Another Bogus Vitamin C Report
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ANOTHER BOGUS VITAMIN C REPORT --- LIKE THE OTHERS, DISREGARD THE ADVICE
Like other negative scientific reports about supplemental vitamin C in recent years, the study from Duke University Medical Center was released late on Friday when criticism and rebuttal would be minimal. The report, published in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism [June 2004; vol 50: pp 1822-1831], claims that high-dose vitamin C, when given to guinea pigs, worsens the occurrence of bone spurs in the knee joint. The Duke University researchers warned the public away from vitamin C supplements stating: "Our findings suggest that dietary intake should not be supplemented above the currently recommended dietary allowance: 90 milligrams per day for men and 75 milligrams per day for women," according to researcher Virginia B. Kraus, MD, PhD, of Duke University Medical Center, and colleagues.
But there are glaring inconsistencies in the Duke University report.
First, most animals, except for guinea pigs, fruit bats, primates and humans, produce their own vitamin C and do not exhibit any increased risk for arthritis. A 160-pound goat for example may produce up to 13,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day.
Second, why did Duke University researchers warn the public away from supplemental vitamin C based upon a small animal study when a more comprehensive human study published in the same journal in 8 years earlier by researchers at the Arthritis Center, Boston University Medical Center, found that adults who consume high-dose vitamin C experience a 3-fold reduction in the risk for progression of their knee osteoarthritis and that supplemental vitamin C reduces knee pain? [Arthritis Rheumatism 1996 April;39:648-56]
Furthermore, vitamin C was apparently doing its job --- reducing pain and inflammation. But that would make it possible for guinea pigs to be more physically active and thus induce more wear-and-tear in the knee joint. The same problem occurs when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are used to treat arthritis pain. Arthritic individuals would be served better by taking supplements that cushion joints, like oral hyaluronic acid, glucosamine or chondroitin, with their vitamin C.
Two years ago another flawed report, published in Science Magazine, suggested high-dose vitamin C might damage DNA and warned the public to avoid high-dose vitamin C supplements. [Science 294(5543):788, October 26, 2001] The test was conducted in a laboratory dish. But five human studies had already been published showing up to 10,000 milligrams of vitamin C taken orally by humans does not damage DNA. [Science. 293(5537):1993-5, Sept. 14, 2001]
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Copyright 2004 Bill Sardi, Knowledge of Health, Inc.
