Vitamin C was isolated in 1928 and its chemical structure was identified in 1933. Dr. Linus Pauling recommended in the early 1970s that the optimal daily intake of vitamin C was 2,000 milligrams (mg), with a minimum of 200 to 250 mg per day for everyone. However, as the pharmaceutical industry grew, vitamin C fell out of favor due to its affordability, ease of use, and lack of side effects, making it less profitable.
Most mammals can produce vitamin C internally, but humans and guinea pigs must obtain it from their diet. Vitamin C is crucial for enzyme reactions and studies have linked it to a reduced risk of cardiovascular issues. It also plays a role in immune function and has shown promise in the treatment of various health conditions, including cancer.
Despite its benefits, vitamin C faced skepticism during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, with researchers and doctors using it being ridiculed. Vitamin C’s lack of patentability poses a threat to the pharmaceutical industry, as seen in the history of its use and suppression.
Vitamin C has been explored for its potential in treating sepsis, with positive results in some studies. However, larger clinical trials have produced mixed conclusions, with some researchers questioning the validity of negative findings. Vitamin C has also been associated with the treatment of polio and multiple sclerosis throughout history.
In the face of controversy and skepticism, the potential of vitamin C in various health conditions remains a topic of ongoing research and debate. In a biography about Klenner, Andrew Saul, assistant editor for the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, discussed the groundbreaking work done by Klenner during the polio epidemic. Klenner initially used vitamin C treatments for patients with viral pneumonia, which he detailed in a 1948 article in the Journal of Southern Medicine and Surgery. Prior to the release of the polio vaccine, Klenner treated polio patients with high doses of vitamin C given intramuscularly.
Despite lacking national credentials or research grants, Klenner presented his work on polio at the American Medical Association annual session in 1949, boldly stating that vitamin C could destroy virus organisms when used in proper amounts. He found that intramuscular injections of 25,000 to 30,000 mg for adults every two hours were effective in treating polio patients, with the sicker patients requiring higher doses. Klenner successfully treated 60 polio cases with massive doses of vitamin C, curing all of them within three days.
One remarkable case discussed by Saul was a 5-year-old girl who had been paralyzed for four days before Klenner treated her. After receiving only vitamin C and massage, the girl fully recovered by day 19 with no long-term impairment. Despite the success of his treatments, Klenner did not receive recognition for his results.
Saul also mentioned Klenner’s vitamin-based cure for multiple sclerosis, developed after his death in 1984. Klenner’s son was later involved in a tragic incident where he was implicated in the murders of five people, overshadowing his father’s medical achievements. The media focused more on the son’s crimes rather than the father’s cures, highlighting the disparity in how the pharmaceutical industry is portrayed.
The narrative surrounding the polio vaccine release in the 1950s parallels the current situation with the COVID-19 vaccine, as detailed in the book “Just Call Me Jack.” The book discusses how the fear of polio in the public led to the quick approval and distribution of the polio vaccine, similar to the rush for the COVID-19 shot. Changes in diagnostic criteria for polio also affected the number of reported cases, much like the shifting definitions surrounding COVID-19.
“Dissolving Illusions” by Dr. Suzanne Humphries and Roman Bystrianyk dives into the history of medical interventions claiming to prevent deaths and extend lifespans, including the polio vaccine. The book questions what else may be overlooked or misinterpreted in modern medicine. The changing criteria for diagnosing polio and the subsequent decrease in reported cases after the vaccine’s introduction raise concerns about the accuracy of disease surveillance data.
Overall, the history of the polio vaccine and the controversies surrounding its effectiveness and impact on disease incidence shed light on the complexities of public health interventions and the importance of critical analysis in evaluating medical treatments.