inside the immune cells that surround the gut and intestinal tissue and helps to boost immunity as 70% of your immune system is in your gut.

There are so many forms of vitamin C so below is a list of the most important and best forms!

Use ascorbic acid  when taking high doses for the C-flush. It is the cheapest form. However, most ascorbic acid comes from genetically modified corn so make sure you inquire into the brand you use to ensure its not from GMO corn. Always take a powdered form, not capsules, when doing a Vitamin C flush. 

Vitamin C Ascorbate can be a bit hard on the stomach so its not the ideal form to use, however, if that is all you can access, it can be taken.

Sodium ascorbate is another form of vitamin C that tends to be a bit easier on the stomach because it is buffered. Dr. Levy explains that this form can even be used with people who have hypertension (as long as they avoid sodium chloride) however, make sure to run it by your doctor before using.

Potassium ascorbate and magnesium ascorbate are another form of vitamin C that can be used and are also buffered forms. You will frequently see calcium ascorbate however, you want to avoid calcium as it can create a mineral imbalance inside the cells. It is best to stick to magnesium or sodium ascorbate if you are to use an ascorbate form.

One of my FAVOURITE forms of vitamin C is the Liposomal vitamin C. It is an extremely small, microscopic-sized ball of lipids (fats) with the same membrane on the outside as the cells in your body. It has a water soluble core and lipid soluble shell. When you take this form orally, you get virtually all of it absorbed into your cells so you wont get the bowel effects and it appears to get preferentially taken up in the lymphatic system (most immune cells are here) rather than the portal veins and then goes to the thoracic duct to the blood stream so the liposomes can deliver their load inside the cells without using up energy. If you only have access to 1 form of vitamin C, liposomal vitamin C is the best.  However, after taking liposomal Vitamin C, also take the powder vitamin C so that you get the fat soluble and water-soluble forms into the body. One form will enter your cells and detoxify your cells and the other will help eliminate toxins form the bowels.

Most forms of vitamin C are not processed and absorbed efficiently by the body. As a result, much of the Vitamin C is never transferred into the bloodstream and even less of it makes it into your cells where its needed most. This is why, non-liposomal forms of Vitamin C cause diarrhea (colon flush).  Lypo-Spheric VITAMIN C encapsulates the molecules in liposomes made from Essential phospholipids, which protect vitamin C from destruction by your digestive juices. Within minutes of taking this form, liposomes filled with Vitamin C are transported directly into the bloodstream and into the cells. A study was done to prove that Lypo-Spheric vitamin C can combat aging!

You can get any of these forms of vitamin C through IV therapy instead of ingesting them. IV therapy will give you extremely high amounts of vitamin C into the blood and extracellular fluid so it would not cause bowel elimination. You will also get the lymphatic support through IV therapy.

How much vitamin C should you take? 

A good idea is to start with around 4,000 mg of vitamin C on an empty stomach and repeat this every hour until your bowels eliminate. Once that happens, add up how many rounds of 4,000 mg you did and that will be your tolerance level. Going forward, take that amount whenever you like to do a C-flush. If you have extreme toxicity and are sensitive to any sort of detoxes, try doing just 1000 mg first to make sure you dont get a healing crisis.

If you are taking a higher dose of Vitamin C and feel it doesn’t help, its because you aren’t taking ENOUGH and should increase your dose further.

Some extremely sensitive people might flush on 1 or 2 grams (1000-2,000 mg) but some people aren’t able to reach a flush dose, in which case, intravenous regularly is the best thing to do.

Can too much vitamin C cause kidney stones?

If you have kidney FAILURE any water soluble nutrients should be reduced including drinking too much water. However, you cannot overdose on vitamin C.  You can IMPROVE kidney function by increasing vitamin C content (except if you have kidney failure). Harvard did a study that showed that vitamin C won’t make kidney stones but will actually help resolve existing stones. They also showed that the higher your serum levels go, the lower instance of kidney stones you have. Kidney stones are usually composed of calcium oxalate so you need to reduce calcium by eliminating dairy and increase magnesium and vitamin C consumption.

How do you do the C-flush?

If you start working with a C-flush, do it early in the morning before you’ve eaten. This surge of water to the colon builds up a lot of gas really quickly and if there is a food blocking the colon, you could get distention and discomfort in the abdomen.

Consume lighter foods and broth and smoothies during a vitamin C flush. The flush should go for a few weeks however work around your schedule. If you have a day job, diarrhea can be an issue so then you would only do it once a week on the weekend when you’re close to a bathroom.

If you have not started doing this before, you can start with 4 grams in a glass of water first thing in the morning and repeat an hour later and continue to do that hourly until you notice an increase in bowel activity. Once you start to eliminate your bowels, stop taking anymore vitamin C and let things settle. Then determine how much vitamin C it takes for you to get bowel movement. If you did 4 g or 4,000 mg every hour for a total of 4 hours until it triggered a BM, then it means your tolerance is 16,000 mg. The next time you go to do the C-flush, you can take 16,000 mg or 16 g knowing that is your tolerance. Also, make sure to drink a LOT of water to propel the process forward. 

When taking vitamin C regularly without wanting to do a  flush, just divide your ‘tolerance’ dosage by 3 and then take it 3x/day. For example, if your tolerance is 16g, you would take approximately 5.5 g 3x/day to help build immunity without flushing and causing diarrhea. 

Hopefully this was enough information to get you excited about trying a C flush while feeling confidant that you can do it correctly! Our bodies hold onto to so much toxicity that we are exposed to daily and it’s our job to push it out of the body so it does not burden our cells.

21 Replies to “How To Do a Vitamin C Flush & Why You Should”

      1. Is there a specific form of Vitamin C that is better for the C flush? Is it better to use powder vs pill or vice versa?

  1. Thanks for all the info here!
    I noticed the Liveon Labs liposomal vitamin c contains soy. Since I have hashimotos, should I be concerned about the soy if taking 1 packet a day?

    1. Soy lecithin shouldn’t be an issue (it’s actually very good for you) because it is a component within soy that is also within sunflowers, etc. It is the same idea as B-vitamins being present in nuts and leafy green vegetables. It is a compound that is found in many plants. However, if you’re nervous about it, you can use Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Vitamin C liquid instead. It has sunflower lecithin instead of soy lecithin 🙂

  2. Good to know that sugar cravings might be caused by low vitamin C! I love that you clarify vitamin C not causing kidney stones because that’s all youll hear with conventional medicine when you look up high doses of vitamin C. I never knew that liposomal vitamin C has the same membrane on the outside as the cells in your body! This kind of information is so interesting to me! 🙌🏼

  3. I have done these in the past and only had a few flushes. This time it took me a lot longer to get there. The flush is happening long after I have stopped taking the C. Any idea how long it will take to finish? Thanks

    1. You should have bowel elimination everytime you to do it. if youre not getting that, you need to take a higher dose as your tolerance may be higher.

    1. It could be helpful however you would want to check with your practitioner before starting something like this to make sure it is safe for you.

    1. It means your tolerance right now is super low which is OK! You can take a super tiny amount and SLOWLY increase as your body adjusts 🙂

  4. Thanks for the invaluable write-up. can I do vitamin c flush with regular over the counter vitamin c? I’ve searched all chemist shops in my neighborhood but couldn’t find buffered vitamin c. Can o use regular vitamin c for the flush?

    1. Hey! Sorry for the delay! when doing high doses it is best to use to something buffered as it can really affect your teeth and you may get sores in mouth, etc. You can buy buffered online!

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