Vitamin C

As the various brands of Paleo out there seem to slowly mutate over time, they are seeming to become closer and closer approximations of Paul Jaminet's Perfect Health Diet. While this isn't proof that he is correct about everything, I do take it as evidence in his favor.

There are several interesting posts on the site about Vitamin C, such as:

NZ Man Left for Dead by Doctors, Cured by Vitamin C
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/08/nz-man-left-for-dead-by-doctors-cured-by-vitamin-c/

[V]itamin C supports respiratory bursts by recycling glutathione and providing antioxidant protection for leukocytes against their own respiratory bursts, and also supports anti-viral immunity [...]

Vitamin C vs modern medicine
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/09/vitamin-c-vs-modern-medicine/

Fighting Viral Infections by Vitamin C at Bowel Tolerance
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/09/fighting-viral-infections-by-vitamin-c-at-bowel-tolerance/

A well-tested therapeutic strategy would be to take 4 g vitamin C every hour with water until bowel intolerance is reached. The therapy is extremely safe, and its effectiveness is usually apparent within days.

Danger of Zero-Carb Diets III: Scurvy
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/11/danger-of-zero-carb-diets-iii-scurvy/

There is no direct transport of vitamin C into the brain, yet the brain is one of the most vitamin C-dependent tissues in the body. The brain relies entirely on GLUT1-mediated transport of DHAA from the blood for its vitamin C supply. Within the brain, DHAA is restored to vitamin C by glutathione. Supplying DHAA to stroke victims (of the mouse persuasion) as late as 3 hours after the stroke can reduce the stroke-damaged volume by up to 95%

Vitamin C: Should you take it before and after surgery? Part 1
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2014/04/vitamin-c-surgery-part-1/

[V]itamin C can help normalize pain-inhibiting pathways involving dopamine, NMDA, and other neurotransmitters, and has shown promise for a variety of pain conditions in animal models. A higher vitamin C dose of 2 grams was shown to reduce morphine use after surgery.

If grandma or grandpa is hospitalized with a respiratory infection, remember that vitamin C significantly improves respiratory function in these patients.

Finally, if you fracture your wrist, that is one instance where taking vitamin C (500 mg/d for 50 days) is unequivocally and officially recommended by evidence-based guidelines.

Vitamin C: Should you take it before and after surgery? Part 2
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2014/04/vitamin-c-take-surgery-part-2/


I imagine the more one digs, the more one finds about Vitamin C.

This headline caught my eye this morning:

Low Vitamin C Linked to Intracerebral Hemorrhage
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/820660 (may require sign in)

"This link is probably associated with the role of vitamin C in blood pressure regulation and collagen biosynthesis," although other factors may also play a role, said Dr. Vannier.

This makes one wonder if patients on Anticoagulant therapy like Warfarin should be routinely supplementing Vitamin C, or at the very least, have their levels checked:

What causes intracerebral hemorrhage during warfarin therapy?
http://www.neurology.org/content/55/7/907

 It is a cruel irony that the use of warfarin, given to prevent ischemic stroke, increases the risk of severe hemorrhagic stroke as its most devastating complication. Conventional intensities of anticoagulation increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage 5 to 10 times, by absolute rates of 1% per year or more for many stroke-prone patients. The increased intracerebral bleeding associated with warfarin therapy offsets its benefits in certain patient populations.

I was glad to see that several of the foods I eat regularly are good sources of Vitamin C:

1 cup of Bell Peppers has 117 mg
1 cup of Broccoli has 101 mg
1 cup of Brussels sprouts has 97 mg
1 cup of Cauliflower has 55 mg
1 cup of Cabbage has 52 mg
1 cup of Tomatoes has 25 mg
1 cup of Spinach has 18 mg
1 medium-sized Sweet potato has 39 mg

Compare these to the "gold standard", 1 medium-sized Orange, which contains 70 mg