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A fat-soluble, highly absorbable form of vitamin C; Free-radical fighting antioxidant in skin care products that promotes healthy skin.
Ascorbyl palmitate is a fat-soluble form of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C. Unlike ascorbic acid, which is water-soluble, ascorbyl palmitate is able to be stored in cell membranes until needed by the body.
Ascorbyl palmitate is a synthetic ester comprised of the 16-carbon chain saturated fatty acid palmitic acid and L-ascorbic acid. The ester linkage is at the 6 carbon of ascorbic acid. It is used as an antioxidant in foods, pharmaceuticals, skin care and cosmetics, and is also used as a preservative for the natural oils, oleates, fragrances, colors, vitamins and other edible oils and waxes which are used in pharmaceuticals, skin care, cosmetics and foods.
If ascorbyl palmitate is absorbed intact, it may be expected to be a better antioxidant in the lipid domains of the cell membranes and in LDL than is ascorbic acid. It may also be expected to be a more efficient partner with d-alpha-tocopherol than is ascorbic acid with regard to sparing vitamin E, as well as regenerating it from its radical form.
Many people think vitamin C is only used for immune support, but it has many other important functions. A major role of vitamin C is in manufacturing collagen, a protein that forms the basis of connective tissue (the most abundant tissue in the body). Ascorbyl palmitate is an effective free radical-scavenging antioxidant in skin care which promotes skin health and vitality.
Ascorbic Acid vs. Ascorbyl Palmitate
The simplest and most available form of vitamin C is ascorbic acid. However, the chemical reality of ascorbic acid will always make its bioavailability and absorption a problem because it is water soluble. In the body, the uptake of a water soluble vitamin is quick but its penetration of the cellular membrane is limited. Unlike vitamin E, a fat soluble vitamin, vitamin C is NOT stored in the body, which makes smart supplementation beneficial.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is Readily Absorbed
Ascorbyl palmitate is absorbed quickly by the aqueous environment of our bodies, but because it is fat soluble it also penetrates the bilayer of human cells much more readily.
Additional Benefits of Ascorbyl Palmitate
Ascorbyl palmitate, working at the cell membrane, has been shown to provide antioxidant action potential comparable or even greater than that of vitamin E. It also acts synergistically with vitamin E, helping to regenerate the vitamin E radical on a constant basis.
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