NOW Foods Vitamin C-1000 500 Veg Capsules

What it is

NOW Foods C-1000 is a dietary supplement supplying 1,000 mg of vitamin C, as ascorbic acid, in each vegetarian capsule, sold here in the 500-capsule bottle. The front of the pack also names 100 mg of bioflavonoids, and the Supplement Facts panel adds a third listed item, 25 mg of rutin. One capsule is a full serving, so this bottle holds 500 servings. The capsule shell is hypromellose rather than gelatin, and the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan and Non-GMO. The whole formula sits on one panel, with no proprietary blend — one of the more straightforward labels to read in our Supplements range.

What is on the Supplement Facts panel

The panel lists three items against a serving size of one veg capsule.

• Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid), 1 g (1,000 mg). Ascorbic acid is the chemical name for vitamin C, and the panel names the form explicitly rather than leaving it open. It is water-soluble, which is why it is filled as a dry powder rather than an oil. The printed Daily Value of 1111% is arithmetic you can check: the adult Daily Value on US supplement labels is 90 mg, and 1,000 divided by 90 is 11.11. The NIH fact sheet on vitamin C gives general background on the nutrient and the reference values behind that column.
• Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex, 100 mg. Citrus bioflavonoids are concentrated in the peel and in the white pith — the albedo layer between peel and segments — far more than in the juice. The complex is an extract of that material, which makes it a by-product of commercial juicing rather than a separate crop.
• Rutin (from Sophora japonica Flower Bud), 25 mg. Rutin is a flavonoid glycoside: the compound quercetin bound to a sugar called rutinose. Sophora japonica, the Japanese pagoda tree, is the usual commercial source because its unopened flower buds are unusually rich in it. Rutin also occurs in buckwheat, apple skin, asparagus and black tea.

The last two carry a dagger rather than a percentage. That points to the footnote "Daily Value not established" — the FDA has set no reference intake for those substances, so there is no percentage to print. The amount is still disclosed in full, which is the opposite of a proprietary blend.

Supplement Facts

Other ingredients: Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Silicon Dioxide.

The four other ingredients

• Hypromellose is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a plant cellulose polymer. It is not mixed into the powder — it is the capsule shell itself, and it is why this product can be marked Vegetarian/Vegan where a gelatin capsule could not.
• Ascorbyl palmitate is an ester of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid. It sits among the other ingredients rather than in the panel above, so it is a formulation component and is not counted toward the 1,000 mg figure.
• Stearic acid (vegetable source) is a fatty acid used as a flow agent, helping powder move evenly through filling equipment. The panel specifies the vegetable source — the detail that matters to a vegan buyer, since stearic acid can also be rendered from animal fat.
• Silicon dioxide is silica, used in tiny quantities to stop fine powder clumping. It is the most common anti-caking agent in the industry.

The NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database shows how other products set out the same kind of panel.

Why the 500-capsule bottle

This is the largest size in the range, and the practical difference is how long one container stays open. At one capsule daily, 500 capsules is roughly a sixteen-month supply — a size for someone who has already settled on a routine rather than someone trying the format. Three things follow:

• The label's storage line, "Store in a cool, dry place after opening", does more work here than on a small bottle, because the contents stay in the container far longer. A cupboard away from the stove and off a sunny windowsill is the sensible spot.
• Keep the cap firmly closed. A cellulose capsule shell is sensitive to humidity, and a bottle opened daily for well over a year sees a lot of room air.
• The panel prints "Natural color variation may occur in this product." Ascorbic acid powder and a citrus extract are not dyed to a fixed shade, so capsules from different production runs can differ slightly in tone — worth knowing before comparing a new bottle against an old one.

How to use it

The label's Suggested Usage reads, in full: "Take 1 capsule daily." Store in a cool, dry place after opening, as printed on the back panel. If you take other supplements or a multivitamin, it is worth checking the combined amounts across everything you take rather than reading one label in isolation.

Who it's for

This is a dietary supplement for adults 18 and over who want a single-nutrient vitamin C capsule at the 1,000 mg level, in the largest bottle size. The vegetarian shell makes it usable by people who avoid gelatin, and the front panel is marked Vegetarian/Vegan and Non-GMO. It suits someone who prefers a capsule to a chewable or powder. Browse the rest of the Antioxidants range or the wider Health & Wellness section for other formats. Anyone pregnant or nursing, taking prescription medication, or managing a medical condition should speak to a licensed healthcare professional first.

Good to know

• Allergen statement, as printed: "Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens." The second sentence matters as much as the first — the product is not made with those allergens, but the facility handles them, which is the distinction a buyer with a severe allergy needs.
• Where it is made: the panel reads "Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients."
• Manufacturer: NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA. The same panel carries the line "Family owned since 1968."
• Certification: the bottle carries a GMP Quality Assured mark, and a manufacturer information card in this gallery shows the Intertek GMP Certification mark, stating that Intertek audits the NOW manufacturing process including its laboratory and testing methods.
• Reading the asterisk: the front of this bottle carries statements marked with an asterisk. The FDA explains what that mark signifies on its structure/function claims page.
• Caution, as printed: "For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children."

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does the 500-capsule bottle contain?

It contains 500 vegetarian capsules, and one capsule is one full serving, so the bottle holds 500 servings. At the label's one-capsule-daily usage that works out to about a sixteen-month supply.

Is this capsule suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes — the shell is hypromellose, a cellulose polymer derived from plants, and the front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan. There is no gelatin, the animal-derived material used in conventional capsule shells, and the panel specifies that the stearic acid is from a vegetable source.

What is rutin, and why does it show a dagger instead of a percentage?

Rutin is a flavonoid glycoside — quercetin bound to a sugar called rutinose — sourced here from the flower buds of Sophora japonica, the Japanese pagoda tree. The dagger points to the footnote "Daily Value not established": the FDA has set no reference intake for rutin, so there is no percentage to calculate. The amount, 25 mg, is disclosed in full.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain outer packaging with no product imagery and nothing on the outside describing the contents. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.