There are five vitamins associated with pandemic deficiency diseases. These are vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin D.
Vitamin A is toxic at elevated doses. The RDA is 2000 to 3000 IU. More than 10,000 IU per day is associated with side effects. Vitamin B1 concentrations in the body are rigidly controlled by transport proteins. Taking large excesses of vitamin B1 is an ineffective means of raising cellular concentrations – and therefore of influencing metabolism. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin – it is a hormone. The body needs to maintain vitamin D concentrations within a fairly narrow range. Vitamin D supplements above 1000 IU/day are associated with side effects. For lifeguards and agricultural workers outside in the sun every day, maxing out on vitamin D is natural. This leaves vitamin C and niacin. One special property of these two vitamins is that they can be safely taken across a very wide dosage range. The RDA of vitamin C is 60 mg. Many people report taking, for short periods of time, daily doses of vitamin C up to 60,000 mg (1000 times the RDA). The RDA of niacin is 20 mg. Many people report taking up to 6000 mg (300 times the RDA) for extended periods of time. Is this meaningful or useful?
After many years of experience and experimentation, I am increasingly certain that very high doses of vitamin C and niacin for just a few days are a useful means of accelerating wound healing. Thousands of people swear that taking vitamin C is useful for fighting off colds and preventing secondary infections. The cold virus damages tissue in the respiratory system. I believe the extra vitamin C accelerates wound healing, more rapidly restoring a feeling of good health. Niacin is harder to use in high doses without causing temporary discomfort. But many people also report using niacin along with vitamin C to ward off colds. Again, I believe accelerated healing of the wounds caused by the cold virus is responsible for the observed benefit. What’s good for healing wounds caused by cold viruses is good for healing most wounds. I’ve started taking extra vitamin C and niacin to recover from every type of wound. Sore muscles after over-exercising, sprained joints, burns, lacerations, infections. If you are being treated for cancer, the treatment causes wounds. Let the treatments kill the cancer. Use extra vitamin C and niacin to heal wounded healthy tissue and immune system cells. In old age, the healing systems of the body often slow down. This is a time of life when increasing daily doses of vitamin C and niacin can be useful.
If you’re suffering from any kind of wound and interested in healing as quickly as possible, there’s much to gain and little to lose by trying higher doses of vitamin C and niacin for a few days.
Hi Steve, stumbled across your blog recently and find it pretty thought-provoking, especially when you discuss the side effects of vitamin D here and elsewhere on your blog. I do agree with your belief that taking elevated doses of vitamin C should be taken by most people. Of the 5 vitamins you recommend taking, what brands do you recommend or take? Or does it even matter? Should the vitamin C be buffered or just pure ascorbic acid? I have been taking multiple vitamin and nutritional supplements for over 20 years with mixed results, but have yet to find the optimal health that I believe is possible to have. I do think I have avoided many illnesses and conditions however as a result taking them in my quest for feeling my best. I have never been hospitalized and have never had surgery. Something would work for a while and then it seems to max out, and I end up switching to something else. Am I the only one this happens to? The sheer volume of conflicting information and choices is bewildering and overwhelming most of the time. What are your thoughts?
Dee,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
Pure ascorbic acid dominates the supplement market. It is labeled GRAS (generally recognized as safe). This means it is incredibly safe. Vitamin C causes intestinal side effects, but causes no long term harm. I recommend the acid form because of the safety record.
I don't think brands matter much. I do, however, look for brands that make vitamins with shapes and coatings that make it easier to swallow the pills.
Vitamins are anti-addictive. Working for a while and then "maxing out", is, I believe, very common for these 5 vitamins. I'm arguing that vitamin C and niacin in high doses accelerate wound healing. This means that you can take extra when you have wounds to heal. Once you are healed, you will feel "maxed out".
No kidding about the sheer volumes of conflicting information/choices. I feel like I've cut through alot of that and I write my thoughts here at the blog. I hope you'll read all the entries! If this inspires more questions – that's great – fire away and I'll answer.
Thanks again for the comment,
Steve
Vitamin A is toxic at elevated doses. The RDA is 2000 to 3000 IU. More than 10,000 IU per day is associated with side effects
Its highly unlikekly that more then 10k IU of RE will cause side effects. You need to be very old and very sick (meaning liver failure and so on) to get side effects.
My literature reading shows that for non-reproductive women and man safe every day doses can range from 25-35k IU. Therapeutic doses can be higher, 100-150k IU for limited time (few monhts).
To overdose with A, you need to take 100K++ for years and have paralel vitamin D & K deficiency.
As vitamin D, vitamin A is also a hormone. LOAEL for it is 40k IU, far above 1000 IU you claim here. Actually, more then double then that can be safely given to infants.
Hi Steve, you have shared in your blog that intake of niacin will help in healing wounds, but i also wants to know which intake is more beneficial and whether an excess intake of ascorbic acid and niacin will be good for health or not???
My mother was suffering from classic vitamin c deficiency however her doctors never acknowledged this deficiency. rather she was sent to a wound specialist that dressed her wounds with special bandages and told her to basically restrict activity. The following product was made for her and we are very proud of it. It is called Sufficient-C high Dose vitamin C Lemon Peach Iced Tea Drink Mix. It is an over-all immune booster which offers up to 4 grams of vitamin c, plus L-lysine, Bromelain and TEAVIGO patented green tea extract. Immune support Never Tasted This Good and it works quite well for wounds! It can be purchased here http://www.sufficientc.com/buy-here.html
nice blog!! vitamin C prevent colds, supercharge the immune system, detoxify the body, protect the heart, fight cancer, and more.