12 recent studies: Vitamin C is effective against coronavirus

Vitamin C is essential for the immune defense for a number of reasons. According to a review of 12 recent studies, vitamin C administered in sufficiently high doses can prevent severe COVID-19 infections and save lives. The problem is that most people fail to follow the official dietary guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, which is why so many people lack vitamin C. Another thing is that health authorities in general are unaware of the health benefits of vitamin C in therapeutic doses, even after 80 years of international research.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a constituent of our collagen that is of vital importance to the structural integrity of bones, blood vessels, gums, and skin. At the same time, vitamin C supports the immune system, wound healing, and other functions. The nutrient is also a powerful antioxidant that protects cells and tissues against oxidative stress caused by free radicals. This function is extremely important in relation to infections where the immune defense generates large amounts of free radicals to attack pathogens without causing damage to the surrounding tissue.
The extreme consequence of a vitamin C deficiency is scurvy where you eventually die of internal bleeding. Subclinical scurvy, on the other hand, is rather common and is known to cause fatigue, bleeding gums, bruising, impaired wound healing, and impaired immunity and a weak antioxidant defense.

COVID-19 patients’ vitamin C deficiency leads to life-threatening organ damage

Studies have shown that plasma levels of vitamin C were concerningly low in 70-80 percent of COVID-19 patients. Many patients had the same low levels of the nutrient that one normally sees in patients with scurvy. This increases their risk of severe organ damage and death. Another study revealed that blood levels of vitamin C in COVID-19 patients could help predict which patients would survive and which ones would succumb. Therefore, infected patients need large doses of vitamin C in order to survive, and intravenous vitamin C therapy provides the fastest results.

Faster treatment with high-dosed vitamin C therapy

Dr. Vizcaychipi, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, gave patients with and without COVID-19 as much as six grams (6,000 mg) of intravenous vitamin C daily. The chosen dosage depended on disease severity and the required amount in relation to vitamin C concentrations in the blood. According to Dr. Vizcaychipi, vitamin C is one of several factors that can contribute to better results and faster rehabilitation. No side effects were observed and the treatment should therefore be standard practice.

Combined therapy with high-dosed vitamin C cut mortality in half

A group of US doctors, all members of Frontline COVID Critical Care Alliance, has successfully managed to cut in half the mortality rate in the intensive care unit by combining immunosuppressors like corticosteroids (methylprednisolone) with vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin D, and anticoagulants (heparin). The strategy is known as MATH+ and was developed by doctors Paul Marik, Pierre Kory, and Joseph Varon. Dr. Varon is an expert in acute medicine and recognized by UN for his life-saving work. Dr. Marik, on the other hand, has been banned from offering this life-saving therapy by the hospital where he works so he is currently in a legal battle.

The review of the 12 studies

According to the review of the 12 studies, intravenous vitamin C therapy can improve oxygen levels in the blood, lower inflammation markers, reduce the number of sick days, and lower mortality. For severely ill patients, studies using 6-24 grams of intravenous vitamin D daily have shown positive outcome in the form improved survival and shorter hospital duration. The review of the studies shows that oral intake of high-dosed vitamin C also has a general impact on infections and helps patients recover faster and avoid hospitalization. Vitamin C adds strength to the storm troops of the immune defense, and it is essential to start giving high quantities of vitamin C (preferably a non-acidic form) at the slightest signs of an infection.
According to Carr from the University of Otaga, Christchurch, oral vitamin C in doses of around eight grams per day have shown to improve infection recovery by 70 percent.

Time to act

Scientists call for routine checks of vitamin C status in patients and therapies that are adjusted to individual needs. Supplementation with vitamin C is safe, effective and inexpensive.

References

Patrick Holford. Tolv nyere studier viser, at vitamin C motvirker koronavirus. Helsemagasinet Vitenskap og Fornuft. Nr. 1, 2022

Patrick Holford et al. Vitamin C Intervention for Critical COVID-19: A Pragmatic Review of the Current Level of Evidence. Life 2021

Taylor Patterson, Carlos M Isales and Sadanand Fulzele. Low level of Vitamin C and dysregulation of Vitamin C transporter might be involved in the severity of COVID-19 infection. Aging and Disease 2021

Claudia Vollbracht and Karin Kraft. Feasibility of Vitamin C in the treatment of Post Viral Fatigue with Focus on Long COVID, Based on a Systematic Review of IV vitamin C on Fatigue. Nutrients 2021

Yejin Kim et al. Vitamin C Is an Essential Factor on the Anti-viral Immune response through the Production of Interferon-α/β at the Initial Stage of Influenza A virus (H3N2) Infection. Immune Netw. 2013