The Ascorbate Effect in Infectious and Autoimmune Diseases

Robert F. Cathcart, M.D. 127 Second Street, #4 Los Altos, CA 94022 650-949-2822 http://www.orthomed.com

The vitamin C effects are all the usual effects of the usual small d oses of vitamin C and also the effects of the moderate and usual high doses of t he vitamin C. The ascorbate effect is where massive doses of vitamin C are used where we are mostly throwing away the vitamin C for the electrons carried. Wit h massive amounts of ascorbate it is possible to neutralize the massive amounts of free radicals generated mostly by the damage to mitochondria of infectious di seases, allergies, and injuries. Under most conditions the electrons carried by free radical scavengers come from the metabolism of glucose in the mitochondria . The amount of electrons from this source, when the mitochondria are not damag ed, are sufficient when we are well to neutralize the free radicals of living. However, when we are sick and especially where the mitochondria are damaged, the free radicals overwhelm the mitochondrial ability to make electrons available. In these cases vitamin C in massive amounts can be the source of the necessary numbers of electrons to eliminate most of the free radicals of diseases. The or dinary doses of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, etc. cannot suffice. Any i nflammation is evidence that the free radicals have not been adequately eliminat ed.

In 1969, I discovered that the amount of ascorbic acid tolerated ora lly without loosening of stools (a benign diarrhea) was somewhat proportional to the free radical toxicity of the condition being treated. The sicker a person was, the more ascorbic acid they would tolerate orally without it causing diarr hea. In a person with an otherwise normal GI tract when they were well, would t olerate 5 to 15 grams of ascorbic acid orally in divided doses without diarrhea. With a mild cold 30 to 60 grams; with a bad cold, 100 grams; with a flu, 150 g rams; and with mononucleosis, viral pneumonia, etc. 200 grams or more of ascorbi c acid would be tolerated orally without diarrhea. The process of finding what dose will cause diarrhea and will eliminate the acute symptoms, I call titratin g to bowel tolerance.

When at the peak of the cold it is possible to take 100 grams of asc orbate in divided doses in 24 hours, I call it a 100 Gram Cold.

Sodium ascorbate intravenously never causes diarrhea in any dose. T he diarrhea of ascorbic acid taken orally is caused by a hypertonic situation in the rectum. Intravenous sodium ascorbate actually increases bowel tolerance to

ascorbic acid orally if administered at the same time.

The ascorbate effect is a threshold effect. Symptoms are usually ne utralized when a dose of about 90% or more of bowel tolerance is reached with or al ascorbic acid. Intravenous sodium ascorbate is about 2 times more powerful t han ascorbic acid by mouth and since for all practical purposes huge doses of so dium ascorbate are non toxic, whatever dose necessary to eliminate free radical driven symptoms should be given.

The mathematical formulas that describe redox potential involve logarithms. Lo garithms go low, low, low and then rapidly go high. The ascorbate effect acts a t a threshold dose as would be anticipated from the logarithms in the formula wh en a reducing redox potential is forced into the oxidized tissues involved in th e disease.

Example or the Common Cold

Most people have had the experience of feeling that they are catching a cold one evening but then wake up the next morning all well. What has happened here is that either antibodies from a previous cold wipe out the virus, or the white cel ls in the nose and throat destroy the virus by phagocytosis. These white cells need a little vitamin C to perform phagocytosis. If the virus damages enough mitochondria in the nose and throat to produce enough free radicals to destroy all the vitamin C then th e white cells shut down and that is when you wake up knowing you will be sick fo r a week or so. A condition of acute induced scurvy exists in the nose and throa t.

Small doses of vitamin C taken as a maintenance dose will prevent a certain perc entage of colds because this acute induced scurvy is harder to induce.; Once th e free radical cascade is induced in the nose and throat small and moderate dose s of vitamin will not cure the cold. However, moderate doses will prevent the s pread of the acute induced scurvy into the sinuses, ears, and bronchial tubes so complications will be prevented. It is interesting to note than moderate doses by reducing the free radicals systemically will slow down the production of new antibodies; therefore, the basic, uncomplicated mild disease, unsick condition, will last a little longer than an uncomplicated untreated cold.

However, if massive doses, (usually bowel tolerance doses of ascorbic acid will suffice, but not always, sometimes intravenous sodium ascorbate is necessary) ar e driven into the nose and throat sufficient to neutralize the free radicals and eliminate the acute induced scurvy in the nose and throat, the white cells come out fighting mad and destroy the virus.

Humeral Immunity Reduced by Massive Amounts of Ascorbate

Massive doses of ascorbate augment cellular immunity while reducing humeral immu nity. Clinically, the affinity of antibodies for their antigen is augmented by free radicals or an oxidative redox potential. I hypothesize that the single di sulfide bond that holds the light chain of the antibody to the heavy chain is st rengthened in an oxidative redox potential. Single disulfide bonds similarly ho ld all the other receptor sites of the immune system together.

I further hypothesize that the immune system receptor sites are under some norma l stress and that under a reducing redox potential there is more of a tendency f or the disulfide bond to break into two sulfhydryls which incapacitates the anti gen bonding site. This would be a simple, neat mechanism whereby the humeral im mune system would be turned off when there was no injury to the body. Any inju ry to cells would damage mitochondria, produce free radicals, induce an oxidativ e redox potential and turn on the immune system. While it appears from all the scientific work done on the immune system, its turn on is more complicated than this hypothesis, this hypothesis would explain many of the clinical effects of m assive doses of ascorbate.

This hypothesis would explain why symptoms of hay fever, asthma and anaphylaxis are blocked or ameliorated by massive doses of ascorbate. It is pointed out tha t when a person is given penicillin or other antibiotics, they are sick and have oxidative redox potential in various parts of the body. This oxidative redox p otential turns on the antibodies and the penicillin, or etc., can be recognized as a foreign body. In my experience, massive doses of ascorbate given along wit h penicillin prevent the anaphylactic and other allergic reactions to penicillin .

Ascorbate Treatment of Viral Hepatitis

In my experience acute viral hepatitis, A, B, C, non AB, etc., are all cured by massive amounts of ascorbate given over a few days intravenously. Chronic viral hepatitis is a different story. It is such a different story that something ot her that just a continuing viral infection must be going on. I think it is poss ible that chronic liver damage releases chemicals from the interior of the liver cells that cause an autoimmune like situation to be turned on. Chronic hepatit is, like that diagnosed as chronic hepatitis C, can be vastly ameliorated by con tinuing high doses of ascorbic acid by mouth, alpha lipoic acid (thank you Bert Berkson), selenium, vitamin E, silymarin, and strict restriction of sugar.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

I practiced medicine in Incline Village, Nevada between 1970 and 1980. There I saw many mononucleosis and bad flu cases. All responded to massive doses of asc orbate. I never saw an acute viral disease develop into chronic fatigue. Shor tly after I left Incline, the chronic fatigue syndrome was identified by Dr Paul Cheney in 1983. A friend, the dentist in Incline, told me that none of my old

massive vitamin C takers got chronic fatigue syndrome. I admit that this observ ation is not hard science but it is interesting.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is ameliorated by continuing bowel tolerance doses of a scorbic acid but these patients must be worked up for candida, parasites, food a nd chemical sensitivities, hypothyroidism, T4 resistence, etc., and treated appr opriately. The nutritional program should include no sugar, low carbohydrates, elimination of all foods they are allergic to, chemicals, zinc, manganese, chrom ium, selenium, cod liver oil, vitamin E, multiple Bs, sometimes IM B12, folic ac id and multiple Bs, along with the massive doses of C.

Ebola and Other Hemorrhagic Fevers, Nipah Virus and Etc.

All of these diseases produce massive amounts of free radicals. These hemorrhag ic fevers are examples of probably 500 gram diseases. These diseases are so tox ic, produce so many free radicals, that they rapidly produce not only a localize d acute induced scurvy but a systemic induced scurvy. Shortly. collagen fibers begin to break down and bleeding is induced throughout the body. These cases mu st be treated with massive amount of sodium ascorbate intravenously immediately at the beginning of the disease. The rate of administration should be rapidly i ncreased until the fever and other acute symptoms are diminished. My guess at a starting dose would be at a rate of at least 240 grams of sodium ascorbate per 24 hours. Do not be cheap. Give them vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, manganese, c hromium, selenium, EPA, DHA, etc. I have never treated a hemorrhagic fever case.

SARS is just another flu virus, possibly more toxic than most flues so give them intravenous sodium ascorbate. Probably 120 grams of sodium ascorbate intraveno usly per 24 hours would do it but give more according to the symptoms. I have t reated at lease a thousand cases of flu and never so much as hospitalize one cas e.

Distemper and Kennel Fever

Although dogs are ascorbate producing animals, it is possible that a very toxic disease will overcome their ability to produce ascorbate. Wendell B elfield, DVM, of San Jose, CA has been curing dogs of distemper and kennel fever for 20 years with massive doses of sodium ascorbate intravenously. The dog jus t needs to be helped out for a few days with the intravenous and then he takes o ver himself.

Poliomyelitis

The first physician who used massive amounts of sodium ascorbate int ravenously on serious viral diseases was Fred Klenner, M.D. of Reidsville, North

Carolina. He published curing 60 cases of polio out of 60 cases with intraveno us C. See Southern Medicine and Surgery, July 1949, p. 209. The whole article i s on my website http://www.orthomed.com/polio.htm

Bacterial Infections

cause seases reated eem to a.

Bacterial infections cause symptoms, suppress the immune system, and allergic reactions to antibiotics by way of free radicals. While these di should be treated with the appropriate antibiotics, they should also be t with massive doses of ascorbate. Massive doses of ascorbate clinically s broaden the spectrum of activity of antibiotics against resistant bacteri

Autoimmune Diseases

My experience with some autoimmune diseases, particularly lupus, is that ascorbate in massive doses is very helpful. The following is my theory as to why. This theory involves many simplifications and probably some ideas that turn out inaccurate but are a way of thinking about the problem of autoimmune di seases that explain the role of massive doses of ascorbate. It also gives the p atient a theory with which to listen to their body to figure out their biochemic al individuality as related to a treatment of their disease.

Any disease that has symptoms of inflammation, which are mediated by free radica ls, cannot help but be benefited by eliminating those free radicals as much as p ossible with massive doses of ascorbate. When you use enough ascorbate, throwin g away the vitamin C for the electrons carried, it is a matter of chemistry, not necessarily medicine, that the free radicals will be neutralized.

The immune system is very complex but to use the example of antibody exclusion, antibodies are made by B cells in utero and after. When a new B cell develops it takes on a random combination that determines the shape of the rece ptor site of the antibody it makes. These B cells try to match chemicals on the surface of cells. When an immature B cell matches something it dies. When a m ature B cell matches something, it multiplies and produces antibodies of that sh ape. This is called antibody exclusion and is one of the reasons why antibodies do not ordinarily attack a person s own cells. When the person is 100% well, the ir antibodies will not attack the person s own cells. However, when a person is s ick, making many free radicals, these free radicals increase the affinity of the antibodies for their antigen and may cause the antibodies to fit some shape whi ch is not a perfect fit but a close fit.

One of the purposes of antibodies is s. Remember that the antibodies and the B cells nd only have tried to fit shapes on the surfaces some of the chemicals in the interior of cells.

to mop up dead or diseased cell making them are extracellular a of cells. Antibodies could fit Therefore, when a cell leaks,

for whatever reason, certain chemicals from the interior of cells, certain antib odies may attack that cell.

The other thing is that certain injuries like from chemicals, etc., may alter the shape of chemicals on the surfaces of cells. This, especially in the oxidative redox potential of the injured area, may cause the cross reaction of antibodies on these changed cells.

So, now an infection, allergy, injury, chemical reaction, etc.;, may cause damage to cells and cause antibodies to attack. For example, suppose the person has a condition, like candida, EBV, HHV6, and various other stresses, th at results in the release of lots of free radicals, These free radical up regu late the immune system. It is obvious that massive doses of ascorbate at this p oint may down regulate the immune system by eliminating free radicals in such a way as that the following may be prevented.

First step

The person may have a hidden or not so hidden allergy to something like milk. T he immune system may then produce antibodies to milk that are similar in shape t o the chemicals on the surfaces of the synovial lining of joints. The shape wou ld not be exact because antibody exclusion would have prevented the formation of B cells making that shaped antibody. However, if the shape is close enough, wi th the increased affinity of antibodies in this oxidative redox potential situat ion, the antibodies will attack the synovial lining of the joints. Maybe some p revious injury to the joint or some stress increases the oxidative redox potenti al in a particular joint and that joint becomes inflamed first.

At this early point, in this example, an absolutely milk free diet m ay stop all this. Massive doses of ascorbate would obviously help by reducing t he oxidative redox potential. I saw a patient 3 months ago who had a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis by a local immunologist 10 years ago. She, on her own, discovered when she ate no red meat or milk products that the arthritis went awa y. She has been in total remission for 10 years. The immunologists I know were not interested in discussing the case.

Second step

With this injury to the synovial cells, they start leaking chemicals from their interior to the outside where antibodies can match them. In the pos sible case being discussed, the autoimmune reaction may take on a life of its ow n and perpetuate itself even though the person stops any milk. Antibodies build up in numbers and their affinity increases because of the increasing oxidative redox potential. Then, if other joints have not been involved before, they may become involved now because maybe some of the chemicals from the interior of th e cells are on the surface in minute amounts but never before enough to cause a

noticeable reaction. Now with the increasing numbers of antibodies and the incr eased oxidative redox potential, more joints become involved.

At this point, the case is not so easy to put into remission but it may be that massive doses of ascorbate, maybe even intravenously, plus eliminati ng the original problem (in this case milk) may throw the person into remission.

Other Problems

I find that most of the time other problems such as candida, and oth er food and chemical sensitivities, and leaky gut frequently get involved. All of these have to be treated. Antiyeast programs, no sugar, low carbohydrate die t, elimination of all things the patient is sensitive to, support with large amo unt of vitamins, minerals, essential fats, and amino acids are necessary. With Sjgren s syndrome use in addition primrose oil. Bio-identical hormones, especially progesterone, can be helpful in osteoporosis.

I want to make special mention of nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, e gg plant, red, green, and yellow peppers, paprika and tobacco). Nightshades sho uld be eliminated in everyone who has osteoarthritis of the fingers but they can be involved in other arthritis also. There is a relatively common genetic weak ness in the ability to digest a toxin within the nightshades especially manifest ing itself as one ages. If there is a genetic tendency to get lupus or rheumato id arthritis, these diseases can be triggered by nightshades. I have seen this several times in lupus patients. The immunologists I know are not interested in this.

If standard medical treatments are used such as prednisone, methyltr exate, etc., massive doses of ascorbate plus other nutrients may augment their e ffects and reduce side reactions. It never hurts with any disease to eliminate as many of the free radicals as possible and reduce the oxidative redox potentia l.

Nightshades (Solanaceae species) are:

1. potato, the white potato In some baby foods, potato starch or potato flour in some breads, doughnuts, biscuits, candies, cookies and in soups. Sweet potatoes are ok. Yams are risky.

2. tomato husk tomato, or ground cherry tomato, cherry, yellow, and plum tomatoes, European bitter sweet, tree tomato, tomatillo, strawberry tomato.

3. green pepper tobasco pepper, garden pepper, cayenne, cherry, red cluster, hot, bell, sweet, pimiento, Chili, long and red peppers. (Black or condiment pepper is OK because it is not a nightshade.)

4. eggplant

5. Misc., garden huckleberry, Morelle, wonderberry and sunberry, pepino, Cape gooseberry.

6. Tobacco, belladonna, atropine and scopolamine.

Childers NF, Russo GM. The Nightshades and Health. Horticultural Publications, Sumerset Press, Somerville, N.J., 1977. I think this book is out of print but you might find it on an old book search site on the internet.

. MEDICAL PAPERS PUBLISHED RELATED TO VITAMIN C

1. Cathcart RF. Clinical trial of vitamin C. Letter to the Editor, Medical Trib une, June 25, 1975.

2. Cathcart RF. The method of determining proper doses of vitamin C for the tre atment of diseases by titrating to bowel tolerance. The Australian Nurses Journa l 9(4):9-13, Mar 1980.

3. Cathcart RF. The method of determining proper doses of vitamin C for the tre atment of disease by titrating to bowel tolerance. J Orthomolecular Psychiatry 10:125-132, 1981.

4. Cathcart RF. Vitamin C: titrating to bowel tolerance, an ascorbemia, and acut e induced scurvy. Medical Hypotheses 7:1359-1376, 1981.

5. Cathcart RF. C-vitaminbehandling till tarmintolerans vid infektioner och all ergi. Biologisk Medicin 3:6-8, 1983.

6. Cathcart RF. Vitamin C: titrating to bowel tolerance, anascorbemia, and acut e induced scurvy. Let's Live (Japan) 16:9, Nov 1983.

7. Cathcart, R.F. Vitamin C: the nontoxic, nonrate-limited, antioxidant free r adical scavenger. Medical Hypotheses, 18:61-77, 1985.

8. Cathcart, R.F. Vitamin C in the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syn drome (AIDS). Medical Hypotheses, 14(4):423-433, Aug 1984.

9. Cathcart, R.F. The vitamin C treatment of allergy and the normally unprimed state of antibodies. Medical Hypotheses, 21(3):307-321, Nov 1986.

10. Cathcart, R.F. The Three Faces of Vitamin C. J. Orthomolecular Med. 7:4;19 7-200, 1993.