Table of Contents
Vitamin C Cures and Side Effects
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DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
28 SIDE EFFECTS
1 QUESTION
[SIDE EFFECTS] 12/13/2006: KB from Bridgeport, CT writes: "I ran across your request for vitamin C allergies. I experience bloating and weight when I take it and I don't know why. I've tried chewable forms, ascorbic acid, and calcium ascorbate. I also have similar reactions with other vitamins I've tried. I thought it might be a hidden filler or preservative. I have Graves Disease and am trying natural remedies. Any information you might have would be helpful"
Ted from Bangkok replies: "Ascorbic is acid forming and calcium ascorbate while alkaline tends to cause bloating also. The preferred form is ascorbic acid, powdered, then add baking soda until the fizz stops then add a pinch of potassium bicarbonate then add some water. This is alkaline forming and free of calcium. Calcium is often use for weight gain and is not recommended if you have bloating problems. Bloating problems is acid forming and ascorbic acid is never really recommended and this is why baking soda is always added. I found alkaline supplements of boron (in form of borax pH= 8) or baking soda (with pinch of potassium bicarbonate), quite often lead to weight loss since the food spends less time in digesting and therefore weight loss and bloating is reversed. Usually at least 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day on an empty stomach will often quite slowly cause the body to be more alkaline and reduce bloating, however it is best to monitor the urinary pH and vary the dosage accordingly within the 6.5- 7.35 pH range. Most people who are constipated and bloating are quite often the urinary pH is often below 5.5 if they do have problems."
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[SIDE EFFECTS] 12/05/2006: Leah from NH writes: "I started taking pure vitamin C as suggested by a doctor to try and get rid of my cold faster. Within a couple of days I broke out with a blistery rash on the palms on my hands. It itched somewhat and was very annoying. Once i stopped taking it the rash disappeared. I also developed the rash after drinking large amounts of V8 Splash juice which also contains large amounts of vitamin C."
11/18/2008: David from Elkton, MD replies: "It isn't the vitamin C. If Tomato juice causes it it's likely bioflavanoids that often come with vitamin C. You need C to survive, and your body doesn't produce it. You need to ingest it. Vitamin C is without doubt the most misunderstood nutrient and wrongfully disparaged therapeutic substance in modern medicine."
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[SIDE EFFECTS] 06/04/2006: Denise from Temecula, CA writes: "I have never been able to take Vit C. Within four days of ingesting it I would break out in massive cold sores. This also occurs when I eat large amounts of citrus or organic home grown tomatoes."
[SIDE EFFECTS] 11/11/2009: Kt from Irvine, Ca replies: "I agree with people linking Vitamin-C to cold sores. So, I am not alone! When taken in a dose as high as 500mg I start to get cold sores or ones already present get worse, talking about lip-condition here. I wonder what the explanation is! Reacta-C is one I took and it gives me cold sore symptoms. If I buy a formula where Vitamin-C is a part, I make sure it's not more than 50mg or else I don't buy the formula at all. B-Complex for eg. comes with Vitamin-C as part of it, some with 50mg some with 500 mg. So yea, may be taking Vitamin-C in small doses is okay or make your own like suggested here by grinding dry citrus fruit peels."
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[SIDE EFFECTS] 05/22/2006: Don from Perth Western Australia writes: "High dose vitamin C caused my magnesium level to fall drastically. After taking high vit C for two months, I finished up in the emergency ward having defibrillation to correct severe atrial fibrillation brought on by low magnesium. Please add this warning to your advice pages, thanks."
09/10/2007: jacqueline from el segundo, california replies: "One of your writers stated that while on mega doses of vitamin C he landed himself in the hospital for an imbalance of other minerals. However, he does not say what he considered a mega dose. NOR does he mention how long he had been taking this 'mega dose'. Some people think that anything over the RDA is a mega dose. I read about a doctor/researcher who would give up to 200 milligrams per day. I, myself just finished taking 3 teaspoons/12,000 milligrams AND yet another guy, that just posted here, stated that a mere 5,000-10,000 milligrams a day are helping a woman who has (what doctors had told her was) terminal lung cancer. He thinks these are mega doses. So again, what is 'considered' a mega dose?"
[SIDE EFFECTS] 02/02/2009: DarenM from Trenton, MI replies: "I too experienced something like the above post in my case it was very odd and scary palpitations. After going to the doctor several times and being in the emergency room more than once I lowered the C and things started to get better. I had EKG's performed and wore a halter monitor but of course over the 24 hours period I wore the monitor nothing happened. I found more information on the internet about this before but I can't remember where. At the time of problem I was taking 5-15 grams a day of chewable sodium ascorbate with 1 gram of sugar in it (unfortunately). I now take 2-6 grams a day of pure powder ascorbic acid and I always try to take it with a meal and a cookie. :) In addition I supplement with 250mg-600mg of magnesium.
Jacqueline do you mean 200 grams? 200 milligrams is not that much.
"read about a doctor/researcher who would give up to 200 milligrams per day""
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SINUSITIS, ACID REFLUX AND ARRHYTHMIA
[YEA] 07/08/2006: John from Wilmington, CA writes: "I take 10,000 mg to 15,000 mg of Vitamin C everyday and it keeps a number of symptoms at bay. You have to build up a tolerance for Vitamin C. It may create a lot of bowel distress at first. See the internet site http://www.orthomed.com/titrate.htm for more complete instructions on finding your personal level of Vitamin C."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 03/26/2009: Patti from Ewing , NJ writes: "Vitamin C and youthful skin: I knew someone who used to take Vitamin C crystals several times a day. He looked so young and his skin was always glowing and healthy. He was 40 at the time and played sports so he was in the sun a lot. He told me the he took the vitamin C for a lot of reasons but a bonus was that it worked on the collegan in the skin. He explained it this way. If your skin is the bricks, the collagen would be the morter between the bricks. As you age the mortar (Collagen) breaks down and things start to sag. But the vitamin C works to keep that collagen firm. Naturally I started taking the Vitamin C right away. This was over 12 years ago. I take Ester C, and have gradually increased my dosage up to 5000 mgs a day. I will take 2 500 mg capsules upon waking, then with all three meals, then at bedtime. This amount works for me and I learned a lot about it from reading the works of Linus Pauling. I found that I was the one who didn't get all of the virus's and colds going around. I used to get sore throats all the time, no matter what the season, which sometimes led to wicked strept throat. No more. I'm sure this is because of the Ester C. I'm almost 51, and no one has guessed my age to be in my 40s yet. I keep my age to myself but not the benefits of vitamin C!"
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2 YEA
[YEA] 11/26/2008: Sarah from Troy, MI writes: "Hello Everyone. I love Earthclinic, thanks to all for this great source of information. I have been struggling with skin related conditions, on my face and especially on my hands for over 3 years. Last night I tried the vitamin C and aloe vera mix, and I am happy to report that it has helped me greatly. Here is a little background of my problem, for which I have been to several doctors and have used a number of medications and remedies. Every time I think I have figured out what it is and start using a remedy with some level of success, the condition changes, for example, I identify something as ringworm and start treating it, soon, I see warts and then, as I treat the warts, something similar to ringworm starts spreading all over my hands, but know it does not not have the characteristic round pattern of ringworm. I am convinced that it is immune system related, it itches like crazy and the little blisters/wounds ooze some clear liquid. I have noticed that it worsens during winter. Last night it got to a point in which I could not stand the itching and discomfort, so I searched here and decided to try mixing aloe vera (leaf) and vitamin C powder (sodium ascorbate) and rub it on my hands really well, in addition, I took 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder, and 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper. I am happy to report that the itching stopped almost instantly and the blisters seem to be starting to heal."
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[YEA] 11/25/2008: Ken from Gold Coast, QLD writes: "I found that 3% H202 helped me with my pneumonia and airway track infections which I have had twice this year: My breathing is so much better. Also found it to move on sore throats and blocked noses from flu..gone instantly: I use it daily as spray inhaler: And I will find it does so much more:
Change:
Vitamin C Powder: IT WORKS and simple
It worked for me: Skin cancers gone
Now another that is wonderful is Vitamin C powder....great to move on skin cancers, boils, warts and many many other things....Method to use the powder is to wet infection by either sorbaline or olive oil....then taken a large pinch of Vit C dust and rub into the infected area keep rubbing until it turns into paste then keep rubbing until it disapates......do each day until skin cancer moves away: It worked for me: Skin cancer is just a virus...I also have heard that it also helps with cancers within...
NOTE: Now it must not be used on Kemo people to use it.....as it will not work..it will crystalize inside ones body: The powder can be taken orally with water or juice it can be purchased from either a chemist or health food stores for around $10 Aus
And it does much more: Injections of high dosage Vit C into infected area's also helps for ones who R ill...I also wonder about aids plus other viruses and infections? Much more
Ken"
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1 YEA
[YEA] 01/17/2007: Lorenzo from Green River, Wyoming writes: "Quick success with Sore throat. One tablespoon of raw crushed garlic. One day flu cure: 20 grams of vitamin C. Was taking Vitamin C several times a day to keep a tooth from hurting until the Dentist appointment. Then in place of taking anti-biotics one hour before the appointment I took more vitamin C. The Dentist had to give me more novocaine than normal as it kept wearing off. I mentioned this on the Cavemanfood list and another writer said he had the swame experience. We had a teen age visitor with a toothache, she took Vitamin C and was happy again."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 10/26/2008: WT from Spartanburg, SC writes: "Vitamin C is truly a medicine to take everywhere you go. I've used it for a spider bite I got while canoeing down a creek. My arm swelled and hurt and I didn't realize why at first. It finally dawned on me that I had brushed a limb at the start of the trip and spiders galore fell in the boat with me. Evidently one bit me!
I took 3-4G every 1.5 hours or so after getting home and continued the next day. Never got any signs of overdosing ie gas or diarrhea. I estimate I took 40G over 24 hours! It killed most of the swelling by nightfall the day of the trip!
Also had an employee get stung by a wasp. He told me the last time he got bit he had to go to the hospital. I gave him 5G and sent let him leave. He told me in an hour or so the pain and swelling had diminished greatly. He didn't have anymore vitamin C but he didn't need to visit the hospital!"
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VITAMIN C AND VEGETABLE NITRATES
[QUESTION] 06/14/2009: Luis from Cali, Colombia writes: "Nitrosamines, potentially cancerous, are generated in conditions of a lot of acidity, and therefore, the stomach is a suitable place for it by the presence of gastric juices. The reaction of the nitrates (some vegetables) with the amines (hot cooked proteins, fish and fermented products) that exist in food produces nitrosamines.
Without the presence of greases or lipids vitamin C reacts with nitrates in the acid middle generating nitric oxide (good for your arteries and blood pressure), but in presence of greases and oxygen nitrosamines appear, between 8 and 140 times more than without vitamin C addition.
According to the study that I add below, my first conclusion is that I should not eat or take juice extracts of lettuce, beetrot, radish, celery, spinach (high-nitrate vegetables), cabbage, parsley (medium-nitrate vegetables) and broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower (low-nitrate vegetables), along with foods, but among foods, adding vitamin C (generates nitric oxide), and not to consume any grease neither animal protein just then. My second conclusion is that I should not take vitamin C along with large foods.
- Am I right? I would like to know other opinions.
Thanks.
I include abstract of the original study.
GUT Journal
Gastric cancer
Fat transforms ascorbic acid from inhibiting to promoting acid-catalysed N-nitrosation
E Combet1, S Paterson1, K Iijima1, J Winter1, W Mullen2, A Crozier2, T Preston3 and K E L McColl1
1 Division of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, Western Infirmary, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
2 Plant Products and Human Nutrition Group, Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
3 Stable Isotope Biochemistry Laboratory, SUERC, East Kilbride, Scotland
Correspondence to:
Professor Kenneth E L McColl, Medical Sciences, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, UK; k.e.l.mccoll@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
Background: The major potential site of acid nitrosation is the proximal stomach, an anatomical site prone to a rising incidence of metaplasia and adenocarcinoma. Nitrite, a pre-carcinogen present in saliva, can be converted to nitrosating species and N-nitroso compounds by acidification at low gastric pH in the presence of thiocyanate.
Aims: To assess the effect of lipid and ascorbic acid on the nitrosative chemistry under conditions simulating the human proximal stomach.
Methods: The nitrosative chemistry was modelled in vitro by measuring the nitrosation of four secondary amines under conditions simulating the proximal stomach. The N-nitrosamines formed were measured by gas chromatography, ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry, while nitric oxide and oxygen levels were measured amperometrically.
Results: In absence of lipid, nitrosative stress was inhibited by ascorbic acid through conversion of nitrosating species to nitric oxide. Addition of ascorbic acid reduced the amount of N-nitrosodimethylamine formed by fivefold, N-nitrosomorpholine by >1000-fold, and totally prevented the formation of N-nitrosodiethylamine and N-nitrosopiperidine. In contrast, when 10% lipid was present, ascorbic acid increased the amount of N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine and N-nitrosopiperidine formed by approximately 8-, 60- and 140-fold, respectively, compared with absence of ascorbic acid.
Conclusion: The presence of lipid converts ascorbic acid from inhibiting to promoting acid nitrosation. This may be explained by nitric oxide, formed by ascorbic acid in the aqueous phase, being able to regenerate nitrosating species by reacting with oxygen in the lipid phase.
Keywords: cancer; diet, gastro-oesophageal junction, nitrite; nitrosation
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06/17/2008: Joyce from Joelton, Tn writes: "The first use of Vitamin C IV that I remember reading about was Norman Cousins, "Anatomy of An Illness" I think was the title. He became very ill, with an undiagnosed illness (he thought it was caused by the chemicals exposed to when he was caught in the jet stream of the plane he was trying to board) since that was the only difference that he could come up with that his wife wasn't exposed to and she accompanied him on this trip. Cousin's was bedfast and decided that his best chance of recovery was Pauling's Vitamin C IV and watching all the old cartoons that they could round up. He, wonder of wonders, found a doctor who would let him check into a hotel room and do therapy his way (after he signed a release for the doctor's not being responsible for any adverse outcome), also do lab work to check to how it was progressing. His therapy worked and the labs did show that after good belly laughter, his labs showed improvement."
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WEIGHT LOSS, CHRONIC ALLERGIES
[YEA] 08/18/2007: Richard from Dayton, Ohio writes: "I started taking Vitamin C because I heard that mega-dosing on it helped with remyelination of nerve cells. Two other side effects resulted. First I lost about 20 pounds in two months. I didn't really change my diet or exercise any more than usual. Also, I noticed that I was not suffering from my seasonal allergies. Normally I get seasonal allergies in May and late summer. This past may I only took one over the counter pill. So far this summer I haven't had to take any."
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