No. Vitamin C is ascorbic acid. Citric acid does have some iron binding properties but the amounts added to foods are fairly small. It is impossible to avoid all vitamin C and it really shouldn't be totally avoided, as almost all thals are deficient. I suggest relying on foods for C and only taking a supplement with desferal. Vitamin C creates a real paradox for thals and there is a definite need for more research into its effects on thals. The research showing it to cause a danger to the heart is somewhat suspect because it is based solely on limited observations, and really needs to be investigated more throughly.