It is the name of high-dose vitamin C treatment performed at certain periodic doses and intervals in the range of 0.5-1.5g / kg administered intravenously.
Feature of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for the biological activities of our body.
Also known as ascorbic acid. Since Vitamin C is water-soluble, it does not accumulate much in our body like other vitamins (A, D, E, K).
Vitamin C cannot be produced in the human body. That is why we need to constantly take it daily with food from outside.
Vitamin C taken by mouth is absorbed from our intestines at a certain rate. No more is absorbed. Excess vitamin C in our body is excreted in the urine. That is why an excess of vitamin C does not occur.
Diseases Treated with High Doses of Vitamin C
Vitamin C and Cancer
The most important difference of cancer cells from normal cells is that they use only glucose (sugar) as an energy source. In addition, since glucose can only be used by fermentation, they can produce 20 times less energy than normal cells. This requires cancer cells to use at least 20 times more glucose. Due to these features, PET/CT examination is performed by giving radiolabeled glucose to cancer patients and tumor cells are detected due to their excessive glucose use. Vitamin C is structurally the same as 85-90% glucose. Therefore, vitamin C is collected in cancer cells. Vitamin C accumulates in cancerous tissues at a rate of 5 times more than normal tissues.
Vitamin C, which is administered in high doses intravenously, accumulates in the tumor tissue and shows oxidant properties and causes the death of tumor cells. In order for this effect to occur, the level of vitamin C in the blood must rise to a certain level. It is necessary to look at the PET/CT result to understand which types of cancer are effective. Since vitamin C acts similarly to glucose, it can be assumed that if the tumor can be detected in PET/CT and it is highly active, vitamin C treatment will benefit.
It is used in cancer treatment when cancer cells die, their pain decreases, and the side effects of chemotherapy (drug treatment) become bearable. It is complementary in oncological terms. Vitamin C stores are depleted in cancer patients. When vitamin C is low, there is a decrease in the functioning of the immune system. At the same time, the fact that Vitamin C has an antioxidant property is how important it is in the fight against cancer.
It reduces the metastases ( spread) of cancer and even destroys them and allows the tumor to shrink. If vitamin C is not taken intravenously, that is, when taken orally, it can cause the growth of cancer cells to develop. High-dose vitamin C intakes by mouth have not been shown to kill cancer cells.
Side effects
High doses of Vitamin C can affect kidney function. Being rare can also contribute to stone formation. There may be dry mouth , nausea, allergic reactions on the skin. There may be bleeding into the tumor. Those with heart failure may have edema (water collection).
In diabetics, sugar may be high in finger sugar measurement. Therefore, the patient should not increase the insulin value. It can cause irritation in the vascular pathway.
Cramping may occur. Therefore, some measures are taken in the treatment.
Patients should be full before treatment.