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.