Alex Michaels from LPI on Vitamin C EP053

Description

You know that vitamin C is good for you. It is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all your body tissues, and it plays a role in the healthy functioning of your immune system. But evidence shows that the RDA—90mg for men and 75mg for women—may be woefully inadequate. And if you are suffering from certain types of cancer or sepsis, vitamin C may be the key to recovery.

The Gluten Free RN is joined by vitamin C researcher Alex Michaels from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University to discuss the latest developments in vitamin C, explaining how intravenous vitamin C works to kill certain cancer cells and reverses the organ failure associated with sepsis. He also covers the difference between vitamin C inadequacy and vitamin C deficiency and the debilitating symptoms of scurvy.

Nadine and Alex speak to the best food sources of vitamin C and how it impacts other vitamins and minerals like iron and copper. Alex offers his advice around how much vitamin C you should get on a daily basis and explains why synthetic and natural vitamin C are identical. Learn about the LPI mission to determine the optimal ranges of micronutrients and phytochemicals you should be getting on a daily basis and how you can benefit from their research!

What's Discussed:

Micronutrients vs. macronutrients

Micronutrients are vitamins, essential minerals needed in small amounts (milligrams or micrograms/day)
Macronutrients include fats, carbs and proteins (grams/day)
Phytochemicals come from plants, affect health but not essential nutrients

The difference between intravenous and oral vitamin C

Intravenous bypasses GI system, high concentration in bloodstream (up to 100 grams)
Body can only absorb certain amount of oral vitamin C, inflammation may prevent absorption

Vitamin C's resurgence as a cancer therapy

High levels of intravenous vitamin C can covert oxygen to hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide floods and kills some cancer cells (e.g.: pancreatic tumors)

Vitamin C's role in the treatment of sepsis

Reverses organ failure, decreases inflammation
May restore vitamin C to normal levels, protect from negative effects of iron

The availability of intravenous vitamin C

Difficult to obtain, naturopaths usually have dedicated supplier
More readily available in Australia, New Zealand

The fundamentals of scurvy

Defined as deficiency in vitamin C
Symptoms include bleeding gums, corkscrew hair growth, open wounds, malaise and low energy
Very rare in western world, would have to go without any fruits or vegetables for months
May have vitamin C inadequacy without any outward signs of problem

The best food sources of vitamin C