Vitamin C Cleanse and Calibration Using L-Ascorbate*

A vitamin C cleanse involves using a high enough dose of vitamin C to cause a laxative effect. It produces a flush or loose stool, somewhat like a colonic. It does not maintain high levels of vitamin C in the body, but rather cleanses the bowel. It can also be used to calibrate the amount of vitamin C you should be taking each day. Some health professionals suggest doing a cleanse once a week and that's great if you can do it, but even if you can just do it once every two or three weeks or even seasonally that's perfectly fine. And basically the idea is to stay on 75% of the flush dose so the body has a chance to repair.

Printable PDF of the Full Cleanse Instructions

The benefits of a vitamin C cleanse

There are many benefits to be gained from doing a vitamin C cleanse.

• A vitamin C cleanse detoxifies the colon. Just like an enema, vitamin C draws a broad range of toxins that have been stored in the body into the bowel and provides for their removal. This cleanse is not only a colonic cleanse, but it also serves as a full-body cleanse of sorts.
• Vitamin C is a major electron donor, making it an important source of energy within the body. Doing a vitamin C cleanse energizes the cells.
• Vitamin C is the most abundant and effective water-soluble anti-oxidant in the body and doing the vitamin C cleanse charges the body with anti-oxidant activity.
• Most people feel not only lighter and cleaner after the vitamin C cleanse, but they also feel more energized and buoyant.

Start with our Alkalini-C powder

Our Alkalini-C powder is 100% L-ascorbate, which is the biologically active form of vitamin C the body uses. Our vitamin C is also fully reduced to maximize electron donation, and fully buffered to contain the proper balance of the essential buffering minerals, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc. You will find more information on Alkalini-C here. Because we use L-ascorbate at Alkaline for Life, we will refer to vitamin C as ascorbate throughout these instructions.

*WARNING: The following procedure is not intended for other vitamin C products. Please do not do the vitamin C cleanse if you do not have Alkalini-C.

 

USE L-ascorbate: the biologically active form of vitamin C the body uses that is specifically designed to be taken in high doses.

DO NOT USE D-ascorbate: synthetic form of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid: acidic vitamin C.

For more information on the forms of vitamin C, check out our blog Ascorbate vs Ascorbic Acid: Is There a Difference?

The cleanse

It is best to start first thing in the morning with an empty stomach, or eat lightly, especially if this is your first cleanse. Be sure to give yourself the entire day to complete the cleanse. Depending on your body's ascorbate need, the cleanse process can take a few hours or it can take several hours. The process is as follows:

• A relatively healthy person begins with one half-teaspoon of ascorbate (about 1,600 mg) dissolved in 4 to 6 ounces of room temperature water or diluted juice. See our chart below to help determine your starting dose. After the Alkalini-C is fully dissolved (it usually takes about two minutes for the effervescing to stop), drink the water or juice.
• Repeat this process every 15 minutes.
• Continue taking the dose of ascorbate at the proper time interval until you reach an enema-like evacuation of liquid. Once this occurs, stop taking the ascorbate for the rest of the day. It is important that you do not stop at a loose stool. The goal is to energize the body to “flush out” toxins and reduce the risk that toxins may re-circulate and induce future problems.
• If after 4 doses of one half-teaspoon of ascorbate there is no stomach rumbling or gas, double the initial dose and proceed.

REMEMBER: The amount of ascorbate your body needs depends on how quickly your body uses it up. The need for ascorbate can vary substantially from person to person. Some individuals only require a few teaspoons to complete the cleanse while others need several tablespoons spread over several hours. The starting dosage for the cleanse also can vary from individual to individual. See the following charts to help you figure out your appropriate cleanse dose:

STARTING DOSES FOR THE VITAMIN C CLEANSE

Sick/Unhealthy Person ·    6,400 mg (6.4 g) = 2 tsp ·    Every 15 minutes ·    25,600 mg (25.6 g) per hour

Healthy Person ·    1,600 mg (1.6 g) = ½ tsp ·    Every 15 minutes ·    6,400 mg or 6.4 g per hour

Somewhat Healthy Person ·    3,200 mg (3.2 g) = 1 tsp ·    Every 15 minutes ·    12,800 mg (12.8 g) per hour

CAUTION:

• Sometimes people remain bloated for the rest of the day of the cleanse. Occasionally people have loose stools for a day or so after doing the ascorbate cleanse.
• Some people have reported hot stools. If this occurs, you can use a natural salve, such as calendula ointment, to soothe the area. This tends to cease after the first few times you do the cleanse.
• People with hemorrhoids, irritable bowel disease, or inflammatory bowel disease may find that the ascorbate activates their tissues in the healing process. They may need to increase ascorbate and bioflavonoids slowly over time before doing an ascorbate cleanse.

Helpful Hints for Vitamin C Cleanse Give yourself the entire day to complete the cleanse. Drink enough water with each ascorbate dose to keep yourself hydrated. Use room temperature water to dissolve the ascorbate. Allow the ascorbate to fully dissolve before drinking. Take 4 to 6 charcoal capsules if you get excessive gas. For most people, it takes somewhere between 3 to 8 teaspoons of ascorbate to cleanse. It could differ for others. It could be 15, 20, or more than 50 grams depending on your health status and how quickly your body uses up the ascorbate. Many people find that preparing their dissolved ascorbate solution ahead of time in a dark bottle instead of making a new beverage every 15 minutes helps them complete their cleanse more easily and efficiently.

After your cleanse, you should regularly take ascorbate every day. We here at the Center for Better Bones and Alkaline for Life recommend taking the average daily therapeutic dose of ascorbate which is 3,000 to 4,500 mg. For more information on the therapeutic daily dose, see our blog 3 Ways to Determine Your Daily Dose of Vitamin C.

The ascorbate calibration technique

Some of you may choose to take the cleanse one step further and use it to calibrate your maximum daily ascorbate dose based on the results of your cleanse. Essentially, you do not want the cleanse dose every day, but rather 75% of the cleanse dose. After a few weeks, you can redo your cleanse and recalibrate again. If you’re interested in the vitamin C calibration technique, see our printable detailed instructions.

Related reading: 3 WAYS TO DETERMINE YOUR DAILY DOSE OF VITAMIN C

CAUTION: The vitamin C calibration should be done under the guidance a health professional familiar with high-dose ascorbate and ascorbate cleansing.