Vitamin C: A Highly Effective Treatment for Colds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, August 17, 2007
Vitamin C: A Highly Effective Treatment for Colds


 A recent and well-publicized review of vitamin C by the Cochrane
 Collaboration has resulted in much misguided discussion in the popular press
 (1). 

 There are important facts that emerge from the review. At least 30
 controlled clinical trials (many double-blind and placebo-controlled)
 involving a total of over 11,000 participants have been conducted. Vitamin C
 in doses ranging from 200 mg to 2,000 mg per day (the dosage range
 used in a large majority of the studies) reduces the duration of colds by
 7% for adults and 15% for children. The data indicates that there is a
 normal dose-response relationship. Vitamin C is more effective the
 higher the dose. The most effective doses are far more than 2,000 mg/day.
 Exclusion of higher-dose studies because they were not placebo
 controlled is not justified.  

 The effectiveness of vitamin C against colds could well provide a
 justification for the Food and Nutrition Board raise the RDA of vitamin C.
 The primary reason for reluctance to take this action is because it
would, for most persons, require vitamin C supplementation or a plant-based
 diet, or both.

 The results of a trial conducted in Japan have just been published (2).
It is a double blind, 5-yr randomized controlled trial involving 439
 participants. The supplemented groups received either 50 or 500 mg/day
of vitamin C.  The study indicates that vitamin C supplementation does
 indeed reduce the frequency of colds. The probability of suffering from
 3 colds over the course of the study period was reduced by 66% in the
 group supplementing at 500 mg/day. 

 For decades, numerous reports from physicians have provided ample
 clinical confirmation about the effectiveness of vitamin C for treating the
 common cold (3-5). Orthomolecular physicians have worked with their
 patients to optimize the dose and have confirmed the conclusions reached
 by the authors of the Cochrane report that higher doses of vitamin C are
 more effective (6). They have concluded that patients will benefit by
 taking as much vitamin C as they can tolerate, and encourage patients
 to balance the benefits of fighting off a cold sooner with the drawback
 of intestinal discomforts. These discomforts are harmless and last at
most for a few hours.  Epidemiological studies associate long-term
 vitamin C supplementation with health benefits and increased longevity. A
 23-year review of collected US poison control center annual reports (7)
 tells a remarkable and largely ignored story: vitamin C is
extraordinarily safe. 

 We are confident that the RDA/DRI for vitamin C will eventually be
 raised. It is just a matter of time. 

 References

[1] Douglas RM, Hemil� H, Chalker E, Treacy B. Vitamin C for
 preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic
 Reviews, 2007. Issue 3.
  http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/

CD000980/abstract.html
[2] Sasazuki S, Sasaki S, Tsubono Y, Okubo S, Hayashi M, Tsugane S.
  Effect of vitamin C on common cold: randomized controlled trial.
  European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006.  60(1), 9-17.
[3] Cathcart RF. Vitamin C, titrating to bowel tolerance, asascorbemia
 and acute induced scurvy. Medical Hypotheses, 1981. 7:1359-1376.
 http://www.orthomed.com/titrate.htm 
[4] Klenner FR. Significance of high daily intake of ascorbic acid in
 preventive medicine. Megascorbic therapies: Vitamin C in medicine. Vol
 1, 1. http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/news.htm See also: Saul AW.
 Hidden in plain sight: The pioneering work of Frederick Robert Klenner,
 M.D.. J Orthomolecular Med, 2007. Vol 22, No 1, p 31-38.
 http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerbio.html 
[5] Smith LH, Klenner FR. Clinical guide to the use of vitamin C.
 http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/198x/smith-lh-clinical_guide_1988.htm
[6] Levy, Thomas E.  Curing the Incurable:  Vitamin C, Infectious
 Diseases, and Toxins.  Livon Books, 2002. ISBN-10 1401069630
[7] http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v03n04.shtml 

 Linus Pauling defined orthomolecular medicine as "the treatment of
 disease by the provision of the optimum molecular environment, especially
 the optimum concentrations of substances normally present in the human
 body." Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy
 to fight illness. For more information: http://www.orthomolecular.org

 The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit
 and non-commercial informational resource.

 Editorial Review Board:

Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.
Harold D. Foster, Ph.D.
Bradford Weeks, M.D.
Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
Erik Paterson, M.D.
Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D.
Steve Hickey, Ph.D.

 Andrew W. Saul, Editor and contact person. email:
 drsaul@doctoryourself.com .

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It is advised to always seek
the advice from your family holistic physician before starting any new herbal or nutritional program.

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