The Healing Factor - Vitamin C Against Disease

1. Vitamin C deficiency is a genetic disease in humans

"The genetic rationale for these optimal daily intakes of ascorbic acid for the full correction of the human inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism, hypoacorbemia, is now available."

Evolutionary quirk: Humans, unlike most mammals, cannot synthesize vitamin C due to a genetic mutation. This makes vitamin C deficiency a genetic disease, not just a nutritional issue. The recommended daily allowances are based on preventing scurvy, not on optimal health. Optimal intake: The author suggests that humans may need much higher doses of vitamin C, comparable to what other mammals produce naturally - potentially several grams per day. This "genetic correction" approach forms the basis for the book's advocacy of megadose vitamin C therapy.

2. Megadoses of vitamin C can prevent and treat many diseases

"When used at the necessary high dosages it should inactivate the hepatitis virus and it should also act on the liver tissue to prevent degenerative changes."

Wide-ranging benefits: The book argues that high doses of vitamin C can be effective in preventing and treating a variety of conditions, including viral infections, bacterial diseases, and toxin exposure. Dosage matters: Many clinical studies have used insufficient doses, leading to inconclusive results. The author suggests that much higher doses - often several grams per day - are necessary to see therapeutic effects. This megadose approach is particularly emphasized for acute conditions like viral infections.

3. Vitamin C is crucial for collagen production and tissue health

"Collagen is the body's most important structural substance. It is the ground substance, or cement, that supports and holds the tissues and organs together."

Structural importance: Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis and maintenance of collagen, a protein that provides structure and strength to various tissues in the body. Health implications: Inadequate vitamin C can lead to weakened blood vessels, poor wound healing, and connective tissue disorders. The author suggests that long-term vitamin C deficiency may contribute to conditions like arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and premature aging.

4. Vitamin C plays a vital role in stress response and immune function

"The usual mammalian response to stress is increased secretion of the hormones of the adrenal gland. This increased adrenal activity depletes ascorbic acid from the gland, which normally contains a higher concentration of ascorbic acid than any other body tissue."

Stress response: Vitamin C is crucial for the proper functioning of the adrenal glands, which produce stress hormones. During times of stress, vitamin C is rapidly depleted. Immune support: Vitamin C enhances various aspects of immune function, including the activity of white blood cells. The author argues that maintaining high levels of vitamin C can improve resistance to infections and help the body cope with various forms of stress.

5. Vitamin C has powerful antioxidant and detoxifying properties

"Ascorbic acid is a potent detoxicant which counteracts and neutralizes the harmful effects of many poisons in the body."

Antioxidant action: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals. Detoxification: The book highlights vitamin C's ability to neutralize various toxins, including heavy metals, air pollutants, and bacterial toxins. This detoxifying effect is proposed as one mechanism by which high-dose vitamin C therapy may benefit overall health and treat specific conditions.

6. Vitamin C deficiency may contribute to heart disease and aging

"The high incidence of cardio-vascular disease in man is brought on because the greater part of the human population is dependent upon their foodstuffs as a source for their ascorbic acid intake and are thus existing on submarginal levels."

Cardiovascular health: The author proposes that chronic vitamin C deficiency contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Aging process: Inadequate vitamin C is suggested to accelerate aging by impairing collagen maintenance and antioxidant defenses. The book argues that higher vitamin C intake could potentially slow aging and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.

7. Megadose vitamin C therapy shows promise for cancer treatment

"In 1969 it was reported that laboratory tests conducted at the National Cancer Institute showed that ascorbic acid was lethal to certain cancer cells and harmless to normal tissue."

Anti-cancer potential: The book discusses research suggesting that high doses of vitamin C may have anti-cancer properties, both in preventing cancer and as a potential treatment. Mechanisms: Proposed anti-cancer effects include:

• Direct toxicity to cancer cells
• Enhancement of immune function
• Protection of healthy tissue during conventional cancer treatments

The author argues that more research is needed to fully explore the potential of high-dose vitamin C in cancer therapy.

8. Vitamin C can aid in wound healing and recovery from physical trauma

"If the vitamin is employed to neutralize toxins of endogenous or exogenous origin, the action is reciprocal in that the vitamin is also neutralized proportionally, leaving less available for physiological needs."

Wound healing: Vitamin C is essential for proper wound healing due to its role in collagen synthesis. Trauma recovery: The book suggests that high doses of vitamin C can:

• Reduce inflammation
• Prevent shock
• Accelerate healing after injuries, surgeries, or burns

The author argues that vitamin C requirements are significantly increased during recovery from physical trauma, and that supplementation can improve outcomes.

9. Adequate vitamin C intake is essential during pregnancy and lactation

"The results which we have reported in virus diseases using vitamin C as the antibiotic may seem fantastic. These results, however, are no different from the results we see when administering the sulfa, or mold-derived drugs against many other kinds of infections."

Increased needs: Pregnancy and lactation significantly increase vitamin C requirements. Benefits: The book suggests that ensuring adequate vitamin C intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding can:

• Reduce the risk of complications
• Improve fetal development
• Enhance the health of both mother and child

The author advocates for much higher vitamin C intake during pregnancy than currently recommended, based on the body's increased demands and potential benefits.

10. Vitamin C may have applications in mental health treatment

"In a 1967 report of twelve independent psychiatric studies, 80 percent of 1,500 schizophrenics, continuously treated with megascorbic and megavitamin therapy, showed recovery or marked improvement."

Schizophrenia treatment: The book discusses promising research on using high-dose vitamin C, often in combination with other nutrients, to treat schizophrenia. Potential mechanisms: Vitamin C's role in mental health may be related to:

• Neurotransmitter synthesis
• Antioxidant protection of brain tissue
• Modulation of stress response

The author suggests that further research into vitamin C's effects on mental health could lead to new treatment approaches for various psychiatric conditions.

Last updated: August 9, 2024