Why Vitamin C Is Important?
The problems referred to as scurvy and associated with the lack of vitamin C had been quite prevalent for centuries. Some of the most notable stories are those of the British sailors who often died from scurvy on sea. Fresh fruit was known to cure scurvy by 1753, and Vitamin C was first isolated in 1928, and its structure was determined in 1933.
High dose vitamin C therapy was initially introduced in the early 1940’s by Frederick R. Klenner, MD, who had successfully treated over 30 various medical conditions, including chicken pox, measles, mumps, tetanus and polio with mega doses of Sodium Ascorbate vitamin C.
“From 1943 through 1947,” writes Robert Landwehr (3), “Dr. Klenner reported successful treatment of 41 more cases of viral pneumonia using massive doses of vitamin C. From these cases he learned what dosage and route of administration – intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally – was best for each patient. Dr. Klenner gave these details in a February 1948 paper published in the Journal of Southern Medicine and Surgery entitled ‘Virus Pneumonia and Its Treatment with Vitamin C.’ (4) This article was the first of Dr. Klenner’s twenty-eight (through 1974) scientific publications.”
Dr. Klenner’s High Dose IV Vitamin C treatment protocol was later expanded by Dr. Robert Cathcart, MD, who had successfully treated over 25,000 patients with mega doses Sodium Ascorbate IVC.
Dr. Cathcart, although trained as an orthopedic surgeon, is best known for his accomplishments in orthomolecular medicine. Nobel Prize laureate Linus Pauling coined the term “orthomolecular” to describe nutrition and preventative medicine. Dr. Cathcart believed that high doses of vitamin C, acting as a “free radical scavenger,” could decrease most of the morbidity and all of the mortality resulting from viral diseases ranging from the simple cold to complex hepatitis.
In the early 1970s, desperate to find a treatment for his chronic hay fever and stuffy nose, he discovered the merits of vitamin C after reading Pauling”s “Vitamin C and the Common Cold.” Dr. Cathcart became fascinated with the idea that with the onset of a viral illness, the body can process increased amounts of vitamin C without causing its most common side effect, diarrhea. His research led him to develop the “Bowel Tolerance Theory of Vitamin C,” a concept that the more potent the viral disease, the higher the dosage of vitamin C that can be utilized for treatment.
Over the years various studies have demonstrated its value in addressing a broad spectrum of chronic conditions for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties. Furthermore, it’s been shown that Vitamin C is essential for peak functioning of the immune system and has been found to stabilize the normal state of cells by reducing virus production and promoting synthesis of various proteins.
Amongst its many benefits, Vitamin C reduces the impact of STRESS on the immune system, improves hemoglobin status and in turn the oxygen supply of tissue, and has been proven to be an important component in building new collagen tissue, a strong factor in healing trauma and re-building ligaments, tendons and cartilage.
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants as it defends the cells against high levels of harmful free radicals produced by the modern age environmental pollutants, radiation, tobacco, metabolic stress, and can help keep the body achieve optimal level of performance and efficiency.
Understanding the Difference of Vitamin C Sources
Humans do not make vitamin C, which is essential to life, and must therefore obtain it from dietary sources. Vitamin C is a water-soluble ascorbate salt that comes in several forms:
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Ascorbate
Calcium Ascorbate
Magnesium Ascorbate
Potassium Ascorbate, and others.
The inability of humans to synthesize vitamin C results from the lack of gulonolactone oxidase, the last enzyme in the vitamin C synthetic pathway.
Benefits of Vitamin C:
Highly Effective Antioxidant that can help protect and maintain healthy tissues by neutralizing free radicals generated during normal metabolism and exposure to environmental stressors.*
Water soluble and pH neutral nutrient, well known for its vital role in the immune system necessary for the development and repair of all body tissues.*
Helps iron get absorbed in the body. *
Supports a healthy Immune System. Vitamin C can assist with muscle repair for those with active lifestyles. *
Necessary for the Production of Collagen (a structural protein in connective tissue) and is therefore essential for cardiovascular health, growth and tissue repair, can help speed the healing process of wounds, support vision health, periodontal health, skin, bone, joint health and cartilage formation.
Helpful in supporting Heart Health by relaxing the blood vessels. Vitamin C may help reduce total serum cholesterol. *
Needed for Amino Acid Metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, and the utilization of many nutrients, such as folic acid and iron. *
Offers powerful protection against Cold and Flu. Research supports the use of vitamin C during a common cold to reduce the duration of symptoms. Typically, the higher the dose you take the better the results during a cold. *
Helps to Reduce Stress as it allows the body to quickly clear out cortisol, a primary stress hormone that increases sugars in the bloodstream, it increases serotonin levels, acting as a natural anti-depressant. *
Plays an important role in learning and memory, and it helps to protect the brain from age-related degeneration including Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia and Stroke. *
Helps improve Insomnia and Sleep Problems. A study from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that vitamin C can reduce the damage of sleep apnea. Scientists have found that apnea can have damaging effects on the cells, but vitamin C can counteract that damage. Low intake of Vitamin C has been connected to shorter sleep amounts. *
Whole Food sources of Vitamin C include kiwis, peppers, papaya, citrus fruit, mango, brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, green and red chilis, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, and cabbage.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
