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Treatment of AIDS with Vitamin C |
AIDS and Vitamin C
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VITAMIN C IN THE TREATMENT
OF ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) Copyright (C), 1994 and
prior years, Dr. Robert F. Cathcart. Permission granted to distribute via the
internet as long as material is distributed in its entirity and not
modified. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION These large amounts of
ascorbate are being drawn off the GI tract at a rate sufficient to prevent
significant amounts from reaching the rectum and producing diarrhea.
Measurements of ascorbate in urine, saliva, or serum indicate that if
sufficient doses of ascorbate are not given when a patient is ill, the body
level of vitamin C drops rapidly. In such a case, there is not enough vitamin
C left in the body, particularly in the cells directly involved by the
disease, to guarantee all the known housekeeping functions of the vitamin.
Those functions known to be dependent on vitamin C, including several metabolic
reactions necessary for proper functioning of the immune system, are put at
risk of malfunctioning. I call this condition -acute induced scurvy.- PREMIERE FREE RADICAL
SCAVENGER -Note: this premiere free
radical scavenger function has little to do with nutrition but is a
pharmacologic effect of ascorbate when utilized in unnatural amounts for
humans.- Actually, the complete
neutralization of free radicals requires several steps involving other
substances, e.g. glutathione. However clinically, the most frequent limiting
factor in the reduction of free radicals is ascorbate. In certain conditions
such as chemical allergies, certain other limiting factors may become
critically important, e.g. selenium and glutathione. Some have worried that a
buildup of dehydroascorbate would be toxic in certain of these conditions.
Clinically, this consideration has not created a problem when very large
doses of ascorbate are used. Perhaps it is the high ratio of ascorbate to
dehydroascorbate, I am careful to maintain in these patients, that protects
against any temporarily accumulating dehydroascorbate. Further, I should like
to point out that the dehydroascorbate formed should not be as toxic as that
free radical the ascorbate reduces as it itself is oxidized into
dehydroascorbate. In a way, it is
unfortunate that this free radical scavenger and vitamin C are the same
substance. When ascorbate is destroyed in the process of destroying free
radicals, the vitamin C stores, particularly in the cells directly involved
in the disease process, are so depleted as to cause disorders of known
housekeeping functions of vitamin C.
It is certain that AIDS
causes this depletion. The sicker the patient is, the more ascorbate will be
destroyed by the disease process. This depletion certainly contributes to the
terminal events and probably plays a key role in the increased susceptibility
of AIDS patients to various pathogens. ASCORBATE VS. AN AIDS
SUPPRESSOR FACTOR -Actually, 10 to 20
grams/24 hours of ascorbate is easily tolerated and is not toxic-
(1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14). Unfortunately, clinically I have shown that
the AIDS disease process destroys even larger amounts of ascorbate than the
10 to 20 grams because bowel tolerance is regularly increased to the range of
from 40 to 185 grams of C per 24 hours in the patient who has moderate
Kaposi's lesions and/or moderate lymphadenopathy. -Therefore, the 10 to 20
gram equivalent of ascorbate in the test tube will not be adequate in
vivo-. PRELIMINARY STUDY The following preliminary
recommendations are based partly upon an anecdotal group of approximately 90
AIDS patients who sought medical care from physicians but who also took high
doses of ascorbate on their own. Additionally, it is based upon 12 of my AIDS
patients, 6 of whom were given intravenous ascorbate for a short period of
time. Most of these patients have had considerable improvement in their
condition. This improvement seems somewhat proportional to the amount of
ascorbate taken by the patient relative to the severity of his disease. If
the patient tolerates enough ascorbate to "neutralize the toxicity"
of his disease and if the secondary infections are treated; his condition
will go into remission. Subjectively, symptoms decrease and increase
inversely with how closely the patient titrates to bowel tolerance. The only death has been
in a patient who had previously chemotherapy, interferon, and total body Xray
therapy. Additionally, his veins were so destroyed by previous treatments
that intravenous vitamin C therapy could not be continued under the existing
circumstances. Such a preliminary report
of recommendations is justified only because of the urgency of the problem
addressed and because in ASCORBATE TREATMENT
PROTOCOL FOR AIDS PATIENTS As predicted, AIDS
patients are usually capable of ingesting large doses of ascorbate. It is
desirable that the amount of ascorbate taken orally be maximized. Patients
are -titrated to bowel tolerance- (the amount that almost, but not quite,
causes diarrhea). A -balanced ascorbate- mixture is utilized which is made up
of a mixture of approximately 25% buffered ascorbate salts (calcium, magnesium,
and potassium ascorbate) and 75% ascorbic acid. This mixture is dissolved in
a small amount of water and taken at least every hour. The purpose of the
frequent doses and this balanced mixture is to maximize the amount of
ascorbate tolerated without producing diarrhea. Patients are permitted to
vary the percentage of ascorbate salts to straight ascorbic acid according to
taste. The usual amount tolerated initially is between 40 and 100 grams per
24 hours. -Doses in excess of 100 grams per 24 hours may be necessary with
secondary bacterial and viral infections-. As the patient's condition
improves, bowel tolerance will decrease. When intravenous
ascorbate is found necessary because the toxicity of the condition exceeds
the ability of the patient to take adequate amounts of ascorbate to scavenge
all of the free radicals created by the primary AIDS infection and the
various secondary infections, the following intravenous solutions should be
utilized. Sodium ascorbate buffered to a pH 7.4 and without preservatives is
added to sterile water in a concentration of 60 grams per 500 cc. This
concentration is twice the concentration I have recommended before because it
is well tolerated in young males with large veins. Patients with small veins
may be best treated with solutions of 60 grams per liter. The time of the
infusions should be over at least a 3 hour period, preferably longer. As much
as daily administration of 3 bottles, 180 grams per 24 hours, may be
necessary in acutely ill patients, e.g. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia,
disseminated herpes, disseminated cytomegalovirus, and atypical pneumonia.
Enough ascorbate should be administered to detoxify the patient regardless of
the amount needed. Additionally, oral doses of ascorbate should be taken
simultaneously with the intravenous ascorbate. -Do not let the patients
become lazy and discontinue bowel tolerance doses of ascorbate while the
intravenous ascorbate is being administered-. INTESTINAL PARASITES CANDIDA ALBICANS There is a high incidence
of food and chemical sensitivities associated with Candida sensitivities
(15,16,17) and Candida must be suspected whenever such sensitivities are
discovered. FOOD AND CHEMICAL
SENSITIVITIES This increased incidence
of food and chemical sensitivities is very important to understand because
apparent adverse reactions to vitamin C may occur. These reactions are almost
never due to the ascorbate itself. Most ascorbate is made from corn. Minute
amounts of chemicals used in the manufacture of ascorbate may remain.
Residuals of these substances are almost invariably the cause of the
sensitivity reactions. Ascorbates made from sego palm or from tapioca and
which presumably are manufactured with some different chemicals, are often
tolerated. Different brands should be tried. It is almost always possible to
find some ascorbate that is tolerated. This sensitivity problem is very important
to deal with because patients frequently feel their life depends on taking
adequate amounts of ascorbate and they may be correct in this feeling. Many times
gastrointestinal discomfort and excessive gas can be alleviated by changing
to the sego palm ascorbate or changing brands of ascorbate. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Viral infections should
be treated with intensification of the ascorbate treatment. Intravenous ascorbate
may become necessary. Immunosuppressive therapy
should not be utilized. All sharing of body
fluids and fecal material should stop (18). Repeated exposures, not only to
possible AIDS infection, but to the secondary infections, especially intestinal
parasites and Candida should be avoided. HELPER/SUPPRESSOR CELL
RATIO MONITORING VALUE OF
ASCORBATE "BURN" The amount of this burn
has some practical and prognostic values; e.g., a patient with a burn much
over 25-30 grams almost inevitably has something the matter with him and a
thorough diagnostic workup is indicated. A lover of one of the AIDS patients
had a burn of 100 grams. It was found that his helper/suppressor T-cell ratio
was 0.7 but he had no other sign of disease. Over a 6 month period, the burn
has dropped to 25 grams. AIDS has not been diagnosed in this patient but there
is good reason to suspect that he has a pre-AIDS condition. The AIDS patient
himself has had his burn drop from 125 grams to 35 grams. His lymphadenopathy
has improved considerably. AIDS POSSIBLY INVOLVING A
PERMANENT OR PROLONGED LOSS OF T-HELPER CELLS This case, plus the
previous two cases, strongly suggest that the basic AIDS infection, probably
caused by a virus, is no longer active in these cases and that subsequent
ascorbate burns and various later manifestations of the AID syndrome are
caused by secondary and opportunistic infections. One is reminded of the
permanent damage of certain viral infections in association with certain
predisposing factors initiating an immune response to the beta cells of the
islets of Langerhans and causing juvenile-onset diabetes (19). ASCORBATE AND THE
POSSIBLE PREVENTION OF AIDS It is on this basis that
I recommend that all persons who fear exposure to AIDS and certainly anyone
receiving blood trans- fusions or other blood products which could in the
most remote way have been obtained from an AIDS carrier, be put on bowel
tolerance doses of ascorbate. CONTROLLED STUDIES OF
OTHER SUBSTANCES [may be] CONTAMINATED WITH ASCORBATE BROADER PROBLEMS POSSIBLE ELIMINATION OF
THE AID SYNDROME I have preliminary
evidence in one patient in which the above program was tried that while the
secondary problems were markedly suppressed by the ascorbate (7 lbs, 11 oz in
14 days) that the basic AIDS condition was not reversed. This case plus the
cases implying the permanent or prolonged suppression of the immune system
make it essential to treat the prodrome stages of AIDS with ascorbate. If there is not a
complete elimination of the basic AIDS process, bowel tolerance doses of
ascorbate and the rest of the described protocol will probably have to be
maintained for life. My experience (1,2,3,4),
and experience of other researchers (10,11,12,13,14,20,26,27) is that acute
self limiting viral diseases can be reliably cured with massive doses of
ascorbate. Viral diseases that have become chronic seem to involve pathologic
processes which are not quite as susceptible to ascorbate but which
nevertheless are ameliorated, sometimes seemingly cured. It is hoped that
funds will be made available for such a project. C-PASTE C-paste has also been
useful on early Kaposi's lesions. It should be applied up to 4 times a day.
Alternatively, soaks of 20% sodium ascorbate or ascorbic acid (1 gram per 5
cc of water) for 15-30 minutes, 4 times a day may be helpful. Be careful not
to irritate the skin too much even with these solutions. Keep ascorbic acid
out of the eyes; a 20% -sodium ascorbate- solution can be used in the eyes
with care. KAPOSI'S LESIONS CONCLUSIONS The use of ascorbate is
increasing in the male homosexual population of the San Francisco Bay Area
and spreading across the CAUTION REFERENCES 2. Cathcart, R.F.
The method of determining proper doses of vitamin C for the treatment of
disease by titrating to bowel tolerance. J. Orthomolecular Psychiatry,
10:125-132, 1981. 3. Cathcart, R.F.
Vitamin C: titrating to bowel tolerance, anascorbemia, and acute induced
scurvy. Medical Hypotheses, 7:1359-1376, 1981. 4. Cathcart, R.F.
C-vitaminbehandling till tarmintolerans vid infektioner och allergi.
Biologisk Medicin, 3:6-8, 1983. 5. Cathcart, R.F.
Vitamin C function in AIDS. Current Opinion, Medical Tribune, July 13,
1983. 6. Laurence J. The
mystery factor that's destroying immunity. American Health, May/June
1983. 7. Stone, I. The
Healing Factor: Vitamin C Against Disease. Grosset and 8. Pauling, L.
Vitamin C and the Common Cold. W.H. Freeman and Company, 9. Pauling, L.
Vitamin C, the Common Cold, and the Flu. W.H. Freeman and Company, 10. Klenner FR. Virus
pneumonia and its treatment with vitamin C. J. South. Med. and Surg.,
110:60-63, 1948 11. Klenner FR. The
treatment of poliomyelitis and other virus diseases with vitamin C. J.
South. Med. and Surg., 111:210-214, 1949. 12. Klenner, F.R.
Massive doses of vitamin C and the virus diseases. J. South. Med. and
Surg., 113:101-107, 1951. 13. Klenner, F.R.
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,
1971. 14. Kalokerinos,
A. Every Second Child. Keats Publishing, Inc., 15. Truss, C.O.
Tissue injury induced by Candida Albicans: Mental and neurologic
manifestations. J. Orthomolecular Psychiatry, 7,1:17-37, 1978. 16. Truss, C.O.
Restoration of immunologic competence to Candida Albicans. J.
Orthomolecular Psychiatry. 9,4:287-301, 1980. 17. Truss, C.O. The
role of Candida Albicans in human illness. J. Orthomolecular
Psychiatry, 10,4:228-238, 1981. 18. Mavligit, G.M.,
Talpaz, M., Hsia, F.T., Wong, W., Lichtiger, B., Mansell, W.A., Mumford,
D.M. Chronic Immune stimulation by sperm alloantigens. JAMA,
251:237-241, 1984. 19. Notkins, A.L.
The Causes of Diabetes. Scientific American, 241,5:62-73, Nov.
1979. 20. Murata, A. Virucidal
activity of vitamin C: Vitamin C for the prevention and treatment of viral
diseases. Proceedings of the First Intersectional Congress of Microbiological
societies, Science Council of Japan, 3:432-42, 1975. 21. Cathcart, R.F.
Vitamin C function in AIDS. Bay Area Reporter, p.18, Nov 17,
1983. 22. Cathcart, R.F.
Vitamin C treatment protocol for AIDS, Bay Area Reporter, p.14-15, Jan 5,
1984. 23. Cameron, E. and
Pauling, L. Supplemental ascorbate in the supportive treatment of cancer:
Prolongation of survival times in terminal human cancer. Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. USA, 73:3685-3689, 24. Cameron, E. and Pauling,
L. The orthomolecular treatment of cancer: Reevaluation of prolongation of
survival times in terminal human cancer. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,
75:4538-4542, 25. Cameron, E. and
Pauling, L. Cancer and Vitamin C. The Linus Pauling Institute for
Science and Medicine, 26. Belfield, W.O.,
Vitamin C in treatment of canine and feline distemper complex.
Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician, pp. 345-48, Apr 1967. 27. Belfield, W.O. and
Zucker, M. How to Have a Healthier Dog. Doubleday & Company, Inc., 28. Siegal, F.P. and
Siegal, M. AIDS:The Medical Mystery. Grove Press, Inc., Andrew Saul is the author of the books FIRE
YOUR DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy (reader reviews at
http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html
) and DOCTOR YOURSELF: Natural Healing that Works. (reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html
)
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