High Dose Vitamin C IV Therapy
We’ve all heard anecdotally that vitamin C benefits our immune system. Whether it’s using those packets of vitamin C on airplanes or drinking a hot beverage laced with vitamin C, we’ve likely all used this vitamin to give our immune system a boost. High Dose. Immune boosting IV therapy like those that use vitamin C have been deployed for a wide range of conditions. The National Cancer Institute says that “When taken by IV infusion, vitamin C can reach higher levels in the blood than when the same amount is taken by mouth” and “In general, vitamin C given by IV infusion has caused very few side effects in clinical trials.”
If you’re looking for Vitamin C IV therapy in Atlanta, Progressive Medical Center Vitamin C IV should be where you look first. Progressive Medical Center is one of the oldest and largest functional and integrative clinics in the Southeast and has years of experience with IV treatments.
So why is intravenous IV vitamin C therapy so effective? You’d never be able to take enough vitamin C tablets on your own to replicate the effects of advanced vitamin C IV therapy. Vitamin C IV therapy protocol assesses your conditions and medical history and decides whether intravenous vitamin C is right for you. Let’s take a look at conditions that have been studied as candidates for vitamin C IV treatment:
Vitamin C IV Therapy for Immune Support- “In addition to directly affecting immune cells, vitamin C also acts as an important antioxidant to the cells of the immune system. It can help protect cells from both endogenously and exogenously produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) during an immune response” (Moore and Khanna, Cureus, Jan 2023). Vitamin C directly supports immune function and is also a powerful antioxidant, meaning it breaks down free radicals that cause oxidative stress. Vitamin C has been studied extensively for its immune role: “The immune system is a multifaceted and sophisticated network of specialized organs, tissues, cells, proteins, and chemicals, which has evolved in order to protect the host from a range of pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, as well as cancer cells… More than half a century of research has shown vitamin C to be a crucial player in various aspects of the immune system, particularly immune cell function” (Carr and Maggini, Nutrients, 2017)
Vitamin C IV Therapy for Inflammation- Immunity affects inflammation. Supporting the immune system will help control systemic inflammation. Beyond that, vitamin C directly acts as an anti-inflammatory: “Vitamin C is an essential component that helps boost immune defense by holding properties that make it an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent. It achieves this result by enhancing the cellular activity of both the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system” and “Ascorbic acid (another name for vitamin C) has been shown to provide analgesic effects, and large doses can reduce subjective pain symptoms and the need for painkillers.” (Ramón, et al, J Pers Med. 2023 Sep). This means that larger doses of vitamin C can help with multiple inflammatory conditions and potentially reduce pain simultaneously.
Vitamin C IV Therapy for Infections and Skin Health- There are a number of ways that vitamin C is essential for fighting infections, particularly of the skin, and for wound healing. Skin contains concentrations of vitamin C, and vitamin C is central to repairing wounds of the skin- “Clues to the role of vitamin C in the skin come from the symptoms of the vitamin C deficiency disease scurvy, which is characterized by bleeding gums, bruising, and impaired wound healing” and “Leukocytes, particularly neutrophils and monocyte-derived macrophages, are major players in wound healing. Vitamin C is thought to influence several important aspects of neutrophil function: migration in response to inflammatory mediators (chemotaxis), phagocytosis and killing of microbes, and apoptosis and clearance by macrophages.” (Carr and Maggini, Nutrients, Nov 2017). Vitamin C treatments can help restore skin, and help the body heal its most persistent infections.
Vitamin C IV Therapy for Cancer- “Mounting evidence indicates that vitamin C has the potential to be a potent anti-cancer agent when administered intravenously and in high doses. Early phase clinical trials have confirmed safety and indicated efficacy of IVC in eradicating tumour cells of various cancer types.” and “Moreover, high-dose IVC is powerful as an adjuvant treatment for cancer, acting synergistically with many standard (chemo-) therapies, as well as a method for mitigating the toxic side-effects of chemotherapy.” (Böttger, et al, J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2021). The American Cancer Institute is also enthusiastically investigating IV vitamin C therapy for future treatment protocols. So far, the evidence is excellent that holistic vitamin C IV therapy has a place in both cancer treatment and in supporting patients undergoing standard cancer care. Even for end-of-life cancer care, vitamin C seems to have something to offer: “In palliative care, high-dose VitC is currently gaining ground due to its highly safe and tolerable profile. Not only is high-dose VitC known to relieve pain in cancer patients vast clinical evidence suggests that it has a significant positive impact on patients’ well-being” (same source)
Vitamin C IV Therapy for Detoxification- Vitamin C IV therapy and integrative medicine go hand in hand, and one of the reasons for this is because of vitamin C’s effectiveness as a detoxifier. An example of how effective vitamin C is at detox comes from the realm of cancer treatment. One of the reasons that vitamin C is used in cancer support is because of its ability to decrease the toxicity of chemotherapy without reducing its effectiveness. For more widespread applications of detoxification, “vitamin C is a free-radical scavenger that can scavenge superoxide and peroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid, and oxidant air pollutants. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C enable it to protect lung cells exposed to oxidants and oxidant-mediated damage caused by various pollutants, heavy metals, pesticides, and xenobiotics” (Carr and Maggini, Nutrients, Nov 2017). In other words, it’s a super detoxificant, capable of cleansing the body of many different types of toxic materials.
Vitamin C IV therapy for anti-aging- As already discussed in the cancer and skin sections, vitamin C helps produce collagen and decreases the breakdown of collagen in skin, which can lead to fewer wrinkles and healthier skin overall. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory, and is often deficient in the elderly. “Lower blood vitamin C levels have been observed in various pathological conditions and older adults. Therefore, maintaining a sufficient level of vitamin C may be beneficial for the prevention of age-related diseases and may be the key to longevity.” (Sato et al, J Physiol Sci. 2024)
Vitamin C IV therapy for cardiovascular health- Inflammation can also be a hallmark of poor cardiac outcomes. Not only is vitamin C anti-inflammatory but there is a correlation between vitamin C levels and cardiac health: “Significantly increased odds of coronary artery disease were also observed in individuals with deficient plasma vitamin C levels. It is plausible that chronic insufficiency of vitamin C, due to both inadequate nutritional intake and increased consumption in the body, contributes to the progression of chronic diseases involving inflammatory components.” (Sato et al, J Physiol Sci. 2024)
Vitamin C IV therapy and chronic fatigue- “Fatigue often occurs as a symptom of severe diseases, such as cancer or autoimmune diseases. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is defined as a separate clinical entity, although the symptoms are very similar: besides intense fatigue, most patients with CFS report attendant symptoms such as pain, cognitive dysfunction, and unrefreshing sleep…Fatigue is also currently coming into focus as a major symptom of long COVID…Oxidative stress and inflammation can cause and maintain fatigue, cognitive impairment, depression, and sleep disturbances. They disrupt the formation and functioning of important neurotransmitters and of blood circulation. Vitamin C is one of the most effective physiological antioxidants, showing anti-inflammatory effects, especially if applied intravenously in pharmacological doses.
High-dose IV vitamin C has been investigated in four controlled and five observational or before-and-after studies in patients with cancer, allergies, and herpes zoster infections. The results show a reduction in fatigue and attendant symptoms such as sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, pain, and cognitive disorders.” (Claudia Vollbracht and Karin Kraft, Nutrients. 2021 Apr). Even for patients without major illness, vitamin C therapy can help relieve fatigue and boost feelings of well-being.
Vitamin C IV therapy for Lyme disease- Research is ongoing in the role of IV vitamin C therapy for Lyme disease, but a recent study had promising results: “high dose intravenous vitamin C was shown to be both well tolerated and safe…The secondary and exploratory aims of the study provide insight into the potential efficacy of this protocol, as both subjective measures of symptom severity and objective assessment of Lyme biomarkers showed marked improvement.” (Tichauer, et al, Medical Research Archives, Jan 2024) Good news indeed! Certainly, some Lyme disease patients have reported benefits from IV vitamin C therapy.
For high-dose vitamin C therapy in Atlanta, GA, come to Progressive Medical Center!