NY hospitals treating coronavirus patients with vitamin C
Seriously sick coronavirus patients in New York state’s largest hospital system are being given massive doses of vitamin C — based on promising reports that it’s helped people in hard-hit China, The Post has learned.
Dr. Andrew G. Weber, a pulmonologist and critical-care specialist affiliated with two Northwell Health facilities on Long Island, said his intensive-care patients with the coronavirus immediately receive 1,500 milligrams of intravenous vitamin C.
Identical amounts of the powerful antioxidant are then readministered three or four times a day, he said.
Each dose is more than 16 times the National Institutes of Health’s daily recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C, which is just 90 milligrams for adult men and 75 milligrams for adult women.
The regimen is based on experimental treatments administered to people with the coronavirus in Shanghai, China, Weber said.
“The patients who received vitamin C did significantly better than those who did not get vitamin C,” he said.
“It helps a tremendous amount, but it is not highlighted because it’s not a sexy drug.”
A spokesman for Northwell — which operates 23 hospitals, including Lenox Hill Hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side — said vitamin C was being “widely used” as a coronavirus treatment throughout the system, but noted that medication protocols varied from patient to patient.
“As the clinician decides,” spokesman Jason Molinet said.
About 700 patients are being treated for coronavirus across the hospital network, Molinet said, but it’s unclear how many are getting the vitamin C treatment.
The vitamin C is administered in addition to such medicines as the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, the antibiotic azithromycin, various biologics and blood thinners, Weber said.
As of Tuesday, New York hospitals have federal permission to give a cocktail of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to desperately ill patients on a “compassionate care” basis.
President Trump has tweeted that the unproven combination therapy has “a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine.”
Weber, 34, said vitamin C levels in coronavirus patients drop dramatically when they suffer sepsis, an inflammatory response that occurs when their bodies overreact to the infection.
“It makes all the sense in the world to try and maintain this level of vitamin C,” he said.
A clinical trial on the effectiveness of intravenous vitamin C on coronavirus patients began Feb. 14 at Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the pandemic.
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Steve Parker
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I’ve heard this before but I thought any excess vitamin C was just excreted by the body.
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4TimesAYear
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Government recommendations are always too low. That’s not really much of a “massive” dose – and yeah, it will be excreted if they can’t use it. I used to take thousands of milligrams of Vitamin C when I’d get sick – never did a thing. Vitamin D3 taken preventatively seemed to make a difference – along with not getting the flu vaccine.
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tom0mason
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+1!
However the use of intravenous vitamin C is the salient element here.
Effectively by this method they are bypassing the bodies regulatory mechanism, which tend to have lagging response, e.g. tends to pull out the very little our bodies can store only after the demand has risen.
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Brian James
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March 31, 2020 White House coronavirus task force briefing
https://youtu.be/N8fm41pLZQE
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George Affleck
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As someone who has taken 2,000 mg. of Vit C every day for the last 25 years, I swear by it. I believe it strengthens the immune system with prolonged use. It is not possible to avoid viruses. They are ever present; which is why social distancing is only part of the answer. The first line of defense is the strength of our immune system. Vitamin C helps provide the closest thing we can have to immunity to all of them.
I never get a cold or the flu. Sometimes, however, I will go off of it to deliberately get a cold or sore throat in order to allow my body to fight and remember solutions.
This therapy makes total sense to me. This is an excellent video about the immune system:
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A Thorpe
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And it is April Fool’s day
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James
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These tests take time, and unless they’re double blind results will be uncertain. As the text says: “it’s unclear how many are getting the vitamin C treatment”. Exactly, no one should know, especially not medics and patients. However, I find oranges are good for me, but it’s nothing to do with health. The only problem is cost, they come to about a dollar a day!
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richard
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VITAMIN C AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE TREATMENT OF nCoV CORONAVIRUS
How Vitamin C Reduces Severity and Deaths from Serious Viral Respiratory Diseases
by Andrew W. Saul, Editor
(OMNS February 10, 2020) Most deaths from coronavirus are caused by pneumonia. Vitamin C has been known, for over 80 years, to greatly benefit pneumonia patients.
In 1936 Gander and Niederberger found that vitamin C lowered fever and reduced pain in pneumonia patients. [1]
Also in 1936, Hochwald independently reported similar results. He gave 500 mg of vitamin C every ninety minutes. [2]
McCormick gave 1000 mg vitamin C intravenously, followed by 500 mg orally every hour. He repeated the injection at least once. On the fourth day, his patient felt so well that he voluntarily resumed work, with no adverse effects. [3]
In 1944 Slotkin and Fletcher reported on the prophylactic and therapeutic value of vitamin C in bronchopneumonia, lung abscess, and purulent bronchitis. “Vitamin C has greatly alleviated this condition and promptly restored normal pulmonary function.” [4]
Slotkin further reported that “Vitamin C has been used routinely by the general surgeons in the Millard Fillmore Hospital, Buffalo, as a prophylactic against pneumonia, with complete disappearance of this complication.” [5]
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, there are about 80,000 dead from annual influenzas, escalating to pneumonia, in the USA. Coronavirus is a very serious contagious disease. But contagion to a virus largely depends on the susceptibility of the host. It is well established that low vitamin C levels increase susceptibility to viruses. [6]
Vitamin C lowers mortality
It is one thing to be sick from a virus and another thing entirely to die from a viral-instigated disease. It must be emphasized that a mere 200 mg of vitamin C/day resulted in an 80% decrease in deaths among severely ill, hospitalized respiratory disease patients. [7]
“Vitamin C is effective in reducing duration of severe pneumonia in children less than five years of age. Oxygen saturation was improved in less than one day.” [10]
A single, cheap, big-box discount store vitamin C tablet will provide more than twice the amount used in the study above.
And yes, with vitamin C, more is better.
Frederick R. Klenner and Robert F. Cathcart successfully treated influenza and pneumonia with very high doses of vitamin C. Klenner published on his results beginning in the 1940s; [8] Cathcart beginning in the 1960s. [9] They used both oral and intravenous administration.
A recent placebo controlled study concluded that “vitamin C should be included in treatment protocol of children with pneumonia so that mortality and morbidity can be reduced.” In this study, the majority of the children were infants under one year of age. By body weight, the modest 200 mg dose given, to tiny babies, would actually be the equivalent of 2,000-3,000 mg/day for an adult. [10]
Although many will rightly maintain that the dose should be high, even a low supplemental amount of vitamin C saves lives. This is very important for those with low incomes and few treatment options.
We’re talking about twenty cents’ worth of vitamin C a day to save lives now.
References:
1. Gander and Niederberger. Vitamin C in the handling of pneumonia.” Munch. Med. Wchnschr., 31: 2074, 1956.
Hochwald A. Beobachtunger fiber Ascorbinsaure Wirkung bei der Krupposen Pneumonia.” Wien. Arch. f. inn. Med., 353, 1936.
McCormick WJ. Have we forgotten the lesson of scurvy? J Applied Nutrition, 1962, 15:1 & 2, 4-12. https://www.seleneriverpress.com/historical/have-we-forgotten-the-lesson-of-scurvy/
Slotkin & Fletcher. Ascorbic acid in pulmonary complications following prostatic surgery.” Jour. Urol., 52: Nov. 6, 1944.
Slotkin GE. Personal communication with WJ McCormick. December 2, 1946.
Saul AW. Nutritional treatment of coronavirus. Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, 16:6, Jan 30, 2020. http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n06.shtml (22 references and 50 recommended papers for further reading)
Hunt C et al. The clinical effects of Vitamin C supplementation in elderly hospitalised patients with acute respiratory infections. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1994;64:212-19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7814237
Klenner FR. Observations on the dose and administration of ascorbic acid when employed beyond the range of a vitamin in human pathology. J Applied Nutrition 1971, 23:3&4. http://www.doctoryourself.com/klennerpaper.html
Klenner FR. (1948) Virus pneumonia and its treatment with vitamin C. J South Med Surg 110:36-8. https://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/194x/klenner-fr-southern_med_surg-1948-v110-n2-p36.htm .
Klenner, FR. (1951) Massive doses of vitamin C and the virus diseases. J South Med and Surg, 113:101-107.
Klenner, FR. (1971) Observations on the dose and administration of ascorbic acid when employed beyond the range of a vitamin in human pathology. J. App. Nutr., 23:61-88.
All of Dr. Klenner’s papers are listed and summarized in: Clinical Guide to the Use of Vitamin C (ed. Lendon H. Smith, MD, Life Sciences Press, Tacoma, WA, 1988. This book is posted for free access at http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/198x/smith-lh-clinical_guide_1988.htm
Cathcart RF. (1981) Vitamin C, titrating to bowel tolerance, anascorbemia, and acute induced scurvy. Med Hypotheses. 7:1359-76. http://www.doctoryourself.com/titration.html
Cathcart RF. (1993) The third face of vitamin C. J Orthomolecular Med, 7:197-200. Free access at http://www.doctoryourself.com/cathcart_thirdface.html
Additional Dr. Cathcart papers are posted at http://www.doctoryourself.com/biblio_cathcart.html
Khan IM et al. (2014) Efficacy of vitamin C in reducing duration of severe pneumonia in children. J Rawalpindi Med Col (JRMC). 18(1):55-57. https://www.journalrmc.com/volumes/1405749894.pdf
Recommendations for further reading:
A coronavirus pandemic can be stopped with the immediate widespread use of high doses of vitamin C. Preventing and treating severe respiratory infections with large amounts of vitamin C is well established. There has been a lack of media coverage of this therapeutic approach against viruses in general, and coronavirus in particular. (A Chinese language edition is also freely available.)
The nutritional treatment of coronavirus is presented, with dosage specifics, in this protocol endorsed by physicians on the editorial board of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service.
Exactly how to administer intravenous vitamin C to a hospitalized patient with a viral illness, by Atsuo Yanagisawa, MD, Japanese College of Intravenous Therapy. (Here is the IV vitamin C protocol in Chinese).
Instructions on how to take high oral doses of vitamin C during illness, by Robert F. Cathcart III, MD. This paper contains the doctor’s answers to many questions about the therapeutic use of vitamin C.
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richard
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Corona usually kills the elderly and ill- Italy 99%-
Flu kills healthy children-
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/2017-2018/flu-death-children.htm
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James DeMeo
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Glad to hear the NYC hospital (one?) is doing this, but the dosage appears way too low for any kind of quick recovery. IV doses of 20-40 grams per day will knock out just about any flu, usually within one or two days, a real “Lazarus effect”. This was proven by such as Dr. Hugh Riorden in his Kansas clinic years ago, and by many others. I’ve personally taken 10-20 grams orally in one sitting, to knock out flu within a day. My message to the Docs is, don’t be timid. This will save your patients, and with a lower cost and greater efficiency than the HCZ cocktail.
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tom0mason
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“IV doses of 20-40 grams per day will knock out just about any flu, usually within one or two days, a real “Lazarus effect”.
Yes but your body regulates your uptake of vitamin C via the gut — the vast majority of what you ingested will be excreted before the day is over. Anything much over 200-250mg per dose over an hour period, and the body tends to excrete the rest. Slow release buffered vitamin tablets can be more useful.
These patients are being given intravenous vitamin C which bypasses the gut, putting it straight into the bloodstream and available to respond to the effects of the infection.
Taking tablets or capsules will not get the blood Vitamin C level up to the equivalent of 1,500 milligrams of intravenous vitamin C.
P.S.
I prefer to mimic nature when taking vitamin C — small doses with food and often. I grind-up a 1gram tablet and split it into 4 equal part. Each of these portions I put in a glass of water at meal and snack times, thus I’m having food and Vit. C throughout the day, and it is better utilized.
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Michael Clarke
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A message from the past!
In 1944 my infant brother contracted flu and got pneumonia was not expected to survive.
Maternal Grandmother taught me how to treat him. She visited every Sunday.
Goose fat applied to front then back of chest.
Then the all important part.
Brother across my knees face down and gentle percussion to his back encouraging coughing.
This percussion had to be stopped after he had expelled gobs of phlegm and he could be put back to bed.
By the next Sunday visit my brother was no longer in distress and the percussion no longer needed.
Being in an ICU bed head elevated and on a respirator, a position that does not help the patient cough!
The bodies natural need to cough and expel fluid build-up in the lungs. That fluid is probably dead virus killed off by the patients immune system!
Michael Logician
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Michael,
Good advice and practical reasoning! I went online and asked: What does a doctor immediately do when a baby is born not breathing? I did this because I thought I knew the answer. I only found one answer, of many others, which was the one I expected. Hold the baby by the feet and slap the back. The others were either used some ‘modern technology’ or did not even provide any solution.
Which explains why medical professionals today do not use the simple old-fashioned method which your Grandmother taught you. Amazing the lack of practical knowledge these days.
Have a good day, Jerry
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T. C. Clark
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Better safe than sorry…that is my attitude towards the CCP virus. I take 500 mg of Vitamin C twice a day that also has big vitamin E and zinc and copper and lutein and zeaxanthin. Linus Pauling was a big mega dose vitamin C guy…he wrote a book. However, there is a source that says artificial vitamins are worthless and maybe harmful in some cases. I try to eat a good diet but who knows what the best diet is for your health? Don’t consume eggs butter and coffee….no, maybe it is OK. Don’t eat white bread – eat whole wheat…..no, don’t eat any wheat at all. Don’t eat tomatoes….nightshade family….well, maybe a few tomatoes are not so bad. Who knows?
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tom0mason
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Linus Pauling found that ingesting vitamin C was not enough and intravenously took the stuff to get his vitamin circulating levels to very high values.
“Studies in the 1970s and 1980s conducted by Linus Pauling, Ewan Cameron, and colleagues suggested that large doses of vitamin C (10 g/day infused intravenously for 10 days followed by at least 10 g/day orally indefinitely) were helpful in increasing the survival time and improving the quality of life of terminal cancer patients .”
Note “… the Linus Pauling Institute recommends a vitamin C intake of 400 mg daily for adults to ensure replete tissue concentrations (29) — an amount substantially higher than the RDA yet with minimal risk of side effects.”
from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C
The main problem with such a regime is that if for any reason you stop taking the vitamin C, scurvy will quickly set-in (weeks [or less] not the usual months) as the body has acclimatized to having large doses of vitamin C, and it takes a long while (a month or more) for the body to readjust to lower intake of vitamin C.
So if your fit, it is best to taper up to a high levels and taper down to more ‘normal’ lower levels (100-400mg?).
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T. C. Clark
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The vitamins I take are from the Areds 2 test for macular degeneration…helps your eyes according to the test results. Diet still eludes me…a recent study says a large breakfast results in increased metabolism for the rest of your meals and reduces weight gain…another study included some twins….the results were twins are only 2% more likely to react to the same food as perfect strangers….test also indicated that the same meal at noon has some different effect as the same meal at 6pm. All people are similar but different….one diet doesn’t appear to fit all.
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