Classical Values :: Vitamin C Works As Antibiotic

Vitamin C Works As Antibiotic

The US Government has done some research (1998) on Vitamin C as an antibiotic and found that it works.

This study has shown that 4 weeks daily high dose vitamin C treatment in H. pylori infected patients with chronic gastritis resulted in apparent H. pylori eradication in 30% of those treated. In those patients there was also a highly significant rise in gastric juice total vitamin C concentration which persisted for at least 4 weeks after the treatment ceased. A significant, though less marked, gastric juice total vitamin C concentration increase was observed during vitamin C treatment even in subjects with persistent H. pylori infection, though this was not maintained after treatment ended. The mechanism whereby vitamin C treatment appeared to result in H. pylori eradication is unclear. Further confirmatory studies are indicated.

The studies used a dose of 5 grams a day. I'd like to see a much higher dose used (20 grams a day) and see if that didn't work for a larger percentage of the population.

Of course this study says nothing about Vitamin C and the common cold. Because the common cold is caused by a virus. Still, because of its low toxicity it couldn't hurt.

H/T alexjrgreen at Talk Polywell

Cross Posted at Power and Control

Comments

Which is what Linus Pauling was saying.

Gringo · January 21, 2009 01:23 PM

That's funny. But I sort of knew that.

I was in that weird period in the late 60s early 70s when they didn't take out your tonsils so I still have mine and I get very sick at least once or twice a year from them. I can't count the number of times I've been prescribed sudafed and some "iccilin" in my life but I learned at an early age they didn't really get rid of the cold any sooner so I haven't taken an anti-biotic for a fever/cold since I was about 7. My mother would still take me to the DR, but I just threw the pills away. (chemicals are for recreational use only).

Of course, by the time I got to the Dr. I was already sick with high fever and bad cough so I'm sure that had something to do with it.

What I did learn is that at the first onset if I buy a couple gallons of grapefruit juice and guzzle them down like mad, I'm never as sick as if I don't do that and the disease lasts a lot less time.

Veeshir · January 21, 2009 02:20 PM

The large clinical trial with vitamin E was stopped early, because high dose vitamim E was strongly associated with premature mortality.

dustydog · January 21, 2009 08:42 PM

Vitamin C is awesome. I take 3 g/day.

@dustydog,

The problem with that trial was that Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) depletes Gamma-Tocopherol, which is also necessary. This is pretty well known.

Unfortunately, they used only alpha (400IU) for the trial

rwac · January 21, 2009 10:27 PM

Linus Pauling (yes, that one), claimed the stuff would cure anything in large enough doses. Even wrote a book on it.

Of course, then he went and died of prostate cancer.

But he was 92...

Eric Blair · January 21, 2009 11:03 PM

Grapefruit juice may not be the vitamin C source of choice as it interferes with the the absorbsion (however that's speelled!) of many blood pressure medicines.

I have not seen warnings about such problems with orange juice.

Donna B. · January 22, 2009 05:51 AM

Drinking grapefruit juice while taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs (Lipitor, Zocor, etc) can lead to kidney failure.

Of course, just taking Lipitor can cause kidney failure.

lyndsey · January 24, 2009 05:31 PM

Simon, you might find this interesting:

http://www.vaccinationnews.org/DailyNews/April2001/WhySickVitC-RC.htm

I read that maybe ten years ago. I've had pretty good results with lots of Vitamin C.

Talldave · January 28, 2009 03:40 PM

Dave,

That has been my experience. The tolerance to Vitamin C rises with the severity of the infection.

M. Simon · January 28, 2009 03:54 PM