It is interesting to note that Scurvy, a severe vitamin C deficiency, cannot be reversed with ascorbic acid but can be reversed with paprika or a natural food source vitamin C complex. Szent-Gyorgi, the original discoverer of ascorbic acid, found that it would not cure scurvy; only the natural complex can do that. Isolated ascorbic acid is made from corn sugar (glucose), and it is a naked substance devoid of all the cofactors. The reason ascorbic acid masquerades as vitamin C is for commercial reasons. It is profitable.
Now, of course the ironic thing is that these natural C products are MUCH more expensive than pure AA, so I've taken this with a grain of salt.
Does anyone know if the scurvy statement is true, or where the study is that created that controversy?