Vitamin C And Treatment Cancer

Vitamin C, a water soluble vitamin, is a powerful antioxidant. Unlike most mammals, the human body is not able to produce its own vitamin C and hence humans have to rely on a suitable diet or dietary supplements to meet their needs.

Fortunately vitamin C is readily available in most fresh fruit and vegetables especially citrus fruit and green leafy vegetables.

Very small quantities of the vitamin can protect lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids from damage by free radicals. Free radicals are released along with reactive oxygen species during metabolism and by exposure to pollutants and toxins.

The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C for adults is 75 mg per day for females and 90 mg per day for males with smokers are pregnant women requiring slightly higher quantities.

The results of several studies indicate that the incidence of most types of cancers is substantially reduced with increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. These cancers relate to the throat, mouth, vocal chords, esophagus, stomach, colon-rectum and lung. The results clearly indicated that this reduced risk related only to those members of the control group who had a higher intake of vitamin C. These results have prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Cancer Institute’s recommendation of at least five servings per day of fruit and vegetable in the interest of cancer protection.

However, vitamin C appeared to have no impact at all on breast cancer.

Trials are being conducted in the UK with massive doses of vitamin C being administered in the form of injections. Initial results on its effect on cancer are promising but it is too early to form any conclusive opinion.

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Vitamin C And Treatment Cancer