How Intravenous Vitamin C May Be Lifesaving in Acute Sepsis! Kirk’s video overview of his interview with Dr. Natarajan (2:49) Sepsis is a massive acute “autoimmune response” from an infection in which the immune system attacks one’s internal organs, resulting in their failure and death from vascular collapse. Low plasma vitamin C levels increase the risk to sepsis. 41% percent of hospitalized patients are deficient in vitamin C and 19% have scurvy (classic vitamin C deficiency). Sepsis costs 20 billion dollars a year in the U.S. to treat. A day treatment in the hospital can cost $18,000-20,000. A single dose of intravenous vitamin C may cost $50.00. Vitamin C may work in reducing sepsis incidence and prevent death by: SUMMARY: In septic patients intravenous vitamin C at 50 mg/kg/day or 200 mg/kg/day or placebo in 4 divided doses administered over 30 minutes every 6 hours for 96 hours in 50 ml of 5% dextrose and water achieved plasma levels of 300µM and 3mM of vitamin C respectively and exhibited rapid reductions in multiple organ injury (SOFA) scores while no such reduction was seen in placebo patients.
Ascorbic acid significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein and procalcitonin indicating a reduction in systemic inflammation. Unlike placebo patients, thrombomodulin in ascorbic acid infused patients exhibited no significant rise. Thrombomodulin is a protein normally bound to the surface of endothelial cells and not found free in the circulation. If the blood level of thrombomodulin rises, it is indicative of vascular injury. These results suggest attenuation of vascular endothelial injury with intravenous vitamin C. There were no side effects noted from the intravenous vitamin C. Accurate methods of accessing vitamin C in the critical care setting are with HPLC analysis and the fluorescent end-point assay. “Ascorbate-dependent vasopressor synthesis: a rationale for vitamin C administration in severe sepsis and septic shock?” Expert Interview by Kirk Hamilton PA-C with Alpha A. Fowler, III, MD Phase I safety trial of intravenous ascorbic acid in patients with severe sepsis
“Intravenous Vitamin C – Integrative Therapies” a first-time conference sponsored by the University of Kansas Medical Center, September 30 – October 1, 2016. (See Dr. Drisko interview). Dr. Ramesh Natarajan will be speaking at this conference. Like Kirk’s Author Facebook page Kirk’s “Sloppy Vegan Cooking Show” YouTube Kirk’s Staying Healthy Today Show You Tube Kirk’s “Staying Healthy Today Show” Podcasts in iTunes Kirk’s “Staying Healthy Today Radio” Podcasts in iTunes Kirk’s “Healthy Living Tips” ArchivesIV therapy is a wonderful way to get a high dose of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants directly into the bloodstream. Thus, the nutrients are rapidly infused into the circulation and are delivered directly into the cellular space without having to go through the digestive tract. Many people notice superior immunity, increased energy and enhanced detoxification from the improvement in cellular health. When cellular health is supported, the body is able to effectively utilize the nutrients supporting the major bodily systems.
IV nutrient therapy also provides higher therapeutic doses, when compared to oral supplementation. This method of administration can be life changing for patients with digestive issues or malabsorption, such as in Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. IV nutrient therapy is a successful form of treatment for a wide array of health conditions, especially those associated with inflammation, poor immunity, leaky gut or food sensitivities. Vitalia Natural Medicine offers customized IV formulations to treat a wide array of health conditions, including but not limited to the following: The doctors at Vitalia have received specialized training in IV therapeutics and are pleased to offer the wonderful benefits of IV therapy to our patients. Please contact the office to see if IV therapy is a good fit for you. Scientists have been studying the effects of mega-doses of Vitamin C for decades. Research associated with Vitamin C can be found regarding various cancers, including but not limited to breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and gastric cancer.
This article will review some of the research associated with the use of high dose Vitamin C in cancer treatment. Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin, also known as ascorbic acid. The antioxidant functions of Vitamin C have been researched extensively to show positive, protective benefits against coronary heart disease, strokes, cataracts, gout, heavy metal toxicities like lead, as well as the prevention of various forms of cancer (1). For most purposes, oral doses of Vitamin C are adequate to achieve the desired outcome. However, when used adjunctively to treat cancer, Vitamin C must be used intravenously in order to reach doses high enough to have an anti-cancer effect. Hugh D. Riordan, M.D. is one of several pioneers in Vitamin C and cancer research, with 25 years of clinical experience in the administration of over 40,000 onsite high dose IVC treatments. Riordan and his colleagues conducted numerous case studies and discovered that various types of tumor cells were susceptible to destruction from high-dose Vitamin C, when the Vitamin C levels are able to reach 350 to 400 mg/dL in the blood plasma.
At this particular dose, Vitamin C becomes a pro-oxidant that is able to selectively induce cellular death of cancer cells, without harm to healthy cells (2). The reason Vitamin C can kill cancer cells is due to research concluding that cancer cells are deficient in an enzyme known as catalase, which is responsible for the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. Therefore, Vitamin C creates a chemical reaction that results in a surge of peroxide free radicals within cancer cells causing them to die. Because normal (non-cancer) cells don’t have a catalase deficiency, they go through the normal process of breaking down the peroxide into water and oxygen, which not only prevents their death, but also actually increases cellular health. Additional research has identified that the role of Vitamin C in cancer treatment, may be inducing cancer cell death through other standard cellular functions and biochemical pathways. Once example of this is the mitochondria, the “powerhouse” energy-producing component of a cell.
A recent study in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine determined that the mitochondria of cancer cells are inefficient at generating the amount of energy needed to allow for natural cell death (3). However, high doses of Vitamin C optimize health in the sick mitochondria of cancer cells, which allows the cells to do their job at stimulating the immune system and killing cancer cells. This means that cancer cells are actually too sick and metabolically disabled to die, but when the high-energy mitochondrial burn is restored with Vitamin C, cancer cells are able to undergo a natural cell death. If you are faced with a diagnosis of cancer, treatment options may seem limited to chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery. However, high dose Vitamin C delivered intravenously can kill early stages of cancer cells and improve quality of life in later stages of cancer. Research has not determined any known contraindications to giving intravenous Vitamin C with any chemotherapy when proper protocol is followed.
Furthermore, research is beginning to show that using Vitamin C at the same time of treatment with chemotherapy or radiation may improve the effectiveness of these treatments. In fact, some physicians using high dose Vitamin C recommend giving it on the same day as the chemo or radiation treatments. Research on Vitamin C continues to develop and will ultimately provide greater clarity and insight for it to be accepted as a standard form of conventional cancer treatment. The current amount of research on high dose Vitamin C, only supports the years of success that doctors and integrative medical establishments have been seeing clinically with their patients. At Vitalia Natural Medicine, you will have a team of doctors overseeing your care. Dr. Wolf devotes a large part of her practice to specializing in adjunctive cancer treatments and will provide comprehensive naturopathic care including diet and nutritional advice and scientifically proven Cancer fighting nutritional supplements.
Dr. Wolf specializes in supporting patients through conventional cancer treatment including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and is specifically trained in drug/nutrient/ herb interactions. She can also answer all of your diet and nutritional questions, and put together a specific nutritional program for you. Both Dr. Minesaki and Dr. Stanclift have extensive experience and specialized training in IV Nutritional therapy. They are certified through the IVNTP (IV Nutritional Therapy for Physicians) to safely administer nutrients intravenously. The doctor’s at Vitalia work together as a team to provide Comprehensive Naturopathic Care and effective high dose IV Nutritional Therapy including IV vitamin C. What you can expect is a thorough preliminary screening, including blood work to ensure that this treatment is safe for you. Certain individuals with heart or kidney comprise, rare metabolic disorders may not be good candidates. IV Nutritional therapy protocols and treatment schedules can vary depending on the individual, presenting diagnosis and severity of the condition.
Patients are started on a low dose of Vitamin C and that amount is increased up to the therapeutic level. Patients are regularly re-evaluated with clinical consultations and necessary blood work and imaging studies to further guide the treatment plan. 3. Mitochondria, Energy and Cancer: The Relationship with Ascorbic Acid Gonzalez MJ, Rosario-Perez G, Guzman AM, Miranda-Massari JR, Duconge J, Lavergne J, Fernandez N, Ortiz N, Quintero del Rio AI, Mikirova NA, Riordan NH, Ricart CM Orthomolecular Medicine, 2010, 25(1):29-38 ( to find research article) Docetaxel combined with IV Vitamin C shows enhanced benefit: 1. Fromberg, A, et.al. Ascorbate Exerts anti-proliferative effects through cell cycle inhibition and sensitizes tumor cells towards cytostatic drugs. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol, 67:1157-1166, 2011. DOI 10.1007/s00280-010-1418-6 (Springer online). Carboplatin combined with IV Vitamin C shows enhanced benefit and outcomes: 1. Sullivan, G. et.