I'm personally not convinced about vitamin c and heart disease, at least, I wouldn't count on it. But the "ascorbic acid isn't vitamin c, you need the full complex," is quackery. Not that there might not be some benefit to some of that "other stuff" that usually comes with vitamin c from natural sources. Ascorbic acid is vitamin c, and against some natural health claims, is effective against scurvy.


http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/NaturalC.pdf