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
9 responses to “Vitamin C Works As Antibiotic”
Which is what Linus Pauling was saying.
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.
The large clinical trial with vitamin E was stopped early, because high dose vitamim E was strongly associated with premature mortality.
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
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…
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.
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.
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.
Dave,
That has been my experience. The tolerance to Vitamin C rises with the severity of the infection.