Vitamin C - A wonder drug from nature's own pharmacopeia?

Abstract

This review outlays the biological chemistry of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that explains its increasing therapeutic use in orthomolecular medicine. Even in mega doses that are often mostly and safely administered as intravenous infusions, the vitamin, as such or in its potent transportable form dehydroascorbic acid, does not affect healthy cells and targets only cancerous cells. The review proposes the need for clinicians in mainstream medicine to explore more intimately vitamin C's integrative use in treating many modern-day health problems, such as non-hormone dependent cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and sepsis, based on a proper appreciation of the strengths and limitations of both RCTs (efficacy studies) and observational studies (effectiveness studies). Vitamin C is a first line antioxidant. Its known pro-oxidant effects in killing cancer cells, along with its ubiquitous roles as an enzyme cofactor, offer much potential to be tapped in cancer therapy, either alone or in combination with other therapies. An adequate intake of dietary and supplemental vitamin C (90-120mg/day), is seen as a pivotal need for both young and old to ward off a plethora of health problems.