Vitamin C: A Game Changer

By Andrea Bartels CNP NNCP RNT Registered Nutritional Therapist 27 Jul 2020

Vitamin C: A Game Changer

There are several ways that vitamin C fights infectious agents. It enhances the production and proliferation of both B and T lymphocytes, immune cells involved in response to infection. It improves the mobility of phagocytes-the cells that 'eat' pathogens and infected tissue. Additionally, vitamin C is involved in antibody production against pathogens, so that we have immunity to them the next time they come around. Further, as an antioxidant, this vitamin also regenerates other antioxidants like glutathione and vitamin E-resulting in even greater protection against the oxidative stress caused by the inflammatory response to infection. Finally, in high doses, ascorbic acid has also been shown to be toxic to certain pathogens and abnormal cells. Put all these talents together, and you can see how valuable vitamin C is to our immune systems.

In a clinical trial of 715 students aged 18 to 32 years of age, 252 students took 1000 milligrams of vitamin C for the first 6 hours once cold and flu symptoms set in, then 3 times daily after that. Compared to the control group-who took pain relievers and decongestants instead-the Vitamin C -treated students experienced an 85 percent reduction in symptoms.

In a randomized controlled double-blind trial, 57 elderly patients that were admitted to hospital with acute bronchitis or bronchopneumonia were given either 200 milligrams of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or placebo daily. The results: those who actually took the vitamin C had significantly better symptom improvement than those taking placebo.

In a meta-analysis of 18 controlled trials involving a total of 2004 patients, the length of stay in the ICU was reduced in those given supplementary vitamin C due to improvements in their status). What's more, those patients who were put on ventilators for over 24 hours and were given C simultaneously had an 18.2 percent reduction in duration of ventilation (with improvements in their condition). Considering the poor survival rate of ventilated COVID-19-positive patients have had during the COVID-19 pandemic, hopefully this data will inspire further study within the context of the pandemic.

There are a multitude of studies that show similar results, and we can't ignore the exciting recent observations of a highly published doctor, Paul Merik, MD. The doctor, who has treated hundreds of patients with sepsis---a condition in which bacteria has infected the bloodstream-decided that the mortality rate from the condition was unacceptably high in today's modern world. He began treating his septic patients with an intravenously-delivered combination of the anti-inflammatory drug hydrocortisone, vitamin B-1 (thiamine) and vitamin C. After successfully curing 25 septic patients, he began sharing his successful results and protocol with other doctors. By 2017, Merik had saved the lives of all but one of the 150 septic patients he'd treated with his vitamin C - containing cocktail!

What these reports demonstrate is that vitamin C supplementation effectively enhances recovery from different kinds of viral and bacterial infections. However, waiting until one is sick to take supplementary nutrients is a missed opportunity. As they say, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Taking Pure Lab Vitamin C on a daily basis helps reduce the risk of insufficiency, and supports the immune system so that it can fulfil its job description to protecting us.

Why Pure Lab Vitamin C is NOT buffered

Some individuals prone to GERD complain that vitamin C triggers the sensation of heartburn, and in these cases a less acidic version of vitamin C like calcium ascorbate is perceived to be the more comfortable choice. However, consider that GERD is associated with an acid-forming diet of processed foods and the latter is associated with calcium LOSS from the bones. Where does this calcium go? Well, consider that conditions such as heel spurs, breast cysts, arthritis, urinary blockage, atherosclerosis and other chronic inflammatory diseases all have in common the calcification of soft tissues. So, the root cause of the acidity cannot be blamed on vitamin C intake; it's the diet that needs attention.

Sodium ascorbate is another, inexpensive way of offering a so-called buffered vitamin C product. But it's not the ideal buffer either, because the standard North American diet already contains excessive amounts of salt. Associated with high salt intake is hypertension, and it is an all too common risk factor for heart and kidney disease.

Also, considering that larger doses of vitamin C are given orally and intravenously by some health practitioners to treat or manage certain health conditions, the cumulative intake of these mineral buffers could create serious imbalances when consumed in combination with dietary sources of calcium and sodium. That's why PLV Vitamin C is pure, unbuffered ascorbic acid. Taken in daily divided doses, side effects of vitamin C are minimized and concern for mineral excesses or imbalances is thereby eliminated. Combined with good hygiene practices, optimizing vitamin C intake is an essential part of maintaining healthy immunity!

References

Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9(11):1211.

Centers for Disease Control. CDC's Second Nutrition Report: A comprehensive biochemical assessment of the nutrition status of the U.S. population. Accessed online July 24, 2020.

Cheng RZ.Can early and high intravenous dose of vitamin C prevent and treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?. Med Drug Discov. 2020;5:100028.

Gorton HC, Jarvis K. The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1999;22(8):530-533.

Hemilä H. Vitamin C and Infections. Nutrients. 2017;9(4):339.

Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C Can Shorten the Length of Stay in the ICU: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):708.

Hunt C., Chakravorty N.K., Annan G., Habibzadeh N., Schorah C.J. The clinical effects of vitamin C supplementation in elderly hospitalised patients with acute respiratory infections. Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res. 1994;64:212-219.

Morrison, Jim. Could Vitamin C be the cure for deadly infections? Smithsonian Magazine, June 27, 2017. Accessed online on July 23, 2020.