Vitamin C, Hero Of The Resistance

 I was going to say that Linus Pauling put vitamin C on the map, but not so fast!  

The British Navy did figure out what cured scurvy, fresh fruit and veg., but they never knew why it worked until later.

🍒

Albert Szent-Györgyi (1893-1986): The scientist who discovered vitamin C

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, has been a component of various dermatologic drugs and cosmetics for many years. It is known for its antioxidant properties and its applications in cancer therapy and inflammatory skin changes. A compound, known as rutin, supports the activity of vitamin C. The name of vitamin C-ascorbic acid is derived from the Latin, meaning “without scurvy.” Because humans do not produce vitamin C, it has to be supplied from other sources. In 1907, Axel Horst and Alfred Fröhlich suspected its existence on the basis of their research on guinea pigs; however, this substance was neither isolated nor identified. The discoverer of vitamin C and rutin (sometimes called vitamin P) was a Hungarian biochemist, Albert Szent-Györgyi........

***

Vitamin C is easily oxidized, participating in the redox systems of the body. It is essential for the synthesis of collagen, elastin, and cellular substance in the epithelium and also prevents the formation of excess free radicals. The impairment of collagen synthesis causes loss of skin firmness, the appearance of wrinkles, and capillary brittleness. Vitamin C determines healing of traumatic lesions and burns. It participates in the synthesis of tyrosine and phenylalanine and may affect pigment changes.2., 3.

This vitamin participates in hematopoiesis, which may cause anemia, as well as affecting teeth and bones. The disease resulting from vitamin C shortage is scurvy. The cutaneous manifestations are follicular hyperkeratosis, characterized by twisted hair, and perifollicular hemorrhages located on the anterior surface of the shin. Hemorrhagic changes occur as a result of the impairment of mesenchymes in the walls of blood vessels. Changes may occur in the buccal mucous membranes, with bleeding and loss of dentition; in addition, healing of wounds is significantly impaired. This disease is still present in contemporary times.4.

***

Now back to Pauling.  He was a very busy boy, into many things, from peace activism to all sorts of chemistry.

Linus Pauling
American scientist

While at San Diego and Stanford, Pauling’s scientific interests centred on a particular molecule—ascorbic acid (vitamin C). He examined the published reports about this vitamin and concluded that, when taken in large enough quantities (megadoses), it would help the body fight off colds and other diseases. The outcome of his research was the book Vitamin C and the Common Cold (1970), which became a best-seller. Pauling’s interest in vitamin C in particular and orthomolecular medicine in general led, in 1973, to his founding an institute that eventually bore his name—the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine. During his tenure at this institute, he became embroiled in controversies about the relative benefits and risks of ingesting megadoses of various vitamins. The controversy intensified when he advocated vitamin C’s usefulness in the treatment of cancer.

Back in the 70s everybody knew his book Vitamin C and the Common Cold.

*O*

Now then

The role of Vitamin C in the treatment of viral and bacterial infections

The rise of epidemics in the last 20 years is alarming with the most recent Pandemic resulting in significant mortality and economic loss. A careful review of Vitamin C and other antioxidants provide significant rationale for their use in treatment of common viral infections. Consider that treatment with high-dose vitamin C has been widely utilized by hospital ERs and ICUs to prevent death from SARS-associated pneumonia. [1-16]

Vitamin C is the main systemic extracellular antioxidant, and when given at high doses, either orally (3-10 gm/d) or IV (10-50 gm/d, etc.), can function as an antioxidant to prevent toxicity from ROS and viruses. When oxidized through donating an electron to reduce an ROS, it can be regenerated through a variety of mechanisms, including reducing enzymes and other antioxidants.

Vitamin C can support intracellular antioxidants such as GSH (glutathione) and catalase when the load of ROS is severe. Vitamin C can regenerate GSH when depleted by severe stress. The role of catalase is mainly to reduce hydrogen peroxide and it can function along with SOD and vitamin C to protect cells. However catalase and SOD are large molecules and do not serve the same role as vitamin C (ascorbate) which is a small molecule and can donate electrons to any ROS that it contacts, including oxidized vitamin E and many other molecules that may get damaged by ROS — in either the intracellular or extracellular space. [17]

Vitamin C also empowers the immune system, promoting chemotaxis, growth, and activity of some immune cells (macrophages, lymphocytes, natural killer cells) allowing the body to more effectively fight an infection. [17]

Vitamin C has many other roles in which it functions as a specific co-factor for biochemical reactions, for example, in the synthesis of aggrecan and collagen in which it is necessary for the cross linking of long fibers into a 3D matrix, in the absorption of iron, in the metabolism of many essential biochemicals including carnitine and neurotransmitters (e.g. norepinephrine, serotonin). Thus it is essential for recovery from damage caused by viral or bacterial infections, as well as for the normal functioning of the brain and many essential biochemical pathways. [17]

In addition, when the body is under severe stress, for example, recovering from toxin exposure, surgery, or SARS, the level of vitamin C can be depleted so that it cannot perform its direct or indirect antioxidant functions or its many other specific co-factor roles in biochemical metabolism. This can in turn deplete the other antioxidants, e.g. GSH and vitamin E, which can cause severe oxidative damage inside cells that normally they would prevent.

In high-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) therapy, vitamin C is thought to be a pro-oxidant in selective cell types, which allows it to kill specific cell types. This role may function in some types of cancer and also immune hyperinflammation. [18-26]

Overall, vitamin C has a variety of effects (i.e. “pleotropic”) that are not duplicated by intracellular antioxidants. It supports intracellular antioxidants and is necessary as a specific co-factor in many critical biochemical reactions in many organs of the body.

***********************************************************

The whole thing is pretty interesting.

Vitamin C is an essential element in the toolbox of supplements we need to maintain our health to the best of our ability.

Ascorbic acid, is good, but I think the rosehip C is better, or any natural source probably, though is you are going to do mega doses it will probably be ascorbic acid.

What say you, Mighty Readers?