Vitamin C May Compensate for Genetic Defect

Information contributed by R.K. of Parksville. From an article "Vitamin C vital to good health" by John Yim, a naturopathic physician.

You're missing an enzyme. Yes, you! All humans, along with some other animals such as guinea pigs, fruit bats, and other primates, lack the same enzyme, as well. Most creatures have the ability to make their own vitamin C from glucose, but we lack the enzyme that makes this process possible.

So what? Well, for starters, vitamin C protects us from cancer causing agents, viruses, bacterias, toxins, radiation and stress, to name a few. Dr. John Yim, expressing his views in Health magazine, believes we need supplements of vitamin C to protect us every day, and to be as healthy as is possible. By supplementing our diet, he states, we compensate for our genetic defect. He suggests 55 mg. per kilogram of weight, or 4000 mg. for a 160 lb. adult. He advises that we increase the vitamin C slowly, taking an increasing amount at each meal, until one develops gas, loose stools, or diarrhea. Once this happens, one should lower the dose to what would become your daily intake, which could be between 2000 to 12,000 mg., or you can use the body weight formula. He suggests taking as much as you can tolerate if you need to fortify your immune system, since vitamin C is beneficial for allergies, cancer, diabetes, artherosclerosis, hepatitis, and the healing of wounds, as well as preventing damage by free radicals. Yes, it may slow aging, he says. Hmmmm.... Sounds good!

Since it is water soluble, vitamin C is generally safe. Some people taking high doses routinely for a long time might develop kidney stones, so if this is your case, get checked for urine oxalate levels.

Vitamin C can be an inexpensive way to improve your general health and immune system.