Vitamin C is working for Coronavirus patients

This is for informational purposes only. There is no known cure or preventative measures for the coronavirus but Vitamins C can make a difference for some.

Vitamin C has long been recommended as being beneficial in preventing illness and shortening recovery time of colds and flu. According to Health Line, Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and it can strengthen the body’s natural defenses. Antioxidants are molecules that boost our immune system, by protecting our cells from harmful molecules which are known free radicals. When free radicals accumulate, they can promote what is known as oxidative stress, which has been linked to many a number of chronic diseases. Research indicates that consuming more vitamin C can increase blood antioxidant levels by up to 30%, which assists the body’s natural defenses and helps fight inflammation.

Now, The New York Post is reporting that this powerful antioxidant is being utilized to help coronavirus patients heal and that it is working. Some of the largest hospitals in the state of New York system are giving massive doses of vitamin C to Covid-19 patients based on reports that it helped people in China, where the virus was first discovered. Dr. Andrew G. Weber, is a pulmonologist and critical-care specialist who is affiliated with two Long Island Northwell Health facilities. Weber stated that his intensive-care patients with the coronavirus were immediately given 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C intravenously. The same amount of the the powerful antioxidant is then readministered three or four additional times throughout the day.

Dr. Weber says the dosage of 1,500 is based on experimental treatment given to coronavirus patients in Shanghai, China. This is more than 16 times the daily recommended allowance from the National Institutes of Health. 75 milligrams is recommended for adult females and 90 milligrams for adult males. Weber said the patients who received vitamin C did "significantly better" than those who were not given the sunshine vitamin. He added that Vitamin C was a tremendous help, but is not in the spotlight because it is not a sexy drug. There are many Americans who echo the sentiment that natural cures are not promoted by the FDA because they are not prescription drugs that are peddled by the medical professional.

On the flip side, the FDA says they cannot say with certainty that vitamins and natural cures have the amount of product that they are promoting which could be dangerous for consumers. A spokesman for Northwell — which operates 23 hospitals, said vitamin C therapy is being “widely used”throughout the system, for Covid-19 patients, but noted that medication protocols will vary from patient to patient. There are more than 700 patients who are being treated for coronavirus across the Northwell hospital network but it remains unclear how many are being given the sunshine vitamin. The therapy with vitamin C is being administered in addition to such medicines as the antibiotic azithromycin, the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, and various biologics and blood thinners, according to Weber.

Last year I accompanied a relative to physical therapy and when they checked his blood sugar it had dropped. When he mentioned that he should have had a glass of orange juice, the nurse said there was no benefit in it except extra sugar. I disagreed because I know for a fact the benefits of vitamin C. I once had a toothache and my jaw was swollen but did not have money for the dentist. I drank a few glasses of orange juice and the swelling and pain both went away. This happened on two separate occasions. There was also a day when I drank three glasses of cranberry juice back to back and had an allergic reaction. My nose began to run and it was thick and yellow. My eyes were burning and my throat sore as if I had a sinus infection. I drank one glass of orange juice and immediately the symptoms began to subside.

I have recommended Vitamin C to my family members, and I keep supplementation on hand. In Addition to orange juice, you can eat oranges and other fruits which have more nutrients and less sugar. Multivitamins have 100% of the daily required amount of vitamin C and you can even purchase supplements in the form of drops that taste like candy suckers. There are also EmergenC and Airborne, powdered packets of vitamin C. Most studies indicate that the sunshine vitamin will shorten the duration of colds, but studies do not agree whether or not Vitamin C actually prevents colds and flu.

Please keep in mind that the coronavirus patients are getting medication along with Vitamin C so there is no way to know for certain which is having the most benefit. It is necessary to understand that not everyone will have identical results when increasing daily amounts of Vitamin C. Should you decide to try supplementation, follow recommended doses and do not attempt to take as much as is being given to Covid-19 patients without your medical provider's permission. It's best to obtain all our vitamins and minerals through diet but knowing that Vitamin C is helping coronavirus patients is very encouraging. As of this past Tuesday hospitals in New York have federal permission to give desperately ill Covid-19 patients a cocktail of thromycin and hydroxychloroquine on a “compassionate care” basis.