Vitamin C: A Myth Begins to Falter

Cookies, gingerbread, chocolate – fully loaded plates attract those who have a sweet tooth. Vitamin C-packed oranges and mandarins are believed to ensure healthy well-being but the vitamin is not as healthy as most people think. 01/12/2009

Oranges are believed to be healthy
because of vitamin C; © Claudia
Hautumm/ Pixelio

Thanks to reindeer Rudolph’s shiny red nose Santa Claus finds the right way from chimney to chimney even in heavy snowstorms. If the presents are not under the Christmas tree on time, Santa might be misled as many people are suffering from a red Rudolph nose during this cold season. It is a sure indication of a bad cold. Most people believe they would be protected from cold and flu viruses by vitamin C though this is nothing but an old wives’ tale.

„Not a single study has been able to prove this protective effect”, emphasizes Michael Ristow, professor of nutritional medicine at the University of Jena. This was also confirmed by a Cochrane Collaboration’s meta-analysis three years ago. These findings are not really new. As long ago as in the 1930s, the vitamin C tests carried out by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche had negative results. Ironically, test persons who got vitamin C supplements came down with flu even more often than those who only got placebos.

In spite of these findings, the myth of vitamin C as a magic bullet against flu and cold is still alive to this day. Some say the vitamin also helps against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, allergies or rheumatism – the list can be endlessly continued. “Nothing of all these assumptions has been scientifically proven”, says Ristow.

Vitamin C supplements are a billion dollar business but medically useless

For sure, vitamin C supplements are a billion dollar business for the pharmaceutical industry – badly-invested money as the daily need for vitamin C is already met by an orange. Vitamin supplements are useless since the extra vitamin is directly exuded. The body has no possibility to save vitamins. “Even pregnant women, sick persons or seniors have no increased requirements of vitamin C”, emphasizes Ristow. The recommended daily ration is between 50 and 100 milligrammes.

 
Joggers should give up vitamin C
supplements;
© Matthias Balzer/ Pixelio

However, vitamin C supplements hit people not only in the pocket and are medically useless, but have also counter-productive effects: “The health-promoting effect of sports is suppressed by vitamin C”, says the nutritional physician. That is the result of a new study carried out by Ristow and researchers from Leipzig, Potsdam and Boston.

The interaction between vitamin C and free radicals is responsible for this astonishing effect. Free radicals are by-products of metabolism and destroy cells. While jogging or cycling the production of free radicals increases, but at the same the immune system is activated by the radicals. “In principle, that is comparable with a regular vaccination, but instead of bacteria or viruses the body reacts to free radicals“, Ristow explains. However, vitamin C impedes this positive “vaccination effect” as it neutralizes free radicals.

Are the warnings of worried parents to eat also oranges and mandarins at Christmas of no earthly use then and children could have as much cookies, chocolate and gingerbread as they want to? “No”, says Ristow and smiles, “fruits and vegetables are definitely healthy. That is scientifically proven.” Though, this is not because of the contained vitamin C but because of the combination of numerous vitamins, minerals and dietary fibres.

Sonja Endres
MEDICA.de