Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
October 1999 Abstracts -Volume 22 - Number 8

The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections.

H. Clay Gorton and Kelly Jarvis, DC, FACO.

Background: An ever-increasing demand to evaluate the effect of dietary supplements on specific health conditions using a "significant scientific" standard has prompted the publication of this study.

Objective: To study the effect of megadose vitamin C in preventing and relieving cold and flu symptoms in a test group compared to a control group.

Design: Prospective, controlled study of students in a technical training facility.

Subjects: A total of 463 students ranging in age from 18 to 32 years of age comprised the control group. A total of 252 students ranging in age from 18 to 30 years comprised the experimental or test group.

Method: Investigators tracked the number of reports of cold and flu symptoms among the 1991 test population of the facility compared to the reports of like symptoms among the 1990 control population. Those in the control population reporting symptoms were treated with pain relievers and decongestants; those in the test population reporting symptoms were treated with hourly doses of 1000 mg of vitamin C for the first six hours and thrice daily thereafter. Those not reporting symptoms in the test group were also administered 1000 mg doses thrice daily.

Results: Overall, there was an 85 percent decrease in reported flu and cold symptoms in the test group compared to the control group after administration of megadose vitamin C.

Conclusion: Vitamin C in megadoses administered before or after the appearance of cold and flu symptoms relieved and prevented the symptoms in the test population when compared to the control group.

Key Indexing Terms: Vitamin C; Cold; Preventive Medicine; Dietary Supplements.

© 1996-2003 Craig M. Anderson, D.C.