Vitamin C And Its Hidden Talent In Curing Cancer

A new alternative

For many years, non-surgical treatment for cancer has relied on chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but now, new alternative treatments have arisen to prevent this disease and aid patients in the battle against cancer. This has turn scientists' heads towards this alternatives and has made them focus their research in determining whether these treatments are effective or not, or to which extent they can be used in cancer patients.

Vitamin C hidden talent

One of the treatments that have gained a lot of attention lately is the use of high doses of Vitamin C. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an essential nutrient in our diet and an important component of our organism. We usually get vitamin C from certain foods, especially citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines, as well as leafy vegetables, tomatoes and peppers.

Lack of vitamin C causes a medical condition known as scurvy, which is characterized by weakness and lethargy, as well as bleeding and easy bruising. All of these symptoms are consequence of poor collagen production. Collagen is a type of tissue that is present in skin, cartilage, bones and blood vessels and vitamin C is a key component in the formation of collagen; without it, collagen synthesis occurs in an abnormal way. Treatment for patients suffering from scurvy includes Vitamin C supplements and food rich in this component. Treatment returns Vitamin C levels to normal, reversing the damage and alleviating the symptoms.

A treatment for cancer?

When it comes to cancer and its treatment, there have been several studies carried out in in cells, as well as in animals and humans, to evaluate the potential effect of ascorbic acid on cancer cells. This research has been carried out since the 1970´s and many data has been collected regarding these intriguing compound. One of the drawbacks, however, seems to be the dosage that would be helpful to humans.

See Also: Vitamin C and Its Effect on Immune System

So, the amount of vitamin C that we ingest is not necessary the same amount that ends in the blood stream; it is actually much less.

Research On Vitamin C

With the latter in mind, scientists have studied the effect of higher doses of ascorbic acid administered orally and directly into the blood stream. Lab and animal research have identified positive effects of ascorbic acid over cancer cells, slowing its growth and preventing them from spreading or metastasize. Also, vitamin C combined with other chemotherapy agents has proven to increase the effectiveness of treatment in certain kinds of cancer, including ovarian and pancreatic cancers.

Vitamin C in action

But, which is the mechanism of action of vitamin C? How does it help in treating cancer?

Not all have been good news, though. In some lab studies, ascorbic acid seemed to alter the effectiveness of chemotherapy; while in other animal studies, the vitamin interfered with anticancer drugs.

The effect of vitamin C has also been studied in healthy and cancer patients.

It has been proven that high-doses of vitamin C are safe for people to take, either orally or intravenously. At high concentrations, particularly when given intravenously, vitamin C can act as a pro-oxidant. This means it can generate hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular fluid surrounding the tumor. Hydrogen peroxide can then diffuse into the cancer cells and cause oxidative stress, which can be toxic to the cell and lead to cell death. Normal cells, by contrast, have more effective mechanisms to deal with this oxidative stress compared to most cancer cells, which might make cancer cells selectively more vulnerable to vitamin C-induced oxidative stress.

Vitamin C is crucial for the synthesis of collagen, which is a component of the extracellular matrix. By promoting collagen synthesis, vitamin C can potentially help prevent metastasis, the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body.

There's some evidence to suggest that vitamin C can modulate the levels and activities of enzymes that modify DNA methylation. This has the potential to affect gene expression in cells, including genes involved in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and other processes relevant to cancer growth and progression.

Regarding its effect over cancer cells, there has been a mixture of positive and negative results, mainly depending on the type of cancer that is being treated. Positive results relate to the reduction of the side effects of chemo and radiotherapy, such as nausea and vomit, fatigue, pain and appetite loss, therefore increasing the quality of life of the patient. On the other hand, even when high doses have proven to be safe, ascorbic acid can cause serious side effects, especially if patients suffer from kidney disease or another disorder that causes vitamin C intolerance.

Is Vitamin C a cancer treatment nowadays? 

Since nobody is certain about vitamin C and its effects on cancer patients, this treatment has not been approved for its use; however, there are some physicians who practice alternative medicine that strongly recommend it, not only to aid in cancer treatment, but to maintain a good health state in general.

Its effect most certainly depends on the type of cancer cells that are being treated and its response to hydrogen peroxide toxicity. Some cells may be more vulnerable than others, and some may even also respond to the toxicity by accelerating the disease progression or holding it.

See Also: The Top Eight Foods Rich in Vitamin C

It can’t be used as a treatment for cancer, because more studies need to be done in order to determine with certainty its therapeutic mechanism and effect, but in a not so far future, it may be introduced as an alternative for patients to reduce side symptoms related to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.