vitamin c

[HelenJenn]

I wanted to find out if others have found this. Several weeks past my youngest was exposed to pertussis/whooping cough. My oldest had this already while I was pregnant with my second. Anyway as our friends came down with this I was very worried as my DS reacts incredibly when fighting a bug/has a cold. So I started researching and found a protocol to give high dose vit c to support the immune system etc. We finally found the amount to give that did not cause bowel issues. We gave him 1,500 mg every 3 hours in a bit of OJ. He continued with all the prodromal symtoms of sore throat, runny nose, mild cough etc. As I kept with this dose the symptoms were held in check - no progression and reduction. I reduced this to 5,000 mg one day and the next he again had increased symptoms so I went back to the 7,500mg daily.

 

What I noticed is that he started doing things he had been unable to do for the last year: These may seem minor but if this has struck your family you may not feel that way. Anyway, he could tuck his shirt into his pants, he could use the bathroom without someone helping him(as he feared everything was dirty etc). He has minor sniffles if I reduce the C now but I am inclined to continue to see how much the brain effect can be helped with the C.

 

Would love to hear others experience.

[Wombat140]

I did take a highish dose of vitamin C for a while (1000 mg once a day, I think), and I don't think I noticed anything. But obviously 7500 mg is a rather different thing! I'll bear that in mind.

[lynn]

I tried a high dose vitamin C regime (2000 mg/day). DS got warts and then they went away. It did improve things and I kept it up for a while (theory was that it was fighting viruses.) It didn't do anything when the big exacerbation hit though. Looking back, the exacerbation was likely some different bug (he eventually tested positive for myco p.), but at the time I just thought the C didn't work.

[HelenJenn]

Just to follow up on the vitamin C treatment we are using. My son, after 8 months, finally used the school bathrooms(instead of waiting all day-up to 8 hours). For us this is a remarkable breakthrough. I will continue the vitamin C and provide our outcomes if I notice any. So far we having these results with only doing this about 7-8 days.

[Chemar]

Just do be careful as that is a very very high dose of vitamin C for a child to have continuously! 2000mg a day is considered an optimum high dose for adults.

 

Dr Weil and others warn of possible kidney stones etc that can develop with continuous mega doses

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02811/facts-on-vitamin-c

[HelenJenn]

Everyone has their own comfort level and always best to do your own thorough research. We have gone the super non-medical route starting with home births, no vaccination, avoiding antibiotics and vaccinations. That was our comfort level. We eat organic etc etc. Anyway, I always lean towards non-drug options and am learning to treat my family based on foods-gaps diet etc, non toxic supplements etc. This information is available on line, books, medical journals. You will, however, not recieve this from just about any regular doc's. It is considered fringe, I guess. But then we are getting in to the politics of our current medical systems, pharmaceuticals etc- patents, commerce etc. So absolutely I am biased in this way. Plus I have virtually no experience with any of the drugs others are using.

 

But back to what we are doing ....

 

I have not gotten to the research yet on what the options are for vitamin C. I happened to have had a natural source(cassava) brand at home at the time. From my understanding very little is taken up by the body but that vit c is extremely safe. There are certainly some types that are way more bioavailable. But from what I have read so far basic ascorbate acid/vitamin c powder will be fine.

 

The protocol we used is a bit labour intensive and may not be necessary but if you want to figure out how much you can give your child/your child's body is using-give 250 mg every 20 min until they have loose stools(bowel tolerance). Then calculate how much you gave. Minus 250 mg and give that amount every 3 hours-during the day.

 

Vitamin C is apprarently one of the safest substances to take with, I believe, no known toxic upper limits. The body does pee off the excess. I think if you were really acute it would be fine to give this amount every 2 hours. The body's need of it will continue to fluxtuate so it is not exactly precise. I am now figuring out when my kids need this in abundant supply. They start presenting with bruises, sniffles etc. So I think they will tell us. And when they get enough the bruises should clear up, colds get better.

 

I have eased off on the vitamin c(I was away/husband away etc) but I will get back to it as our results have been profound. We started this about 7-10 days ago. My child had his first day back to school yesterday after being off 2 weeks for spring break. He used the bathroom at school for the first time in 8 months. He used to wait up to 8 hours!!! For us this very exciting.

 

I know that 7,500 mg seems like a lot for a 50 pound 8 year old but in his case his body seemed to be using it. From the research I have seen for therapeutic effects(cancer, infection etc) high doses are the norm.

[Chemar]

Helen, if you had followed my history you would know I only advocate alternative and natural treatments.

 

That does not remove from the fact that it is still my responsibility to alert *others* who may be reading here that mega doses of vitamin C (in excess of 2000 mg/day from supplement sources) are potentially problematic, especially in children.

[HelenJenn]

Thanks Chemar for the background. I was wondering your history as you have so many posts. As I am not a frequent poster so I do not know people well.

 

In any case, I have done extensive research since Aug 2011 when these issues hit our family. From my understanding of the current research on vitamin C the concerns with kidney stones were found not to be an issue with high doses of vitamin c.

 

I am always interested in studies/primary sources. If you have found studies that have demonstrated this association that would be helpful. When I have time I will happily post my sources for anyone interested.

 

A friend of mine who is a organic blueberry farmer pointed out how ironic it is how much inspection, paper work, testing etc that is required of organic farmers(I think it's great) and how the non-organic farmer across the street who use pesticides liberally never have any such inspections, tests etc.

 

I should point out as well that my child had a major infection(pertusses). We started the vitamin c at the catarrhal stage(sniffles, sore throat etc). This did not progress to the spasmotic stage. I had read that this was possible and in our case it worked. Hopefully, that was clear from my posting.

 

The gift of this experience was the sudden and significant remission of serious worries and behaviours. I certainly do not want to tell others what to do. But I think the value of the space is to be able to hear directly from others what is working for them.

 

Thanks for the good debate.