Q & A: Intravenous Vitamin C

1. True or False? Vitamin C given intravenously (otherwise known as, IVC), but not by mouth, kills cancerous neuroblastoma cells (cancer of the nerves) by producing hydrogen peroxide?

ANSWER: True. Hydrogen peroxide is generated by vitamin C and is not toxic to normal cells.

2. True or False? IVC and cause renal (kidney) stones?

ANSWER: False. A study has demonstrated that, with normal kidney function, even IVC (high dosages) does not cause stones.

3. True or False? IVC is effective for the treatment of herpetic neuralgia, a herpes virus caused nerve inflammation, even beyond the antiviral therapies given for this condition?

ANSWER: True. IVC caused the neuralgia to go into remission (no cure is available).

4. True or False? Intravenous vitamin C improves small artery circulation in the heart?

ANSWER: True.

5. True or False? Antiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels and is critical for tumor growth. IVC inhibits or stops new blood vessel growth in both animal and clinical case studies?

ANSWER: True. Journal of Angiogenesis Research.

6. True or False? IVC may have benefits in patients with advanced cancers and can- cers with a poor outcome with limited therapeutic options, and, improves overall quality of life?

ANSWER: True. Three case reports indicate that the role of high dose IVC, which was verified by pathologists at the National Cancer Institute, demonstrate definitive benefit.

7. True or False? The Mayo Clinic studies on vitamin C did not show benefit in termi- nal cancer patients at 10 grams once a day of oral C. Other trials have demonstrated that vitamin C is effective against tumors when given intravenously?

ANSWER: True. According to various studies including one in the PR Health Science Journal.

8. True or False? IVC may help critically ill patients after severe burns by rapidly re-toring depleted vitamin C levels and also helps reduce circulatory shock, improving fluid balance and reducing edema (swelling)?

ANSWER: True. Supraphysiological levels of vitamin C, achieved only by IV, may restore vascular function in critically ill patients.

9. True or False? Vitamin C along with magnesium, calcium and B complex vitamins have benefitted conditions including, asthma attacks, migraine, fatigue, fibromyal- gia, acute muscle spasm, upper respiratory tract infections, sinusitis, seasonal allergic rhinitis, cardiovascular disease and other disorders?
ANSWER: True. According to the journal, Alternative Medicine Review.

10. True or False? IVC improves the immunodeficient state in those with interstitial pneumonia, particularly when given along with DHEA and the adrenal hormone cortisol?

ANSWER: True. According to the journal, InVivo.

11. True or False? High doses of vitamin C can promote cell death of liver cancer cells when those cancer cells were placed in rats?

ANSWER: True.

12. True or False? IVC has proven effects with those with advanced cancers?

ANSWER: True. According to the journal, Anticancer Research, IVC is effective against tumor cells and should be reevaluated as an important therapeutic tool.

13. True or False? Low doses of IVC can help diabetics on dialysis who are unrespon- sive to certain medications?

ANSWER: True. According to the journal, Renal Failure, IVC helps release iron overload in diabetic patients on hemodialysis.

14. True or False? IVC given along with IV immunoglobin is synergistic as an effec- tive therapy for decreasing the progression of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (inflammation of heart muscle)?

ANSWER: True.

15. True or False? IV vitamin C acts as a pro-oxidant significantly decreasing growth rates of ovarian, pancreatic and glioblastoma (brain) tumors in mice?

ANSWER: True. Vitamin C may have benefits in cancers with poor prognosis and lim- ited therapeutic options according to the journal, Proc Natal Acad Sei USA.

16. True or False? IVC not only kills pancreatic cancer cells by increasing hydrogen peroxide production in the body, but reduces symptoms of the disease improving quality of life?

ANSWER: True. According to the Journal of Clinical Cancer Research.

17. True or False? According to the Journal of Applied Physiology, IVC abolishes con- striction (choking off) of blood vessels in the leg restoring blood flow in healthy older men?

ANSWER: True.

18. True or False? High doses of vitamin C induces cell death in all lines of mesothe- lioma cells (a fatal asbestos caused lung cancer)?

ANSWER: True. Data from a Japanese study suggests that the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may have benefits for patients with this fatal disease.

19. True or False? As reported by the Department of Family Medicine at a Korean college of medicine, IVC enhances the quality of life of terminal cancer patients?

ANSWER: In terminal cancer patients, the quality of life is as important as a cure and this study shows that IVC improved emotional health, cognitive function, improved fatigue, nausea, vomiting, pain and appetite loss.

Dr. Michael Wald is the director of nutritional services at Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco.

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