Gary Null PhD, May 4, 2020
Last Friday evening, Fox’s Tucker Carlson Show invited his favorite
physician, Dr. Marc Siegel from New York University’s medical school, on his
program. Dr. Siegel is a regular contributor on the COVID19 pandemic for
Fox. He made an emphatic statement that Vitamin C plays no role in the
prevention and treatment of coronavirus despite evidence to the contrary.
Instead he emphasized the need for new medications and a vaccine.
It is expected that a COVID19 vaccine will be fast tracked through the FDA
so it becomes available more rapidly. CNBC News has already reported that
White House advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci and other US health officials are
collaborating with the drug company Moderna to fast track its COVID19
vaccine that is now in development. In order to expedite medical
interventions that are determined to be critical, the FDA permits fast
tracking, which lightens the otherwise rigorous clinical trial process and
lessens the requirement of long-term assessment to properly evaluate a
drug’s or vaccine’s efficacy and safety. According to DrugWatch, many fast
tracked drugs have resulted in black box warnings, an FDA flagging of a
product as carrying serious adverse risks after its approval and licensure.
Therefore, we want to challenge Tucker’s guest Dr. Siegel. Either they are
both uninformed about the peer-review medical literature in the National
Library of Medicine and the countless positive patient results from physicians
using complementary medicine and Vitamin C therapy for over 5 decades to
treat infectious illnesses, including HIV and respiratory infections or they are
in denial.
This may be intentional neglect – making a concerted choice to refuse to
acknowledge something in order to avoid contradicting personally held
beliefs.
We hope that Tucker and Siegel will be open to interview doctors and
patients who have defeated viral infections by non-drug regimens and
without vaccination. There are over 2,600 studies listed in the National
Institutes of Health PubMed database specifically addressing Vitamin C
therapy and supplementation to prevent and treat infectious diseases; most
of these concern respiratory infections.
Below are some of the more important studies, especially regarding the
importance of Vitamin C for strengthening the innate and adaptive immune
systems. Both of these immune systems are essential for protecting
ourselves from COVID19, whereas a vaccine will only act on a single immune
system that triggers antibody production.
Current Clinical Trial Underway and listed in the US National Library
of Medicine’s database of Clinical Trials: Vitamin C Infusion for the
Treatment of Severe 2019-nCoV Infected Pneumonia
A new clinical trial to test high-dose vitamin C in patients with
COVID-19 (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Critical Care, April 2020
Efficacy of Mega dose Vitamin C against Covid19
Vitamin C and SARS coronavirus (University of Helsinki)
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, December 2203
The possibility that vitamin C affects severe viral respiratory tract infections
would seem to warrant further study, especially in light of the recent SARS
epidemic.
Vitamin C and Infections (University of Helskinki)
Nutrients, April 2017
Reviewed 148 studies on vitamin C deficiency associated with diverse
viral and bacteria infections and pneumonia.
Found that in active people, shortened duration of colds effectively
The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the
symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections
Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy, October 1999
Megadose Vitamin C before and after flu infections and colds improved
symptoms compared to placebo group
The clinical effects of vitamin C supplementation in elderly
hospitalised patients with acute respiratory infections (Huddersfield
University)
International Journal Vitamin Research, 1994
A randomised double-blind trial showing the effectiveness of vitamin
C/placebo supplementation conducted on 57 elderly patients admitted to
hospital with acute respiratory infections (bronchitis and
bronchopneumonia).
Vitamin C Is an Essential Factor on the Anti-viral Immune Responses
through the Production of Interferon-α/β at the Initial Stage of
Influenza A Virus (H3N2) Infection (Seoul National University
College of Medicine
Immunology Network, April 2013
Vitamin C is an essential factor for anti-viral immune responses at the early
stage of Influenza A infection.
Vitamin C Is an Essential Factor on the Anti-viral Immune Responses
through the Production of Interferon-α/β at the Initial Stage of
Influenza A Virus (H3N2) Infection (Seoul University College of
Medicine)
Immunology Network, April 2013
the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lung and production of pro-
inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-
α/β, were increased in the lung. Taken together, vitamin C shows in vivo
anti-viral immune responses at the early time of infection, especially against
influenza virus, through increased production of IFN-α/β
Extra Dose of Vitamin C Based on a Daily Supplementation Shortens
the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 9 Randomized Controlled
Trials (Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Biomedical Research, 2018
The combination of supplemental and therapeutic doses of vitamin C is
capable of relieving chest pain, fever, and chills, as well as shortening the
time of confinement indoors and mean duration.
A New Mechanism of Vitamin C Effects on A/FM/1/47(H1N1) Virus-
Induced Pneumonia in Restraint-Stressed Mice (Pharmacy College,
Jinan University, Guangzhou)
Biomedical Research, February 2015
Vitamin C administration significantly decreased expression of susceptibility
genes, including mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) and interferon
regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), and increased expression of NF-κB. These
findings provide a new mechanism for the effects of vitamin C on influenza
virus-induced pneumonia in restraint-stressed mice.
Vitamin C and Immune Function (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Nutrients, November 2017
Vitamin C supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and
promotes the oxidant scavenging activity of the skin, thereby
potentially protecting against environmental oxidative stress.
Overall, vitamin C appears to exert a multitude of beneficial effects on
cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system.
Vitamin C appears to be able to both prevent and treat respiratory and
systemic infections by enhancing various immune cell functions.
Prophylactic prevention of infection requires dietary vitamin C intakes
that provide at least adequate, if not saturating plasma levels (i.e.,
100–200 mg/day), which optimize cell and tissue levels.
Immunomodulatory and Antimicrobial Effects of Vitamin C
(University Medicine Berlin)
European Journal of Microbiological Immunology, August 2019
For a few vertebrate species including humans having lost their capacities to
synthesize vitamin C themselves during evolution, the uptake of this
essential compound from external sources is mandatory in order to prevent
from vitamin deficient conditions resulting in severe morbidities
vitamin C is able to inhibit the growth of S. aureus and streptococci even
under neutral pH conditions.
Articles Sited by Cochrane Database as reliable for Vitamin C Efficacy
Anderson TW, Suranyi G, Beaton GH. The effect on winter illness of large
doses of vitamin C. Canadian Medical Association Journal 1974;111(1):31‐6.
Chalmers TC. Effects of ascorbic acid on the common cold. An evaluation of
the evidence. American Journal of Medicine1975; Vol. 58, issue 4:532‐6.
Dykes MH, Meier P. Ascorbic acid and the common cold. Evaluation of its
efficacy and toxicity. JAMA1975; Vol. 231, issue 10:1073‐9.
Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common
cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 1.
[DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4]
Karlowski TR, Chalmers TC, Frenkel LD, Kapikian AZ, Lewis TL, Lynch
JM. Ascorbic acid for the common cold. A prophylactic and therapeutic trial.
JAMA1975; Vol. 231, issue 10:1038‐42.
Raposo SE, Fondell E, Ström P, Bälter O, Bonn SE, Nyrén O, et al. Intake of
vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc and polyunsaturated fatty acids and
upper respiratory tract infection ‐ a prospective cohort study. European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2017;71:450‐7. [DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2016.261]
Vorilhon P, Arpajou B, Vaillant Roussel H, Merlin E, Pereira B, Cabaillot
A. Efficacy of vitamin C for the prevention and treatment of upper
respiratory tract infection. A meta‐analysis in children. European Journal of
Clinical Pharmacology 2018 Nov 21 [Epub ahead of print].
[DOI: 10.1007/s00228‐018‐2601‐7]
Webb AL, Villamor E. Update: effects of antioxidant and non‐antioxidant
vitamin supplementation on immune function. Nutrition Reviews2007; Vol.
65, issue 5:181‐217.
Witek TJ, Ramsey DL, Carr AN, Riker DK. The natural history of
community‐acquired common colds symptoms assessed over 4
years. Rhinology 2015;53(1):81‐8.
Yakoot M, Salem A. Efficacy and safety of a multiherbal formula with vitamin
C and zinc (Immumax) in the management of the common cold.
International Journal of General Medicine2011; Vol. 4:45‐51.