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MORE ON VITAMIN C
Immune Stimulant and Anti-Oxidant
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that has a number of important biological functions. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for humans, but unlike most other mammals, humans are unable to make their own Vitamin C internally.
The most important function of Vitamin C is as a co-factor in the production of collagen. Collagen is the most common substance in the body. It is the main component of the connective tissue of our bodies. Connective tissue gives form to our bodies and supports our organs.
There are five types of connective tissue:
Type 1 - Connective tissue of the skin, bones, teeth tendons and ligaments
Type 2 - Cartilage - the intermediate tissue between bones and tendons
Type 3 - Connective tissue of the organs
Types 4 & 5 - Separating layer of tissue between the epithelial and endothelial cells
Scurvy, the disease caused by a chronic deficiency of Vitamin C, is actually the inability of the body to produce collagen.
Much has been said about the anti-oxidant properties of Vitamin C. These are true, but with qualification. Anti-oxidants block the process of oxidation by deactivating free radicals. To do this, the anti-oxidant combines with the free radical, becoming neutralized. So anti-oxidants in the body need to be constantly replenished.
There are two types of anti-oxidants; "Chain-breaking" and "Preventative." Free radicals release electrons, creating a second free radical. This process continues until the free radical molecule is stabilized by a "Chain Breaking Anti-oxidant," such as Vitamin C, E or beta carotene. "Preventative" free radicals (catalase, glutathione, etc.) prevent oxidation by reducing the rate at which free radicals release electrons. They scavenge the molecules before they begin the oxidation process. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. It works on free radicals that are in a water based environment, like the inside of cells. Vitamin C actively prevents oxidation of water-soluble molecules in the cell that could cause cellular injury.
Vitamin C is necessary for metabolism. Vitamin C is needed for the production of the neurotransmitter substances dopamine and epinephrine; the stress hormones. Vitamin C helps thyroid hormone production. This hormone-supplementing role of Vitamin C makes it important to the nervous system to help it manage stress, reduce fatigue and slow metabolism. This attribute makes Vitamin C important for anti-aging and life extension treatments. Vitamin C also helps in cholesterol metabolism.
Vitamin C is important for the function of the immune system. It has been shown to activate neutrophils, the predominant white blood cells that work against invading pathogens. Vitamin C stimulates the production of lymphocytes, the white blood cells that are of primary importance to the immune system. Vitamin C stimulates interferon production, which causes the immune system to respond to viral invaders.
Vitamin C, in moderate doses, is absorbed well in the intestines. It is put to use quickly by the body and is out of the blood stream within 4 hours of ingestion. Vitamin C is used more quickly by some people than by others. In all people, external factors can cause Vitamin C to be used up more quickly. These factors include:
- Situations of stress
- Smoking and alcohol consumption
- Illness and fever
- viral infections
- medications including: antibiotics, cortisone, aspirin, pain medicines, sulfa drugs, environmental toxins including: DDT, petroleum products, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals
To summarize, the positive effects of Vitamin C on the body are:
- Enhancing immune function
- Preventative anti-oxidant effect
- Collagen formation
- Adrenal support
- Action against viral infectious agents (colds, influenza, hepatitis, herpes, mononucleosis, shingles, measles)
- Action against bacterial and fungal infections
- Reduce inflammation (cystitis, bronchitis, prostatitis, bursitis, arthritis, asthma)
- Aid in kidney function
- Recovery from surgery
- Recovery from injuries
- Recovery from addiction - including: drugs, alcohol and nicotine
- Detoxification
- Natural laxative
- Anemia - aids in iron absorption
- Preventing arteriosclerosis - slows platelet aggregation, raises level of good HDL
- Anti-carcinogenic properties
Many of these stated properties of Vitamin C are controversial and are still open to scientific study and validation. For some serious conditions, a positive result from Vitamin C taken therapeutically is not seen until dosages in the mega-dose range are ingested consistently.
Vitamin C is non toxic and it is not stored in our bodies. Regular oral dosages over 2-3 grams a day may cause gastric distress or diarrhea.
Vitamin C has been acclaimed by some as a cancer fighter. Other researchers doubt the anti-carcinogenic properties of Vitamin C. The most reliable research now indicates that Vitamin C is indeed a powerful anti-cancer agent, but for reasons different than first proposed over 30 years ago by Dr. Linus Pauling. Dr. Pauling suggested that Vitamin C supplements and other powerful anti-oxidants can prevent cancer. He held that the more free-radical scavengers you have in your body the better and if you have more than you need, there would less free radicals multiplying, causing cellular damage and possibly creating cancer.
Studies now show that
Vitamin C can inhibit cancer,
but for reasons other than what Dr. Pauling thought.
Cancer cells produce most of their energy by glycolysis (which is converting sugar to energy/growth) rather than by respiration as in normal cells (this is know as the Warburg Effect). Cancer cells have glycolytic rates up to 200 times those of normal cells. The difference between respiration and glycolysis is oxygen. Normal cells are aerobic, they need oxygen to grow. Cancer cells are anaerobic, they do not need or want oxygen to grow. We now know that Vitamin C takes away this anaerobic property of cancer cells to grow under oxygen-starved conditions. Having no other way to produce energy, the cancer cells cease reproducing and die.
...this protein (HIF-1 Hypoxia Induced Factor) was abundant in untreated cancer cells taken from the mice, it disappeared in vitamin C-treated cells taken from similar animals.
"When a cell lacks oxygen, HIF-1 helps it compensate," explains Dang. "HIF-1 helps an oxygen-starved cell convert sugar to energy without using oxygen and also initiates the construction of new blood vessels to bring in a fresh oxygen supply."
Some rapidly growing tumors consume enough energy to easily suck out the available oxygen in their vicinity, making HIF-1 absolutely critical for their continued survival. But HIF-1 can only operate if it has a supply of free radicals. Antioxidants remove these free radicals and stop HIF-1, and the tumor, in its tracks.
The authors confirmed the importance of this "hypoxia protein" by creating cancer cells with a genetic variant of HIF-1 that did not require free radicals to be stable. In these cells, antioxidants no longer had any cancer-fighting power.
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (2007, September 12). How Vitamin C Stops Cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 14, 2009, from ScienceDaily /releases/2007/09/070910132848.htm
"We can suggest that the supplementation should cover a range of antioxidants in their natural forms. In particular, a dynamic flow of vitamin C, together with a reduced intake of sugars and starches, is likely to be beneficial. Vitamin C illustrates the basic mechanism for killing and controlling cancer cells. Taken alone, it has been shown to be somewhat effective in a relatively limited range of cancers; however, it potentiates the action of many other nutrients and drugs.
The cytotoxic action of vitamin C requires high doses. At low doses, cancer cells can use the ascorbate as a nutrient, whereas massive doses kill cancer cells selectively, by generating hydrogen peroxide. The optimal balance of nutrients for elimination or control of cancer has not yet been established, so we will outline a possible therapeutic regime, based on current scientific knowledge.
...It is possible to produce and sustain high blood plasma levels using frequent doses of oral vitamin C...
Oral therapy has practical advantages over intravenous therapy. For example, it could be self-administered by a patient attending an outpatient clinic. However, the principal advantage is that it can be sustained, in a dynamic flow. Patients on oral vitamin C therapy can assault the cancer with a continuous redox pressure, over months, or even years. This means the cancer cells do not have periods of respite, during which the more resistant cells can flourish.
With a limited carbohydrate intake to deny the cancer the nutrients it requires for easy growth, cancer patients on oral redox-active nutrient therapy might enjoy similar benefits to those described by John Ely. Further restriction of calories and nutrients could provide additional benefits. Arthur Robinson suggests that the expected lifespan of a terminally ill cancer patient could increase by at least an order of magnitude. This means that a patient given one year to live could hope for a further ten years or more.
Liposomal preparations may enhance the effectiveness of oral vitamin C.
... On current evidence, a combination of vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid is the least toxic approach to oral cancer therapy.
Cancer: Nutrition and Survival
Hickey, S. & Roberts, H.
In conventional oral supplementation of Vitamin C, research shows that in large therapeutic dosages of over 10 grams taken all at once, less that 1 gram is actually absorbed. The rest goes through the digestive system and is eliminated, frequently causing diarrhea.
For people needing the levels of Vitamin C necessary for a therapeutic effect, liposomal formulations are their best choice. Our Liposomal Single Nutrient Vitamin C is a most effective way to get and maintain high levels of Vitamin C in your system.
- Liposomal Vitamin C enables you take the dosage you need without gastric distress.
- Liposomal Vitamin C allows you to take continuous doses over the weeks and months necessary to induce a healing effect and reverse a chronic disease state.
- Liposomal Vitamin C is absorbed quickly and is bio-available within an hour.
Conventional oral Vitamin C supplements are so poorly absorbed, you get diarrhea way before you reach a therapeutic dosage.
Intravenous infusions work; but hours after the infusion, Vitamin C levels in the blood are down again, necessitating another costly and time-consuming infusion if you want to keep your Vitamin C levels up to a therapeutic level.
You can take a 5 or 10 gram dose of our Liposomal Vitamin C every few hours without gastric distress or any side-effects.
We offer Liposomal VITAMIN C in 4 of our NanoLiposomal Formulas:
Normal dosage is one teaspoon, which contains:
1,000 mg of Vitamin C
Normal dosage is 2 tablespoons, which contains:
3,334 mg Vitamin C,
100 mg Glutathione,
100 mg Resveratrol,
100 mg Curcumin,
100 mg CoQ10
100 mg Vitamin B1
100 mg Vitamin B6
100 mcg Vitamin B12
5 mcg Folic Acid
Although formulated to offer nutritional
support for cancer patients, this is an excellent anti-oxidant formula
that can be used by anyone at a reduced dosage for general nutritional
support.
Normal dosage
is 1 ounce (2 Tablespoons), which contains:
1500 mg Vitamin C
360 mg Milk Thistle
250 mg
Resveratrol
250 mg Artichoke Extract
25 mg CoQ10
10 mg Cascara Sagrata
25 mg Vitamin B1
25 mg Vitamin B6
100 mcg Vitamin B12
5 mcg Folate (Folic Acid)
Normal dosage is one teaspoon, which contains:
1000 mg Vitamin C
100 mg Glutathione
50 mg CoQ10
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