Evidence:Reasonable Possible Benefits: Reasonable Safety: Reasonable
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is citric acid?
Citric acid, also known as citrate, is a type of acid often used as a dietary supplement for improving digestion, nutrient absorption, gut health, and overall health. This article is about the main benefits of citric acid, its potential side effects, the best time to take it, and more.
Possible benefits
All of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. As with most other supplements, there is a sweet-spot dose that allows you to get most of the benefits without causing meaningful side effects or tolerance buildup in the body. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.
Major benefits
Improved nutrient absorption – Because of its acidic properties, citric acid can increase the absorption of many minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and copper, which is why these nutrients are often sold in citrate forms, which tend to be significantly more bioavailable than other forms, such as oxide and gluconate. Citric acid can also increase the absorption of some phytonutrients, such as EGCG from green tea.
Minor benefits
Improved digestion – This supplement can slightly improve the digestion of food. This is especially the case for people experiencing constipation and indigestion.
Improved blood glucose levels – This benefit is most notable when you take citric acid before a meal rich in carbohydrates. The carbohydrates will take longer to digest, leading to a smaller blood sugar spike.
Reduced appetite – Apple cider vinegar can make you feel fuller and less hungry, especially when you take it before a meal.
Weight loss – 15-30 mL of ACV daily can lead to a small but reliable weight-reducing effect. This benefit seems secondary to reduced appetite and food consumption.
Reduced triglycerides – Two human studies found notable reductions in triglycerides following ACV supplementation while one study found a small increase. More research is needed to determine the impact of ACV on triglycerides.
Possible side effects
The side effects below are dose-dependent. The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.
Yellowing of teeth – Citric acid is acidic, which means it can damage the enamel and make the teeth yellower.
Reduced muscle mass – This side effect of apple cider vinegar is secondary to reduced food consumption.
Gastrointestinal side effects – Because of its acidic properties, high amounts of citric acid may damage the gastrointestinal tract.
Increased CRP – Apple cider vinegar was found in one study to slightly increase C-reactive protein, one of the main markers of inflammation. The reason for this effect is unclear.
Allergic reaction – An allergy to this supplement is rare but possible.
Toxicity – While acute toxicity is extremely rare, taking high amounts of this supplement could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. Regularly taking high doses can also cause the body to develop a tolerance to the supplement. To prevent chronic toxicity or the buildup of tolerance, staying below 5 grams in a day is best unless you have a great reason to take more.
Contamination – Contaminated supplements are uncommon in the USA and other well-regulated countries. However, if you wish to buy products from China, India, or other countries without strict regulations, beware that the supplements may be contaminated. Either way, you need to choose the brand you order from wisely. Always read through some reviews for the specific product before you buy it. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has the power to regulate dietary supplements but can only do so after they have been on the market for a while. That’s because supplement companies are not obligated to announce to the FDA when releasing a new product. The FDA has to discover the product and test it for potential impurities, which can take a lot of time. During that time, the supplement can be sold on the market even if it’s impure. Also, supplement companies can change their manufacturers without announcing it to the FDA.
Who should not take citric acid?
You should probably avoid taking citric acid if you:
have vulnerable teeth
are allergic to this supplement
experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the supplement
are pregnant or breastfeeding (while it can be safe to take this supplement during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it can put some unnecessary risk to the child)
Who will benefit the most?
You should consider taking the supplement if you:
often get constipated
cannot digest food well
are trying to lose weight
recently went through an antibiotic cycle
tend to overeat
wish to improve gut health and general health
experience symptoms of ulcerative colitis
How much citric acid should you take?
The sweet spot dose typically ranges between 1-2 grams daily for most people. This amount should provide most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.
The higher end of this range usually provides slightly more benefits in the short term. If you plan to take this supplement for a longer time (multiple months or years), the lower end is probably a better way to go since it is safer, and you would develop tolerance faster if you were to take higher doses.
The upper safety limit for this supplement is not well-established. To stay on the safe side, don’t take more than the recommended dose unless you have a great reason to do so. Higher amounts may cause problems if you take the supplement for a prolonged period.
Like most other supplements, it is best to cycle citric acid and take about two days off weekly to reset your tolerance. That will allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.
Best time to take citric acid
The best time to take citric acid for improving digestion is about 30 minutes before eating a meal.
Whether you take the supplement in the morning or the evening does not make much difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.
If you drink green tea or other types of tea, it is best to consume some citric acid with it to enhance the absorption of EGCG and other catechins.
Interactions
Iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and other minerals Because of its acidic properties, citric acid can greatly enhance the absorption of these and a few other minerals.
Green tea Citric acid can greatly increase the absorption of EGCG and possibly other catechins in green tea and other types of tea from the Camellia sinensis plant, such as black and oolong tea.
Where to buy citric acid?
In most countries, Amazon is the best option for ordering citric acid supplements. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the Internet.
Some brands display the dosage per serving instead of per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.
FAQ
Like most other supplements, it is best to cycle citric acid and take a break from it for about two days per week to reset your tolerance back to baseline. That will keep your body sensitive to the supplement and allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.
Yes. Whether you take the supplement in the morning or the evening does not make much difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.
This supplement should not become harmful once it exceeds the expiration date. However, it can become moldy or lose potency over time. Keep this supplement in a cold, dark, and dry place so it remains as potent for many months or even years.
While acute toxicity is rare, taking very high amounts of this supplement could lead to various problems over time. High doses can also make you develop tolerance much faster than lower doses.
While you could safely take higher doses, there is usually no point in taking more than 5 grams daily. This amount should give you most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.
Unfortunately, not much is known about the half-life of citric acid in the body. However, most of the effects of this supplement are cumulative, so they mainly happen in the long term rather than acutely. Therefore, the half-life of this supplement isn’t very relevant in practice.
Citric acid may acutely improve your digestion and blood glucose levels shortly after you start taking it. In the long term, you must take the supplement for about 2-4 weeks to begin noticing most of the benefits.
Yes, citric acid is vegan-friendly. If you buy the supplement in a capsulated form, beware that the capsules often contain animal-based gelatin. Instead, find a brand that puts its products into cellulose capsules.
The supplement should not interfere with fasting in any significant way.
References
Most of the information in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We highly encourage you to use the library to verify anything you read in this article. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.
