What does vitamin C do?

A-scorbic acid means anti-scorbutic or anti scurvy. Scurvy is vitamin C deficiency, early symptoms are fatigue, sore muscles and after longer periods red blood cells decrease, gum disease appear, loss of hair and bleeding from skin can occur. Dr. Linus Pauling, chemist, biochemist and chemical engineer won 2 noble prize in 1954. He discovered the importance of vitamin C in cardiovascular disease, cancer, influenza and age related diseases. Unfortunately his findings have been ignored and rejected by conventional medicine for a very long time.

It is a powerful antioxidant due to its ability to donate electrons to oxidized molecules. It defends our body from oxidative damage, protects lipids, proteins and DNA/RNA from daily oxidative stress.

Viruses and bacteria survive by using glucose as their food . Vitamin C resembles to glucose molecule as shown in the diagram below. Therefore, they attach to vitamin C and get zapped literally !

Vitamin C in very high doses acts as anti viral drug. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacteria, anti-histamine, anti-thrombotic, antioxidant, antipyretic (anti-fever) and an immunomodulator . Because of its anti inflammatory quality it prevents the cytokine storm during a severe infection. The anti viral quality of vitamin C has to do with being free radical scavenger. Other properties of vitamin C are; wounds and burns healing, making neurotransmitter, blood vessel formation , lowering cortisol, protects us from heart disease, helps vision, reducing acne, preventing loss of collagen (wrinkles), lessens cognitive decline and much more benefits.

Vitamin C is water soluble and carried to all over the body and what it is needed will be used by cells, the rest will be excreted through urine. Unlike most animals, humans can not produce vitamin C which means we need to have sufficient amount of it daily from diet or supplementation to combat infections. According to Dr.J. Mercola whenever the immune system is challenged by an infections, disease or physical trauma the requirement for this vitamin increases as much as 10-fold.

In Ortho Molecular news numerous practitioners have used high doses of intravenous vitamin C as part of treatment in severe respiratory viral infections ( covid 19 or other viral infections ) with promising results (see orthomolecular.org)

The protocol for IV mega dose of vitamin C during severe Covid-19 infection was published in Chinese Medical Association which is 200 mg of vitamin C per kg of body weight daily.

The Lancet: Respiratory Medicine in March 2020 stated, “ Rescue therapy with high dose of vitamin C can also be considered in patients with respiratory failure from ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) caused by COVID-19.”

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine : vitamin C enhances the immune system by increasing lymphocytes proliferation, natural killer activities and stimulates leukocytes function and reducing the cytokine storm.

Cytokine storm is one of the serious complications and death from Covid-19 infection The Journal of Critical Care in February 2018 found that administering vitamin C plus the standard care combats inflammation and and stabilize heart rate in patients with sepsis.

Only people with rare hereditary disorder called G6PD deficiency should take vitamin C under supervision of an immunologist.