scientific advice on using vit C

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, December 15, 2009


PUTTING THE "C" IN CURE:
Quantity and Frequency are the Keys to Ascorbate Therapy

Comment by Andrew W. Saul
Editor-In-Chief, Orthomolecular Medicine News Service

(OMNS, December 15, 2009) What is it about a little left-handed molecule of six carbons, six oxygens, and eight hydrogens that ticks off so many in the medical community? Maybe it's cases like this one: Ray, a health professional I know, had an 11-month old son who was very sick for over a week. No one, and I mean no one, in their family had had any sleep in a long time. They were up night after night with this child, who had a high fever, glazed watery eyes, tons of thick watery mucus and labored breathing. The child would not sleep, and did little else but cry. The baby was under the care of a pediatrician, who, in the infant's eleven months on earth, had already prescribed twelve rounds of some very serious antibiotics. That they clearly were not working was all too apparent to Ray, who out of desperation decided to try something he previously had been taught to not try: bowel tolerance quantities of oral ascorbate. Ray and his wife gave their baby vitamin C about every 15 minutes. As a result, the baby was noticeably improved in a matter of hours, and slept through the night. With frequent doses continuing, the child was completely well in less than 48 hours. Ray calculated that the child had received just over 2,000 mg vitamin C per kilogram body weight per day. This is even more than what vitamin C expert Dr. Frederick Robert Klenner customarily ordered for sick patients. Remarkably, at 20,000 milligrams of vitamin C/day, that baby never had bowel-tolerance loose stools. (1)

With such a little body, you have to marvel at where all that ascorbate was going. Of course, it is the opinion of those who promulgate the US RDA and related nutritional mythology that almost all of that baby's vitamin C went uselessly into the toilet. Ray and his wife would tell you differently. They would say that their sick child soaked it up like a sponge, and then promptly got better. You choose the answer that works for you.

Quantity of Dose

Dr. Frederick Robert Klenner earned his MD from Duke University School of Medicine and was subsequently board certified in diseases of the chest. (2) A working summation of Dr. Klenner's therapeutic use of vitamin C is 350 milligrams vitamin C per kilogram body weight per day (350 mg/kg/day), in divided doses. (3) Since a kilogram is about 2.2 pounds, this translates to:

mg of Vitamin "C" Body Weight Number of Doses Amount per dose
35,000 mg 220 lb 17-18 2,000 mg
18,000 mg 110 lb 18 1,000 mg
9,000 mg 55 lb 18 500 mg
4,500 mg 28 lb 9 500 mg
2,300 mg 14-15 lb 9 250 mg
1,200 mg 7-8 lb 9 130 - 135 mg
Although these quantities may seem high, Dr. Klenner actually used as much as four times as much for serious viral illness, administered by injection. The oral doses listed above are, for the doctor, comparatively moderate.

Frequency of Dose

For those unable to obtain intravenous vitamin C, it is essential to pay special attention to one of the most important aspects of vitamin C therapy: dividing the dosage improves absorption and retention of vitamin C. High oral doses of vitamin C yield higher blood levels of the vitamin, and dividing the oral doses maintains those higher levels. Although initially seeming almost too obvious to mention, these are not self-evident concepts. Many a medical website and government-based dietary recommendation hinge on ignoring them. Hilary Roberts, PhD, writes: "Stressed and even mildly ill people can tolerate 1,000 times more vitamin C, implying a change in biochemistry that was ignored in creating the RDA. In setting the RDA, unsubstantiated risks of taking too much vitamin C have been accorded great importance, whereas the risks of not taking enough have been ignored. Real scientists understand that 'no scientific proof' is a fancy way of saying 'we don't like this idea.'" (4)

And there is ample proof to not like. Vitamin C, in very high doses, has been used to successfully treat several dozen illness (5), with a published, peer-reviewed literature spanning the last 60 years. Therefore, the effectiveness and safety of megadose vitamin C therapy should, by now, be yesterday's news. Yet I never cease to be amazed at the number of persons who remain unaware that vitamin C is the best broad-spectrum antibiotic, antihistamine, antitoxic and antiviral substance there is. Equally surprising is the ease with which some people, most of the medical profession, and virtually all of the media have been convinced that, somehow, vitamin C is not only ineffective but is also downright dangerous.

Bias against Ascorbate Therapy

When you pick up a health or nutrition book and need to know really fast if it is any good or not, just check the index for "Klenner" and three other key names: Cathcart, Stone, and Pauling. Robert F. Cathcart, an orthopedic surgeon, administered huge doses of vitamin C to tens of thousands of patients for decades (6), without generating a single kidney stone. Irwin Stone, the biochemist who first put Linus Pauling onto vitamin C, is the author of The Healing Factor: Vitamin C against Disease. (7) Pauling cites Stone thirteen times in his landmark book How to Live Longer and Feel Better (8), a recommendation if there ever was one. The importance of vitamin C's power against infectious and chronic disease is extraordinary. To me, omitting it is tantamount to deleting Shakespeare from an English Lit course.

Because of such bias, the primary way patients (and through them, their physicians) have been exposed to Dr. Klenner's work has been through Dr. Lendon Smith's 68-page Clinical Guide to the Use of Vitamin C: The Clinical Experiences of Frederick R. Klenner, M.D. (9) Upon discovering this book, one of my undergraduates submitted a paper to another class discussing a substantial number of medical references she had found on vitamin C as a cure for polio. That course's instructor told me privately that the student's work was absurd, and he literally described her as a "dial tone." I recall a nutritional presentation I made to a hospital staff. All was going well until I mentioned using vitamin C as an antibiotic, as Dr. Klenner did. The mood changed quickly. And how many of us have heard this old saw: "If vitamin C was so good, every doctor would be prescribing it!"

Cardiologist Thomas Levy, MD, explains: "I could find no mainstream medical researcher who has performed any clinical studies on any infectious disease with vitamin C doses that approached those used by Klenner. Using a small enough dose of any therapeutic agent will demonstrate little or no effect on an infection or disease process." (10)

Preventive Doses

Dr. Klenner recommended daily preventive doses of 10,000 to 15,000 mg/day. He advised parents to give their children their age in vitamin C grams (1 g = 1,000 mg). That would be 2,000 mg/day for a two year old, 9,000 mg/day for a nine year old, and for older children, a leveling-off at about 10,000 mg/day. As for me, I simply say, "Take enough C to be symptom free, whatever that amount may be." It worked for my family. I raised my children all the way into college and they never had a dose of any antibiotic. Not once.

It is high time for medical professionals to welcome vitamin C megadoses and their power to cure the sick. Cure is by far the best word there is in medicine. It would seem that you cannot spell "cure" without "C." I do not think Dr. Klenner would dispute that.

(Andrew W. Saul taught nutrition, health science and cell biology at the college level, and has won three New York State teacher fellowships. He is the author of Doctor Yourself and Fire Your Doctor! and, with Dr. Abram Hoffer, co-author of Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone and The Vitamin Cure for Alcoholism. Saul is featured in the documentary film Food Matters.)

References:

(1) Bowel tolerance as an indicator of vitamin C saturation is discussed by Dr. RF Cathcart at http://www.doctoryourself.com/titration.html and http://www.doctoryourself.com/cathcart_thirdface.html

(2) For more about Dr. Klenner's life and work: http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerbio.html

(3) Klenner FR. The significance of high daily intake of ascorbic acid in preventive medicine, p 51-59, in: A Physician's Handbook on Orthomolecular Medicine, Third Edition, Roger Williams, PhD, ed. Keats, 1979.

(4) Hickey S and Roberts H. Ascorbate: The science of vitamin C. 2004. ISBN 1-4116-0724-4. Morrisville, NC: Lulu.

(5) http://www.doctoryourself.com/vitaminc.html

(6) http://www.doctoryourself.com/biblio_cathcart.html

(7) The complete text of Irwin Stone's book The Healing Factor is posted for free reading at http://vitamincfoundation.org/stone/

(8) Pauling L. How to Live Longer and Feel Better, revised edition, 2006. ISBN-13: 9780870710964. Reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/livelonger.html

(9) The full text of Dr. Frederick R. Klenner's Clinical Guide to the Use of Vitamin C is posted for free reading at http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/198x/smith-lh-clinical_guide_1988.htm

(10) Levy TE. Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins: Curing the Incurable. Livon Books, 2002. ISBN: 1-4010-6963-0 and 978-1401069636

Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine

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:

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
Damien Downing, M.D.
Michael Gonzalez, D.Sc., Ph.D.
Steve Hickey, Ph.D.
James A. Jackson, PhD
Bo H. Jonsson, MD, Ph.D
Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D.
Jorge R. Miranda-Massari, Pharm.D.
Erik Paterson, M.D.
Gert E. Shuitemaker, Ph.D.

Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D., Editor and contact person. Email: omns@orthomolecular.org

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latest Xenoestrogen source

With all the holiday shopping happening, there's something you should know.

The next time the grocery store clerk hands you a receipt, remember this. That receipt
contains millions of times more bisphenol-A (BPA) – the cancer-causing, estrogen-mimicking chemical – than a plastic water bottle.

BPA is dangerous, even in small amounts. Studies show that it may cause cancers, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and more.

Now, I’ve come across some research that shows your common, everyday store and credit card receipts are laden with BPA. BPA is the chemical compound that allows the receipts to print without old-fashioned carbon paper.

Nearly every modern register uses this kind of paper. And every receipt, according to this new research, contains from 40 mg to 100 mg of BPA. In comparison, a plastic water bottle contains nanograms of BPA. One milligram equals a million nanograms.1


That’s a lot of BPA. Now, I should point out that nobody has done any studies yet to find out how much of the BPA from each receipt gets from your skin into your blood stream. But, we do know that estrogen can be absorbed by the skin – just think of the birth control patch. So it’s likely that some or all of that BPA may seep into you skin.

The good news is – you can easily do something about controlling the BPA entering your system.

One obvious thing is don’t let children play with receipts or put them in their mouth.

Washing your hands is one of the quickest, safest, easiest and most overlooked things you can do to protect your health on many, many levels. Unfortunately, few of us do it properly.

1. You don’t need a special soap. Expensive antibacterial soap is a waste of money and can contain toxic chemicals. Same goes for hand sanitizers.

Ordinary, plain, unscented soap is the best. It kills just as many microbes and bacteria as antibacterial soap. A U.S. FDA advisory committee found that use of antibacterial soaps provides no benefits over plain soap and water.2

Overuse of antibacterial soap can lead to bacteria mutations – producing a super bacteria, resistant to antimicrobial agents.

2. Your choice of hot or cold water makes no difference. For comfort, I like warm water.

3. The length of time washing your hands is important. Twenty seconds is the optimum length – that’s about the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song – twice.

4. Make sure you rinse the soap off your hands with running water and dry them well – preferably on a disposable paper towel or air dryer.

Make it a habit when you come home to first unload your purchases, file your credit card and store receipts and then wash your hands.

Al Sears, MD

natural breast care

October is National Breast Health Awareness month and I am happy to tell you there is MUCH you can do to protect yourself from Breast Cancer besides mammograms, which some find controversial.

Here is some info from You Can Thrive! an organization that supports cancer victims with natural therapies and counseling , located in NYC.

Self Care Tips for Breast Care:

1. Eat organically produced foods. Both animal and plant food sources. Plant foods grown

conventionally are laden petroleum based pesticides, which are estrogen mimickers and confuse the

body into accepting them into their cells. Meat that is non organic contains harmful synthetic

hormones that are injected into the animal and pesticides from the food it consumes.

2. Add Healthy Fats: Your body needs fat and oils to stay healthy. The cells in your body have

membranes that are made from fat. Omega3 fats found primarily in flaxseed oil, fish oil and walnuts,

possess anti-tumor qualities, prevent cell division and are anti viral. Use organic and unrefined olive

oil and coconut oil for cooking, use flaxseed oil as a salad dressing, and eat fish or take a high quality

fish oil supplement.

3. Eat 30 Grams of Fiber per Day: A diet that is high in fiber lowers your risk of cancers by 30%.

Regular elimination removes toxins from your body minimizing the absorption of them through the

large intestine. Constipation increases cancer risk. High fiber foods include whole grains (quinoa,

millet, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, etc.) beans - especially kidney beans, nuts, seeds, and raw fruits

and vegetables.

4. Center your diet around plant based foods: think of meat as a side dish. Consume plenty of body

protective foods like ground flax seeds, split peas, legumes, soy, foods rich in beta carotene (carrots,

parsley, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, asparagus, kale, mango, peaches, apricots, and sea

vegetables), foods from the brassica family (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bok choy,

watercress, collards) beans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and drink green tea. Eating 2 apples a day

reduces your risk of breast cancer by 40%. Make sure to choose organic.

5. Avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles, using plastic wrap on your food, putting hot beverages

or foods in plastic, and microwaving foods in plastic containers. Chemicals can leach from the

plastic, especially when the containers are heated, cleaned with harsh detergents or exposed to acidic

foods or drinks. Plastic contains xenoestrogens also called environmental estrogens or hormone

disruptors. Bisphenol A, or BPA, has been detected in nearly all humans tested in the U.S. It is a key

building block in the manufacture of hard, clear polycarbonate plastics, including baby bottles, water

bottles and other food and beverage containers. These synthetic estrogens bind to breast cells and can

stimulate them to produce new blood vessels needed for tumor growth and spread, they sit in receptor

sites and cannot be made into protective estrogen by the body. They also accumulate in our bodies

and are stored in our fat cells because they are difficult to breakdown and eliminate.

6. Move your body! Studies show that exercising 3 hours a week can cut risk of recurrence by up to

50%! Exercise oxygenates cells. Use a gentle steady type that focus on fluid movements and deep

breathing thereby decreasing stress and inflammation in the body. See:

http://youcanthrive.org/rhythm_thrive.html Two additional types to try are Qigong and Tai Chi.

7. Green your cleaning products: Look at the chemicals you are exposed to in your home. Laundry

detergent, dish soap, anti bacterial soaps with the ingredients triclosan or triclocarban, air fresheners

and candles are all places dangerous ingredients can lurk. Natural food stores are great places to find

better options. You can clean almost anything in your house with vinegar and baking soda.

8. Pay attention to what you put on your body - your skin will absorb it! What you put on your body

winds up in your bloodstream. The average woman uses 12 different personal care products

everyday, exposing herself to approximately 168 different synthetic chemicals. Many of these

chemicals are known to cause cancer. Make the switch to natural or organic body care. Avoid all

products that contain sodium laurel and or laureth sulfate they are both cancer promoting substances.

Look carefully at all products you use on your body: including hairspray, shampoo, conditioner,

lotions, moisturizer, toner, shaving cream, all cosmetics, nail polish, and especially antiperspirants.

Antiperspirants are strong chemicals, usually containing aluminum, which prevents sweating and had

been found in breast tumors. Sweating is the way your body eliminates toxins and unwanted

materials with the help of the lymphatic system. So let your body do the job it was meant to and use

a natural deodorant. Ask people at our center for effective alternatives.

9. Go braless for 12 hours everyday: Tight bras restrict the lymphatic system from removing cellular

debris in the breast tissue. For proper movement and lymph circulation, wear your bra less, and never

sleep in your bra. There could be a decreased risk of breast cancer in women who do not wear bras.

10. Natural Rhythms Dark and light: Your body releases melatonin while you sleep, melatonin has

been shown to slow breast cancer growth by up to 70%. Melatonin is triggered by our circadian

rhythms (internal time clock) and darkness. Sleeping in total darkness during appropriate hours can

reduce breast cancer risk. This means: no TV, or any other peripheral light, or open blinds. Consider

wearing black out eyeshades to bed. It is also important to go to sleep by 10:30PM this is when your

body produces the most melatonin. During the day, catch some rays!! Sunlight is a great way to get

vitamin D, and vitamin D is a hormone that has been proven to reduce the risk of breast cancer. But

beware of estrogen mimicking chemicals in sunscreens, limit your exposure or make sure the active

ingredients are titanium dioxide or zinc. Avoid sunscreens with the harmful chemicals:

benzophenone, benzophenone-3, oxybenzone, homosalate, octyl-methoxicinnamate, octinoxate,

PABA (Para-Amino-Benzoic-Acid), Padimate-O. Sun blocks that do not use the harmful chemicals

are California Baby and Aubrey Organics.

Disclaimer: As is the case with all other information given here, this information is being offered

for as educational material, and is not a substitute for medical advice based on full clinical evaluation of the case.

See your doctor and do your research.