Due to its popularity and widespread use as a dietary supplement, vitamin C may be more familiar to the general public than any other nutrient. Studies show that over 40% of older Americans take vitamin C supplements. In some regions of the country, nearly 25 percent of all adults, regardless of age, take vitamin C. Aside from a multivitamin, vitamin C is also the most popular supplement among some groups of registered dietitians, with 80 % of dieters who take vitamin C take more than 250 milligrams. Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a term that literally means "scurvy-free." About 250 years ago, a British physician discovered that sailors who ate citrus fruits were cured of scurvy, which is the result of vitamin C deficiency. Dehydroascorbic acid and ascorbic acid are the active forms of vitamin C found in food. Most supplements contain only ascorbic acid. Blood ascorbic acid levels increase to the same extent after consuming foods containing vitamin C and ascorbic acid. Due to its role in collagen formation and other vital functions, vitamin C is a key nutrient for the immune system and a powerful free radical fighter. This dual-purpose nutrient has been shown to prevent many illnesses, from everyday ailments like the common cold to devastating illnesses like heart disease. Doctors are often asked if vitamin C is even an effective way to fight cancer. While there is a growing body of scientific evidence suggesting that vitamin C is beneficial in preventing cancer, its effectiveness as a cancer treatment has yet to be determined. However, its low cost and surprising lack of toxicity make it an extremely attractive candidate for further testing.
One of the ongoing investigations into the role of vitamin C in cancer treatment is led by Dr. Kedar Prasad, professor of radiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver. Prasad has shown that vitamin C is able to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in vitro. She advocates giving patients vitamin C and other antioxidants while they are undergoing conventional chemotherapy and radiation. Another team led by Dr. Mark Levine of the National Academy of Sciences studied vitamin C and cancer cells in a series of laboratory tests. Vitamin C appeared to increase the production of hydrogen peroxide, which killed cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. Vitamin C levels were so high that they could only be achieved by intravenous infusions. These results lend plausibility to intravenous ascorbic acid in the treatment of cancer and have unexpected implications for the treatment of infections in which hydrogen peroxide may be beneficial. Cancer experts said "overwhelming" evidence still suggested vitamin C was not an effective treatment. Studies from the 1970s initially suggested that taking high doses of vitamin C might help treat cancer, but subsequent research hasn't supported this. There are many substances that have been shown to kill cancer cells in the lab, but haven't lived up to that promise when tested in people, says Henry Scowcroft of UK-based Cancer Research, Inc. In the latest study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers conducted laboratory experiments that simulated clinical infusions of vitamin C into a series of nine cancer and four normal cells. In five of the tumor lines, there was a 50% decrease in cell survival, while normal cells were unaffected.
The benefits of vitamin C are continually questioned, but one thing is certain: a healthy, balanced diet, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, is an effective way to reduce your risk of getting cancer in the first place.
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