Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is considered the most studied and yet the most controversial vitamin in history. It has been subjected to numerous research studies throughout the years. There are documented claims that Vitamin C provides benefit for heart disease, schizophrenia, diabetes, autoimmune disease, helping fight infections, cancer, and more. In fact there are virtually no areas in medicine where Vitamin C has not been used or studied at one point in time.
The highest amounts of Vitamin C in the body are found in the adrenal glands, brain, liver, spleen, pancreas and kidney for unknown reasons. White blood cells (which help fight infections) have 10 to 30 times higher amounts of Vitamin C than the blood! One area in medicine where Vitamin C thrives in controversy is in the field of cancer. Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling and oncologist Dr. Cameron popularized the use of Vitamin C in cancer during the 1970s.
There have been some impressive positive findings noted with this vitamin when used correctly for cancer (i.e. dramatic cancer-killing ability, increased survival of patients) followed by some widely publicized "failures". In fact, there are two commonly referenced research papers that have largely criticized the use of Vitamin C therapy in cancer. However, these negative research papers contained several major "differences or mistakes" when compared to the original work published by Pauling & Cameron.
One of the differences involves how Vitamin C was given to cancer patients. For example, the original research papers by Cameron & Pauling used intravenous Vitamin C followed by high doses by mouth. None of the two negative research papers used intravenous Vitamin C! It is now believed that for Vitamin C to have any cancer-fighting abilities, high blood levels are needed first! The only ways to raise Vitamin C high enough in the blood is possible through injections and not by pill or powder form.
To provide you with a real-life example of this situation, imagine you are trying to put out a house fire with plain old water. But instead of using a powerful fire hose, a simple cup is used. You could imagine the problems in trying to put out the roaring house fire (if at all) with the cup of water. Consequently, if this were a research project the findings would clearly show that "water is not effective for putting out fires"! As you can see there is a major design "mistake" in this case. The same is true about the negative research on Vitamin C and cancer. You need high enough levels of Vitamin C in the blood to help calm the roaring cancer with in the body. Oral high doses of Vitamin C may help support the body at some level but by using appropriate doses of intravenous injections, the therapy has an ability to directly fight cancer cells & tumors!
Why Intravenous Vitamin C Is An Important Option For Cancer Patients
- Correction of any possible Vitamin C deficiency (i.e. fatigue, bleeding)
- Enhanced immune system (interferon, IL-2, others)
- Support white blood cells (have 10 to 30 times higher levels than blood!)
- Stimulation of collagen formation (wall off tumors)
- Inhibition of hyaluronidase (prevents tumor spread)
- Enhanced wound healing after surgery
- Possible enhancement of Erythropoietin (EPO)
- Anti-inflammatory
- Pain reliefAnti-stress & anti-depressant properties
In general, Vitamin C is extremely supportive of the entire body, while having the ability to directly kill cancer cells.
A. Some Basic Facts About Vitamin C
- Circulating white blood cells have between 10 to 30 times higher levels of Vitamin C than the blood
- It is difficult to attain high blood levels of Vitamin C orally due to a high kidney clearance
- Vitamin C is readily & easily used with in the body (it is easy to deplete)
- Vitamin C blood levels (greater than 3 mg/dl) better correlates to increased overall survival time in cancer patients
- High blood levels of Vitamin C (between 200 to 400 mg/dl) can kill tumor cells, however, this is only possible through injection in humans
- Vitamin C appears to kill cancer cells by increasing intracellular hydrogen peroxide which is aided by the low levels of the enzyme catalase found in cancer cells
B. The Early Research On Vitamin C & Cancer Treatment
The Vale of Leven Studies
in November 1971 at a hospital in Scotland, 50 patients received 10 grams of Vitamin C (Intravenous + oral). Note that this intravenous dose of Vitamin C is considered low based on the current understanding of this therapy.- 27 individuals experienced minimal or no response
- 11 individuals experienced retardation of tumor growth
- 3 individuals experienced stopped tumor growth
- 5 individuals experienced shrinking of tumors
- 4 individuals experienced hemorrhage & necrosis of tumors (or massive cancer killing!)
- Increased feeling of well-being
- Increased energy
- More alertness
- Decrease or elimination of pain
- Increased appetite
The Cameron & Campbell Observation
during a 4.5 year period, 1978 to 1982, computerized records of all cancer patients attending 3 district hospitals in West Central Scotland were analyzed. Analysis showed that those incurable cancer patients who had been given Vitamin C (intravenous & oral) lived almost 2 times longer (343 days versus 180 days) as compared to non Vitamin C users. The higher the Vitamin C levels in the blood, the greater the survival time (over 3mg/dl is desirable). These findings were rejected by several medical journals, including Cancer Research, Lancet, NEJM, Cancer Research (again), AJE, and BMJ. Over three years had passed.C. How Intravenous Vitamin C Is Used
Initial intravenous Vitamin C therapy is given 2 to 5 times per week for 4 weeks. The duration, dose, and frequency of treatments are catered to each individual case, the severity of the cancer, the type of cancer, and according to laboratory test results. To first time patients, 10 grams (or 10,000 mg) of Vitamin C is administered in over a 1-hour time period to determine tolerance to treatment.The Vitamin C doses are then increased in increments of 10 grams or greater per treatment. The maximum Vitamin C dose can safely surpass 50 grams of Vitamin C given over a 1 to 2-hour period. Doses over 100 grams (100,000 mg) have been well tolerated in selected and aggressive cancer cases.
Other important nutrients are also added to the intravenous protocol to help enhance Vitamin C effectiveness and to further support the body. Oral Vitamin C should be continued indefinitely while undergoing treatment. Intravenous boosters are recommended at the first suspicion of a negative change (i.e. metastasis, infection).
D. Safety of IVC
Intravenous Vitamin C has a high safety margin and low risk profile. There may be a rare risk of a drastic massive tumor killing phenomenon in cancer patients which in turn may put a person at risk for severe shock. This is why low doses of Vitamin C are given to patients in the initial stages of treatment. There may be a rare chance of "stressing" the renal system in patients with existing renal failure or in patients with severe kidney diseases. This is why, at the office, we perform a thorough laboratory analysis to help determine and minimize any potential risk(s) To date, no adverse reactions have occurred at the office while giving intravenous Vitamin C treatment to patients.Taken from Dr. Lemmo's website
http://www.lemmo.com/intravenous.html
