Vitamin C

Vitamin C Health Care & Disease Control

The Master Nutrient

Vitamin C - What can it do for you?
A Strong Immune System
Requires Vitamin C
Vitamin C, arguably the most famous of all the vitamins, is essential for general good health and well-being. Some of the many important biochemical reactions and processes that require vitamin C are: normal growth and development; collagen formation for strong connective tissue and healthy skin; healing and repair of wounds or surgery; adrenal gland function and hormone production (especially important in times of high stress and/or inflammation); proper cholesterol metabolism; bile production for adequate digestion; alcohol, drug, and smoking detoxification; protecting the body's cells from the damaging effects of pollution and substances called "free radicals"; adequate dietary iron absorption; and immune function. Vitamin C's role in supporting the body’s response to infection may be its most illustrious property.

Immune Function Support
Factors known to help our bodies fight infection include: eating a balanced diet consisting of high fiber, high complex carbohydrates, and moderate protein in the form of fresh, whole, unprocessed foods; good psychological health achieved through stress control, positive thinking, visualization, and rewarding activity; and good physical conditioning through aerobic exercise, passive stretching, adequate sleep, rest, and relaxation.
Since the publishing of Dr. Linus Pauling's book, Vitamin C and the Common Cold, almost 25 years ago, many people have sworn by large doses of vitamin C as one of the ways to help keep from getting sick. Some scientific data suggests that vitamin C is associated with a reduced incidence of the common cold; however, more significantly, several studies indicate that it is associated with a shortened duration and a lessening in the severity of symptoms. Although more study is needed to clearly establish the role of vitamin C, the following summary of current knowledge is very encouraging.
Some studies have indicated that vitamin C may help increase the activity of specific white blood cells, the cells involved in fighting infection. It has been observed that in the presence of vitamin C, white blood cell movement may be stimulated, as may be their ability to destroy bacteria. It has also been noted that certain virus growth may be inhibited when vitamin C is present.

Optimal Benefit From Vitamin C
Because of this kind of research, and often a positive personal experience, many people regularly take vitamin C. But human beings face a significant problem in trying to ensure that adequate vitamin C is available when the body needs it. Unlike many animals, the human body lacks the ability to manufacture vitamin C. Having this ability affords animals a distinct advantage because they automatically produce more when more is needed.
For example, goats will manufacture a remarkable 600% more vitamin C to meet their needs during times of physical stress. Humans must depend on diet or vitamin C supplements to supply their needs. This being the case, many people may wonder "what is the best way to help ensure that my body will absorb and utilize an adequate level of vitamin C when I need it most?" The answer is clear: by providing a form of the vitamin that is easily absorbed, well-tolerated, and effective.

Choosing the Best form of Vitamin C for You
Basic vitamin C, called ascorbic acid due to its acid nature can sometimes irritate the mouth and stomach and cause gas and diarrhoea when taken in moderate to high quantities. A well-tolerated form of vitamin C is a blend of mineral ascorbates. A mineral ascorbate is vitamin C bonded to a mineral such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc. It makes the vitamin C less acidic and therefore less irritating to the stomach and intestine.

MET125 Rev. 5/98
Š Advanced Nutrition Publications, Inc., rev. 1998
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More on Vitamin C

Scientific research in humans showed that persons afflicted with cancer usually exhibit deficiencies in serum vitamin C and supplemental intravenous vitamin C increases the lifespan of persons diagnosed with terminal cancer. In particular Vitamin C protects against bl disorderer cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer, Laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, pharyngeal cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer and stomach cancer.

Vitamin C can shorten the duration of the symptoms of glandular fever and reduces the susceptibility to infection by Helicobacter pylori. all infections increase the need for extra vitamin C even up to 100g per day. Candida Albicans destroys vitamin C and therefore it is essential that candida patients supplement at least 3g of vitamin C daily in divided dose.

Many people may still believe they can get all of the vitamin C they need from citrus fruits or even tomatoes. That is another present-day myth. Most supermarket fruit is picked green and lacks vitamin C and bioflavonoids. The same applies to tomatoes.

Recommended dosage of vitamin C complex (including bioflavonoids) :

Infants -     50mg daily
Children 5-12 years -    100mg daily in divided dose
Young people and adults -   1000mg daily in divided dose.

At the first sign of infection, increase dosage to 500mg hourly until symptoms subside. If diarrhoea occurs, tissue saturation has been reached (unlikely at this dosage), reduce dosage by 50%.

WARNING. Chewable tablets will damage tooth enamel within one minute of chewing. Rinse and swallow immediately after chewing vitamin C tablets and under no circumstances brush teeth for at least one hour after chewing vitamin C tablets.

References: There are today many thousands of medical references for vitamin C. Hereunder are just a few for its beneficial effect on immune function.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Vitamin C
Harakeh, S., et al. Suppression of human immunodeficiency virus replication by ascorbate in chronically and acutely infected cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 87:7245-7249, 1990.
Cancer and Vitamin C
Block, G. Vitamin C and cancer prevention: the epidemiologic evidence. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 53(suppl):270S-282S, 1991.
Cameron, E., et al. Supplemental ascorbate in the supportive treatment of cancer. Reevaluation of prolongation of survival times in terminal human cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 75:4538-4542, 1978.
Cameron, E., et al. Ascorbic acid and cancer: A review. Cancer Research. 39:663-681, 1979.
Pauling, L., et al. Supplemental ascorbate in the supportive treatment of cancer: Prolongation of survival times in terminal human cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 73(10):3685-3689, 1976.
Bl disorderer Cancer and Vitamin C
Bruemmer, B., et al. Nutrient intake in relation to bl disorderer cancer among middle-aged men and women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 144(5):485-495, 1996.
Maurer, K. Vitamins may prevent bl disorderer cancer recurrence. Family Practice News. 15 December 1995, page 12.
Breast Cancer and Vitamin C
Howe, G. R., et al. Dietary factors and risk of breast cancer: Combined analysis of 12-case control studies. J Natl Cancer Inst. 82:561-569, 1990.
Colon Cancer and Vitamin C
Schiffman, M. H. Diet and fecal genotoxicity. Cancer Surv. 6:653-672, 1987.
Larynx Cancer and Vitamin C
Graham, S., et al. Dietary factors in the epidemiology of cancer of the larynx. American Journal of Epidemiology. 113(6):675-680, 1981.
Lung Cancer and Vitamin C
Bandera E. V., et al. Diet and alcohol consumption and lung cancer risk in the New York State Cohort. Cancer Causes Control. 8(6):828-840, 1997.
Prostate Cancer and Vitamin C
Prostate. 32(3):188-195, 1997.
Stomach Cancer and Vitamin C
O’Connor, H. J., et al. Effect of increased intake of vitamin C on the mutagenic activity of gastric juice and intragastric concentrations of ascorbic acid. Carcinogenesis. 6(11):1675-1676, 1985.
Zhang, H. M., et al. Vitamin C inhibits the growth of a bacterial risk factor for gastric carcinoma: Helicobacter pylori. Cancer. 80(10):1897-1903, 1997.
Zheng, W., et al. Retinol, antioxidant vitamins, and cancers of the upper digestive tract in a prospective cohort study of Postmenopausal women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 142(9):955-960, 1995.
Common Cold and Vitamin C
Bates, C. J. Vitamin C intake and susceptibility to the common cold - invited commentaries. British Journal of Nutrition. 78(5):857-859, 1997.
Carr, A. B., et al. Vitamin C and the common cold: Using identical twins as controls. Medical Journal of Australia. 2:411-412, 1981.
Carr, A. B., et al. Vitamin C and the common cold: A second MZ cotwin control study. Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemellologiae. 30:249-255, 1981.
Hemila, H. Vitamin C and the common cold: A retrospective analysis of Chalmer’s review. J Am Coll Nutr. 14:116-123, 1995.
Hemila, H. Vitamin C and the common cold. Br J Nutr. 67:3-16, 1992.
Hemila, H. Vitamin C and common cold incidence: A review of studies with subjects under heavy physical stress. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 17(5):379-383, 1996.
Pauling, L. Ascorbic acid and the common cold. Medical Tribune. 24:1, 1976.
Schorah, C. J. Vitamin C intake and susceptibility to the common cold - invited commentaries. British Journal of Nutrition. 78(5):859-861, 1997.
Glandular Fever and Vitamin C
Dalton, W. L. Massive doses of vitamin C in the treatment of viral disease. J Indiana State Med Assoc. 55:1151-1154, 1962.
Helicobacter pyrlori and Vitamin C
Goodman, K. J., et al. Nutritional factors and Helicobacter pylori infection in Colombian children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.25(5):507-515, 1997.
Zhang, H. M., et al. Vitamin C inhibits the growth of a bacterial risk factor for gastric carcinoma: Helicobacter pylori. Cancer. 80(10):1897-1903, 1997.
Hepatitis A and Vitamin C
Baetgen, D. Results of the treatment of epidemic hepatitis in children with high doses of ascorbic acid for the years 1957-1958. Medizinische Monatchrift. 15:30-36, 1961.
Viral Hepatitis and Vitamin C
Baur, H., et al. Treatment of hepatitis with infusions of ascorbic acid: Comparison with other therapies. JAMA. 156:565, 1954.
Klenner, F. R. Observations on the dose of administration of ascorbic acid when employed beyond the range of a vitamin in human pathology. J Applied Nutr. 23:61-88, 1971.
Herpes Simplex Viruses and Vitamin C
Holden, M., et al. In vitro action of synthetic crystalline vitamin C (ascorbic acid) on herpes virus. Journal of Immunology. 31:455-462, 1936.
Holden, M., et al. Further experiments on inactivation of herpes by vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid). Journal of Immunology. 33:251-257, 1936.
IgA and Vitamin C
Prinz, W. The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on some parameters of human immunological defence system. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutritional Research. 47:248-256, 1977.
IgG and Vitamin C
Prinz, W. The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on some parameters of human immunological defence system. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutritional Research. 47:248-256, 1977.
Vallance, S. Relationships between ascorbic acid and serum proteins of the immune system. British Medical Journal. 2:437-438, 1977.
IgM and Vitamin C
Prinz, W. The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on some parameters of human immunological defence system. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutritional Research. 47:248-256, 1977.
Vallance, S. Relationships between ascorbic acid and serum proteins of the immune system. British Medical Journal. 2:437-438, 1977.
Interferons and Vitamin C
Dahl, H., et al. The effect of ascorbic acid on production of human interferon and the antiviral activity in vitro. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavia. 84(5):280-284, 1976.
Thomas, W. R., et al. Vitamin C and immunity: an assessment of the evidence. Clinical Experimental Immunology. 32:370-379, 1978.
Lymphocytes and Vitamin C
Yonemoto, R. H., et al. Enhanced lymphocyte blastogenesis by oral ascorbic acid. Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research. 17:288, 1976.
Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology. 19(3):291-312, 1997.
Viral Meningitis and Vitamin C
Destro, R. L., et al. An appraisal of vitamin C in adjunct therapy of bacterial and viral meningitis. Clin Ped. 16:936, 1977.
Neutrophils and Vitamin C
Anderson, R. Assessment of oral ascorbate in three children with chronic granulomatous disease and defective neutrophil motility over a two-year period. Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 43:180-188, 1981.
Washko, P., et al. Ascorbic acid and human neutrophils. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 54:1221S-7S, 1991.
NK Lymphocytes and Vitamin C
Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology. 19(3):291-312, 1997.
Medical Updates: Vitamin C enhances immune function. Life Extension. 4(7):26, 1998.
Phagocytes and Vitamin C
Horrobin, D. F., et al. The nutritional regulation of T lymphocyte function. Medical Hypotheses. 5:969-985, 1979.
Polio Viruses and Vitamin C
Jungeblut, C. W. Inactivation of poliomyelitis virus by crystalline vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Journal of Experimental Medicine. 62:517-521, 1935.
Jungeblut, C. W. Further observations on vitamin C therapy in experimental poliomyelitis. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 65:127-146, 1937.
Jungeblut, C. W. A further contribution to the vitamin C therapy in experimental poliomyelitis. Journal of Experimental Medicine
70:327, 1939.
Rhinoviruses and Vitamin C
Schwerdt, P. R., et al. Effect of ascorbic acid on rhinovirus in WI-38 cells. Proc Soc Biol Med. 148:1237, 1975.
Viruses and Vitamin C
Dahl, H., et al. The effect of ascorbic acid on production of human interferon and the antiviral activity in vitro. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavia. 84(5):280-284, 1976.
White Blood Cells and Vitamin C
Anderson, R. Effects of ascorbate on normal and abnormal leukocyte functions. Vitamin C: New Clinical Applications in Immunology. Lipid Metabolism and Cancer. 1-178, 1982.
Boxer, L. A., et al. Correction of leukocyte function in Chediak-Higashi syndrome by ascorbate. New England Journal of Medicine. 295:1041-1045, 1976.
Boxer, L. A., et al. Enhancement of chemotactic response and microtubule assembly in human leukocytes by ascorbic acid. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 100:119-126, 1979.