Can Vitamin C Cure Cancer? The Unsolved Controversy That Divides Scientists and Doctors

When the words “vitamin C” come up, most of us envision citrus fruits, immune-boosting properties, and perhaps even childhood memories of fizzy ascorbic acid tablets. But did you know that there’s an ongoing debate about whether vitamin C can actually cure cancer?

In the world of health and wellness, vitamin C stands out as a superstar nutrient. Its benefits—ranging from immune support and skin health to wound healing and antioxidant defense—are well-documented by scientific research. Yet, lurking in the shadows is a controversial claim: Can vitamin C go beyond its familiar role and cure cancer?

Many scientists and doctors say that there is no evidence that Vitamin C can cure cancer and that it is just a myth or a hoax. But there are also some scientists and doctors who disagree. They say that there is evidence that Vitamin C can cure cancer by killing cancer cells.

So who is right? Can Vitamin C cure cancer or not? This is the question that we want to explore in this post. By the end, I hope to provide you with some insights and information that will help you understand this controversial topic better.

The Discovery of Vitamin C

Vitamin C was discovered less than a hundred years ago, after centuries of searching for a cure for scurvy. Scurvy was a deadly disease that affected sailors and explorers who lacked fresh fruits and vegetables on long voyages. The first clue to its prevention came from James Lind, a Scottish naval surgeon who found that citrus fruits could cure scurvy in 1747.

However, his discovery was ignored for decades, and scurvy continued to claim millions of lives, including Captain James Cook in 1779. It was not until 1795 that the British navy adopted lemon juice as a daily ration for their sailors, earning them the nickname “limeys”.

The chemical identity of the anti-scorbutic factor in citrus fruits remained a mystery until 1928, when Albert Szent-Györgyi, a Hungarian biochemist, isolated a substance from animal adrenal glands and plant juices that he called hexuronic acid. He suspected that it was the same as Vitamin C, the elusive nutrient that prevented scurvy. He proved his hypothesis in 1932 with Joseph Svirbely, an American biochemist, by using guinea pigs as experimental animals. They showed that hexuronic acid could prevent and cure scurvy in guinea pigs.

The molecular structure of hexuronic acid was determined in 1933 by Walter Haworth, a British chemist, who renamed it ascorbic acid, meaning “without scurvy”. He also synthesized it artificially for the first time and confirmed that it was identical to Vitamin C. Szent-Györgyi and Haworth were awarded the Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine and Chemistry respectively in 1937 for their groundbreaking work on Vitamin C.

How Vitamin C Deficiency Led to Scurvy and Deaths Between 16th and 18th Centuries

Scurvy is a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin C in the diet. Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis. Collagen forms the connective tissue in the skin, bones, teeth, gums, blood vessels, and other organs. Without Vitamin C, collagen becomes weak and unstable. This leads to symptoms like bleeding gums, loose teeth, swollen joints, poor wound healing, anemia, fatigue, and infections.

Scurvy was a major cause of death and disability among sailors, explorers, soldiers, and colonists between the 16th and 18th centuries. During this period, long voyages across oceans or continents were common. Fresh fruits and vegetables were scarce or unavailable. The staple diet of these travelers consisted mainly of salted meat, biscuits, cheese, and beer. These foods provided little or no Vitamin C.

As a result, scurvy became widespread and epidemic among these populations. It is estimated that scurvy killed more than two million sailors between 1500 and 1800. Scurvy also affected many soldiers and colonists who were involved in wars or settlements in foreign lands.

Scurvy was not only a physical disease but also a psychological one. It affected the morale and performance of the affected individuals and groups, causing depression, apathy, irritability, and confusion. Additionally, it reduced the ability to fight or resist enemies or diseases, often becoming a decisive factor in the outcome of battles or missions.

Scurvy was a scourge that haunted humanity for centuries. It was not until the late 18th and early 19th centuries that scurvy was finally understood and prevented by adding Vitamin C-rich foods to the diet. However, even then, scurvy still occurred sporadically in some situations where Vitamin C was scarce or inaccessible. It was not until the discovery and synthesis of Vitamin C in the early 20th century that scurvy was finally eradicated from modern civilization.

The Best-Known Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most popular and widely used Vitamins in the world. It has many health benefits, ranging from boosting immunity to protecting against chronic diseases. Here are some of the best-known benefits of Vitamin C, along with the scientific evidence that supports them.

Boosts Immunity

Vitamin C is essential for the production and function of white blood cells, which are the main defenders of the body against infections and diseases. Vitamin C also enhances the activity of natural killer cells, which can destroy cancer cells and virus-infected cells. It also supports the production of antibodies, which help neutralize foreign invaders in the blood.

Several studies have shown that Vitamin C can reduce the duration and severity of common colds, as well as prevent or treat respiratory infections.

Fights Oxidative Stress

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which means it can protect the body from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage the cells, DNA, and proteins in the body, leading to aging, inflammation, and chronic diseases.

Vitamin C can scavenge free radicals and prevent or repair their damage. Vitamin C can also regenerate other antioxidants, such as Vitamin E, and enhance their effects.

Supports Collagen Synthesis

Vitamin C is vital for the synthesis of collagen, which is the most abundant protein in the body and the main component of connective tissues, such as skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Collagen provides strength, elasticity, and structure to these tissues, and helps them heal faster and better.

Vitamin C is also involved in the formation of other proteins that are important for wound healing, such as elastin and fibrinogen.

Improves Iron Absorption

Iron is a mineral that is essential for the production of hemoglobin, which is the protein that carries oxygen in the red blood cells. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, which is a condition characterized by low hemoglobin levels and symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, pale skin, and shortness of breath.

Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron from plant sources, such as beans and spinach, by reducing its oxidation and forming a complex that is more easily absorbed by the intestines. Vitamin C can also prevent or treat iron deficiency anemia by increasing the availability of iron in the body.

Protects Against Chronic Diseases

Vitamin C may have a protective role against various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. it can lower the risk of these diseases by modulating blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, inflammation levels, and gene expression.

Additionally, Vitamin C may enhance the effects of other nutrients and drugs used to treat these conditions.

Enhances Brain Function

Vitamin C is crucial for the production and function of neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers that transmit signals between the brain cells and other parts of the body. Neurotransmitters regulate mood, sleep, appetite, memory, learning, and cognition.

Vitamin C is especially important for the synthesis of norepinephrine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are involved in stress response, emotional regulation, and mental well-being. Vitamin C also protects the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation. These factors can impair brain function and lead to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Several studies have shown that Vitamin C can improve cognitive performance, mood, and mental health in healthy individuals and patients with cognitive impairment or depression.

Acts as an Antistress Vitamin

Vitamin C is also known as the antistress vitamin because it helps the body cope with physical and psychological stress. It supports the adrenal glands, which produce hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that regulate our stress response. Vitamin C also reduces the levels of histamine, a chemical that causes allergic reactions and inflammation. Studies have shown that taking vitamin C supplements can lower blood pressure, improve mood, enhance cognitive performance, and boost immunity in stressful situations.

Supports Eye Health

Vitamin C is essential for the health and function of the eyes. It helps maintain the integrity and transparency of the cornea and lens. It also prevents or delays the development of cataracts, which are clouding of the lens that impairs vision. Additionally, Vitamin C protects the retina from oxidative damage caused by exposure to light. It reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in older adults.

Can Vitamin C Cure Cancer by Destroying Cancer Cells?

One of the most controversial claims about Vitamin C is that it can destroy cancer cells. This claim has been debated for decades. Two Nobel Prize winners, Linus Pauling and Albert Szent-Györgyi, proposed that high doses of Vitamin C could prevent and treat cancer in the 1970s. However, their studies were criticized for methodological flaws and inconsistent results. Subsequent clinical trials failed to confirm their findings. As a result, the mainstream medical community dismissed Vitamin C as a viable cancer therapy and considered it a pseudoscientific myth.

However, in recent years, new evidence has emerged that challenges this view. It suggests that Vitamin C may indeed have some anti-cancer potential. The key difference lies in the route of administration. Oral Vitamin C has limited bioavailability and cannot reach high enough concentrations in the blood to affect cancer cells. Intravenous (IV) Vitamin C can bypass the digestive system and achieve much higher levels that can exert cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.

Mechanism of Action

How does IV Vitamin C kill cancer cells? The mechanism is based on the redox properties of Vitamin C. This means it can act as both an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant depending on the context. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C can donate electrons to neutralize free radicals and protect healthy cells from oxidative stress. As a pro-oxidant, Vitamin C can react with metals in the body to generate hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen species that can damage cells and DNA.

The difference between normal cells and cancer cells is that normal cells can reduce the effects of hydrogen peroxide by producing enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Cancer cells, on the other hand, have lower levels of these enzymes and are more vulnerable to oxidative stress. Therefore, when exposed to high doses of IV Vitamin C, cancer cells are overwhelmed by hydrogen peroxide and undergo cell death, while normal cells are spared.

This selective toxicity of IV Vitamin C against cancer cells has been demonstrated in several laboratory studies. These studies used various types of cancer cell lines, such as prostate, pancreatic, liver, colon, mesothelioma, and neuroblastoma. Moreover, some animal studies have shown that IV Vitamin C can inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in mice with different types of cancers.

Clinical Trials and Human Studies

However, the most convincing evidence for the anti-cancer effects of IV Vitamin C comes from clinical trials involving human patients. Several studies have reported that IV Vitamin C can improve the quality of life, reduce side effects, and enhance the efficacy of conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy in patients with various types of cancers. Some studies have also suggested that IV Vitamin C may increase the survival rate and prolong the progression-free survival in patients with advanced or terminal cancers.

Of course, these studies are not without limitations or challenges. Some of them are small-scale, non-randomized, or retrospective, which may affect their validity and generalizability. Others have conflicting or inconclusive results, which may reflect the complexity and variability of cancer biology and patient characteristics. Some also face ethical or practical difficulties in conducting rigorous clinical trials that can meet the standards of evidence-based medicine.

Another factor that may hinder the research on IV Vitamin C is that it is a natural substance that cannot be patented, so there is less financial incentive for companies to invest in its research and development.

Therefore, more research is needed to clarify the role and optimize the use of IV Vitamin C in cancer therapy. However, based on the current evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that IV Vitamin C is not a myth or a hoax, but a promising option that deserves further exploration and evaluation. In the next section, I will discuss some of the best sources of Vitamin C from natural foods or supplements.

The Best Sources of Vitamin C

Your body cannot store Vitamin C because it is a water-soluble vitamin. You must obtain it from your diet or supplements. Adults should consume 90 mg of Vitamin C daily for men and 75 mg for women. Smokers, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with certain medical conditions may need higher doses.

There are many sources of Vitamin C from natural foods or supplements. But some are better than others in terms of quality, quantity, and availability. Here are some of the best sources of Vitamin C that you can choose from:

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes, are popular and widely available sources of Vitamin C. One medium orange provides about 70 mg of Vitamin C, almost the entire daily requirement for an adult. Citrus fruits are also rich in other nutrients, such as fiber, potassium, and flavonoids, that benefit your health. However, citrus fruits are acidic and can cause problems for people with sensitive stomachs or teeth.

Kiwi

Kiwi fruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry, is a small green fruit with a fuzzy skin and sweet, tangy flesh. One medium kiwifruit provides about 64 mg of Vitamin C, more than the amount found in an orange. Kiwifruit is also high in fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. It has been shown to improve immune function, lower blood pressure, and reduce oxidative stress. However, kiwifruit can cause allergic reactions in some people who are sensitive to its proteins or latex.

Bell peppers

Bell peppers, also known as sweet peppers or capsicum, are vegetables that come in different colors, such as green, red, yellow, or orange. One cup of raw bell pepper can provide about 120 mg of Vitamin C, which is more than the amount found in two oranges. Bell peppers are also low in calories and high in other nutrients, such as Vitamin A, folate, and carotenoids, that can protect your eyesight, skin, and immune system. However, bell peppers can cause digestive issues or allergic reactions in some people who are sensitive to their capsaicin or nightshade family.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that belongs to the same family as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts. One cup of cooked broccoli provides about 100 mg of Vitamin C, more than the amount found in an orange. Broccoli is also a good source of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, and sulforaphane, a compound with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. However, broccoli can cause gas or bloating in some people who have difficulty digesting its fiber or sulfur compounds.

Strawberries

Strawberries are berries with a bright red color and a sweet, juicy flavor. One cup of sliced strawberries provides about 85 mg of Vitamin C, more than the amount found in an orange. Strawberries are also rich in fiber, potassium, manganese, and anthocyanins, antioxidants that improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure. However, strawberries can cause allergic reactions or oral allergy syndrome in some people who are sensitive to their proteins or pollen.

Supplements

Supplements are products that contain Vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other substances that are intended to supplement the diet. Many types of supplements contain Vitamin C, such as tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, or gummies. Supplements can provide a convenient and reliable way to get enough Vitamin C, especially for people who have limited access to fresh foods or have increased needs due to smoking or illness. However, supplements can also have some drawbacks, such as cost, quality, safety, or interactions with other medications or nutrients. Therefore, it is important to consult with your doctor before taking any supplements.

These are some of the best sources of Vitamin C from natural foods or supplements. You can choose any of them according to your preference, availability, and tolerance. However, it is also important to remember that Vitamin C is not a magic bullet that can cure all diseases or prevent all problems.

Vitamin C is only one of the many nutrients your body needs to function properly and stay healthy. Therefore, it is best to consume Vitamin C as part of a balanced and varied diet. This diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This way, you can get not only Vitamin C but also other vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. These nutrients can work together to support your health and well-being.

Can Vitamin C Cure Cancer? A Controversial Conclusion

Vitamin C is a valuable nutrient that supports your health and well-being in many ways. It can boost your immunity, prevent infections, heal wounds, synthesize collagen, enhance iron absorption, and protect against oxidative stress. However, Vitamin C may also have a hidden power: the ability to destroy cancer cells.

The idea that Vitamin C can cure cancer has been around for decades, but mainstream medicine has largely dismissed or ignored it. However, new evidence suggests that Vitamin C may have some anti-cancer effects, especially when administered intravenously at high doses. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is based on the generation of hydrogen peroxide. This can selectively kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells.

Vitamin C research faces many limitations and challenges. These include a lack of clinical trials, inconsistent results, complex interactions, and adverse effects. Moreover, Vitamin C is a natural substance that cannot be patented. This means there is less financial incentive for pharmaceutical companies to invest in its research and development.

Vitamin C is a fascinating and controversial topic that deserves more attention and exploration. Whether you are looking for a simple way to improve your health or a radical way to fight cancer, Vitamin C may have something to offer you.