Production includes using a proprietary, water-based manufacturing process that will result in a pH neutral product containing naturally occurring vitamin C metabolites. These metabolites activate the vitamin C molecules thereby increasing its absorption, distribution and dose of bio-availability (Valerio, 2015).

Sources of natural Vitamin C would include citrus fruits and juice, red and green peppers, broccoli, strawberries and Brussels sprouts.

Benefits of Vitamin C

Benefits of Vitamin C is that it is an essential nutrient in tissue repair. It is also supporting the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters.

Vitamin C counteracts many types of bacterial and viral diseases, inhibit some type of viruses and may help prevent hepatitis.

Vitamin C may help and treat many forms of cancers. It may help prevent rheumatic fever, and immune support. Vitamin C is may be very helpful chelation orally for heavy metals.

General uses of Vitamin C

Vitamin C may be helped with Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Vitamin E, beta-carotene and zinc may help prevent AMD to become worse. Vitamin C together with Vitamin E may reduce albuminuria in diabetics. Vitamin C before and for a few days after heart surgery helps prevent irregular heartbeat after heart surgery especially atrial fibrillation.

For a common cold or flu taking 1-3 grams of vitamin C might shorten the course of the cold by 1 to 1.5 days and improve the symptoms and immune response. Limb pain that usually occurs after an injury called complex regional pain syndrome can prevent this type of pain. 

Erythema that is skin redness caused by injury or irritation a cream containing Vitamin C might decrease skin redness. Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants that according to Skin Cancer Association, researched Vitamin C, Vitamin A and E improves actinic keratosis which is a precursor to skin cancer. Using Vitamin C before heavy physical exercise may prevent upper airway infections that can occur after heavy exercise.

Patients that are non-compliant on their gout medication a higher intake of Vitamin C from is linked to a lower risk of gout in men but doesn't help to treat gout itself.

Patients with high cholesterol, Vitamin C might reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in people with high cholesterol and may aid in lowering blood pressure in patient on medication.

As mentioned, Vitamin C is a good oral chelator. Consuming Vitamin C appropriate dosages seems to lower blood levels of lead. Vitamin C seems to prevent cartilage loss and worsening of symptoms in people with osteoarthritis as it improves the structure of cartilage and soft tissue.

Immune modulating effects of Vitamin C

Autoimmune Diseases

Vitamin C may help to prevent active episodes of (Systemic) Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in patients with existing SLE, may help to prevent Rheumatic Fever and may be useful for the treatment of Sjogren Syndrome (due to its role in the production of Prostaglandin E1) (Horrobin, 1980). 

Cancer

The major mechanisms of anti-cancer activity of ascorbate (Vitamin C) reflects either its redox, pro-oxidant or enzyme co-factor activity:

• Pro-oxidant activity where Vitamin C needs minimal iron and cupper to form H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) which will have major cytotoxic effect (Das, 2018).
• This exacerbates oxidative stress in the cancer cells causing more oxidative cell damage. The oxidative damage is due to the glutathione depletion (Das, 2018).
• Co-factor activity of the deoxygenises. There is up regulation of epigenetic demethylases causes reversal of cancer stem cell phenotype. Up regulation of HIF hydroxylase causes decreased hypoxic stress. Transcription activity of hydroxylase is decreased, and when there is less hypoxic stress there is cancer cellular growth retardation (Das, 2018). 
• Vitamin C may help to prevent and treat many forms of Cancer (Blok, 1991). Cancer patients are often found to be deficient in Vitamin C and supplemental Vitamin C has increased the life expectancy of some Cancer patients. Vitamin C may help to:
• Prevent and treat Bladder Cancer‍
• Prevent and treat Breast Cancer
• ‍Prevent Cervical Cancer (Cervical Cancer patients generally have 50% lower levels of Vitamin C compared to healthy people)
• Prevent Colon Cancer by speeding the passage of stools through the Intestinal Tract, thereby preventing exposure of the intestines to carcinogens
• Prevent Oesophageal Cancer‍
• Prevent Laryngeal Cancer (people who are deficient in Vitamin C have approximately double the risk of developing Larynx Cancer compared to people consuming adequate Vitamin C)
• Prevent and treat (carcinogens-induced) Liver Cancer‍
• Prevent Lung Cancer‍
• Prevent Mouth Cancer (Oral Cancer)
• May increase the effectiveness of Arsenic Trioxide (an agent used in Chemotherapy) for the treatment of Multiple Myeloma‍
• May inhibit the further growth of Neuroblastoma cells 
• May enhance the effectiveness of some Anti-Cancer Pharmaceutical Drugs used in Chemotherapy for the treatment of Neuroblastoma.  Vitamin C used in conjunction with Chemotherapy which is not a common practice
• May improve the ability of Chemotherapy to cause the remission of Ovarian Cancer patients
• May help to prevent Pancreatic Cancer‍
• May help to prevent Pharyngeal Cancer‍
• May help to prevent Prostate Cancer and may inhibit the further growth and division of existing Prostate Cancer cells
• May help to prevent Skin Cancer 
• May eliminate Basal Cell Carcinoma‍
• May inhibit the growth of Melanoma cells‍
• May stimulate the Apoptosis (cellular death) of the Cells involved in Squamous Cell Carcinoma‍
• May help to prevent Stomach Cancer 
• One of the means by which Vitamin C may help to prevent Stomach Cancer is by inhibiting Helicobacter pylori, a type of Bacteria that has been found to cause many cases of Stomach Cancer and 
• May help to prevent Uterus Cancer

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Infections

Bacterial and viral infections may increase the body's Vitamin C requirements and Vitamin C may help to counteract many types of bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral diseases (Long, 2003). 

Vitamin C: 

• May help with treatment of Brucellosis   
• In very high doses may shorten the duration of the symptoms of Glandular Fever (Dalton, 1962).
• May help to prevent, reduce severity and accelerate healing of Respiratory Tract Infections
• May accelerate recovery from Scarlet Fever in mega doses
• Has been used for the treatment of Tetanus  
• Has been used in mega dose to treat Viral Encephalitis
• Has been used beneficially in the fungus Candida albicans

Vitamin C may exert effects against some types of Detrimental Bacteria.

• May help to counteract Brucella abortus infection 
• May kill various species of Clostridium including botulinum and tetani
• May reduce the toxicity of the Exotoxin produced by Corynebacterium diphtheriae
• May inhibit Escherichia coli
• May reduce susceptibility to infection by Helicobacter pylori and Vitamin C may help to eradicate Helicobacter pylori
• May inhibit Mycobacterium leprae (leprosy)
• May inhibit the proliferation of Porphyromonas gingivalis
• May inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Rawal, 1964)
• May inhibit Salmonella typhi
• May prevent infection from Shigella species and may accelerate recovery from Shigella infections
• May help to prevent infections from detrimental Streptococcus species like faecalis and pneumoniae
• May help to prevent infection from Entamoeba histolytica (parasite) and may accelerate recovery from Entamoeba histolytica infection
• May help to prevent Malaria (parasite) and may facilitate recovery from Malaria
• May inhibit some types of viruses like Covid-19 as expressed by the Chinese Medicine association in Shanghai
• Vitamin C 10 grams per day or more may counteract the loss of immunity associated with AIDS.  Vitamin C has been demonstrated to inhibit the replication of the HIV virus that causes AIDS
• May help to prevent Chickenpox and in mega doses administered intravenously may successfully treat Chickenpox
• May help to prevent the Common Cold and Influenza’s severity of symptoms as well as decrease the duration of disease
• May inactivate the Cytomegalovirus
• May help to prevent Hepatitis
• May help to prevent further Herpes Simplex Virus outbreaks in people who have previously become infected with these Simplex lesions. 
• Vitamin C in mega doses may kill the Herpes Zoster Virus (shingles)
• Vitamin C (mega doses) may prevent and alleviate Measles
• May be an effective adjunct treatment for Viral Meningitis
• May inactivate Parainfluenza Viruses (other flu viruses)
• May inhibit the replication of Rhinoviruses (common cold and upper respiratory tract infections
• Vitamin C in high doses and combined with the N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) form of Cysteine may inhibit Polio Viruses

Inflammation

Vitamin C may:

• Alleviate Allergies (by inhibiting the release of Histamine from Mast Cells)
• Alleviate Eye Inflammation (diluted and used as a solution in eye baths)  
• Prevent Fevers by inhibiting the production of Prostaglandin E2.  [more info]
• Vitamin C (1,000 - 3,000 mg per day) may alleviate and prevent Hay Fever (in up to 75% of Hay Fever sufferers)
• Reduce Inflammation (Jailal, 2006)
• Reduce Inflammation in the Skin
• Mega doses may successfully treat some cases of Osteomyelitis

Mechanism of Action of Immunity by Vitamin C

Vitamin C may stimulate the production of optimal levels of several types of Antibodies. A dose of 1,000 mg of Vitamin C per day can increase Antibodies production by up to 400%. 

Antibodies that may be increased using Vitamin C include (Tanaka, 1994): 

• IgA 
• IgG
• IgM  

• Vitamin C may increase the production of B-Lymphocytes (Ritter, 2003) and other lymphocytes
• Vitamin C may stimulate the production (of one of the components) of Complement
• Vitamin C may stimulate the production of Interferons (including Interferon Gamma). (Dahl, 1996)
• Neutrophils may be incapable of functioning as Phagocytes unless activated by Vitamin C.  Vitamin C may improve the motility of Neutrophils (i.e. their ability to migrate to sites of infections) (Anderson, 1979)
• Vitamin C may enhance the activity of NK Lymphocytes (by up to tenfold) (Dowd, 1986).
• Phagocytes may be unable to destroy Antigens unless Vitamin C is present (at dosages of at least 1,000 mg per day or 6,000 mg per day in the presence of the Common Cold) (Anderson, 1984)
• Vitamin C may enhance the ability of White Blood Cells to function as Phagocytes (Horrobin, 1979)
• Vitamin C may increase the motility of White Blood Cells and may facilitate their transport to the sites of Infections

Conclusion

Vitamin C has multiple immune modulating applications to various organisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses. Besides the improvement of anti-infective immunity, it also holds strong ante-cancer immunity, helping the body using its own immunity to guard and fight against the cancer, but also have its own cytotoxic mechanisms.

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Dr. Quinten D Fourie 

Aesthetic, Integrative and Regenerative practitioner, Senior medical Officer, Golding Medical Practice

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References

Anderson, R., 1984. The immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties of ascorbate.. Adv Nutr Res., Volume 6, pp. 19 - 45.

Anderson, R. e. a., 1979. Effects of ascorbate on leucocytes: Part III. In vitro and in vivo stimulation of abnormal neutrophil motility by ascorbate.. S Afr Med J., 8;56(11), pp. 280 - 284.

Blok, G., 1991. Epidemiological evidence regarding Vitamin C and cancer. Americam Jounal of Clinical Nutrition, 54(6 Supplemental), pp. 1310S - 1314S.

Dahl, H. e. a., 1996. The effect of ascorbic acid on production of human interferon and the antiviral activity in vitro.. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavia. , 84B(5), pp. 280 - 284.

Dalton, W. L., 1962. Massive doses of Vitamin C in treatment of viral disease. Journal of the Indiana State medical association, 1154(55), p. 1151.

Das, A. a. V. M. C. M., 2018. Potential Mechanisms of Action for Vitamin C in Cancer: Reviewing the Evidence. Journal frontiers in Physiology, 9(809).

Dowd, P. S. e. a., 1986. Nutrition and cellular immunity in hospital patients.. British Journal of Nutrition. , 55(3), pp. 515 - 527.

Horrobin, D. F. e. a., 1979. The nutritional regulation of T lymphocyte function. Medical Hypotheses. , Volume 5, pp. 969 - 985.

Horrobin, D. F. e. a., 1980. Sjogren's syndrome and the sicca syndrome: the role of prostaglandin E1 deficiency. Treatment with essential fatty acids and vitamin C.. Medical Hypotheses, 6(3), pp. 225 - 232.

Jailal, I. e. a., 2006. Is Vitamin C an anti-inflammatory agent?. Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 83, pp. 525 - 526.

Johnston, C. S. e. a., 1994. Comparison of absorption and excretion of three commercially available Vitmin C. J. Am Diet Association, 94(7), pp. 779 - 781.

Long, C. L. e. a., 2003. Ascorbic acid dynamics in the seriously ill and injured.. Journal of Surgical Residency, 2(109), pp. 144-148.

Rawal, B. D. e. a., 1964. Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by ascorbic acid acting singly in combination with antimicrobials. Medical Jouneal of Australia, 1(6), pp. 169-174.

Ritter, S. Y. e. a., 2003. Enhancement by ascorbic acid 2-glucoside or repeated additions of ascorbate of mitogen-induced IgM and IgG productions by human peripheral blood lymphocytes.. Houston, University of Texas.

Tanaka, M. e. a., 1994. Enhancement by ascorbic acid 2-glucoside or repeated additions of ascorbate of mitogen-induced IgM and IgG productions by human peripheral blood lymphocytes.. Jpn Jounal of pharmacology, 66(4), pp. 451 - 456.

Valerio, N., 2015. Optimum health vitamins. [Online]
Available at: http://blog.optimumhealthvitamins.com/ester-c-what-makes-it-better
[Accessed 03 04 2020].

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