Several weeks ago, I reported that autopsies of the brains of people with dementia had revealed damage to small arteries, which might cause tiny strokes and brain injury.
Researchers also discovered that mice with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, when treated with vitamin C, showed that typical amyloid plaques associated with this disease disappeared. Since high doses of vitamin C can decrease the risk of heart attack by providing oxygenated blood, could it also prevent Alzheimer鈥檚?
I asked readers: 鈥淒o you know anyone who has used Medi-C Plus, or other brands containing high doses of vitamin C (4,000 to 6,000 milligrams) for several years, then developed Alzheimer鈥檚 disease?鈥�
M.M. replied: 鈥淚 believe Linus Pauling, the Nobel Prize winner, was right that low amounts of C cause tiny cracks in arteries leading to blood clots and coronary attack. So why can鈥檛 the same thing happen in the brain? It鈥檚 unfortunate he wasn鈥檛 listened to by doctors. But better late than never.鈥�
M.C. wrote: 鈥淭hank you for an interesting article and for thinking outside the box when so many are developing Alzheimer鈥檚. As
a health-care aid, none of my clients with Alzheimer鈥檚 was taking big amounts of C.鈥�
Victoria replied: 鈥淚t makes sense that a decreased flow of oxygenated blood to the brain is an unhealthy situation. Vitamin C is not taken seriously. It sounds too simple, too available and people have been brainwashed into believing that only an expensive drug will cure Alzheimer鈥檚. If vitamin C is the answer, big pharma will find a way to squash it.鈥�
Another reader wrote: 鈥淚鈥檓 encouraged anytime an M.D. brings these topics to the forefront as I feel the majority of physicians are woefully ignorant about natural remedies.鈥�
Many readers told heart-breaking stories of loved ones who had succumbed to this devastating disease. They described the agony of being told that nothing could be done to stop the lingering death of Alzheimer鈥檚.
T.T. wrote: 鈥淚 enjoy your articles and have been consuming vitamins for 35 years. But I only take 1,000 mg of C and plan to increase the amount.鈥�
This was the general response of many readers. Others asked if giving large doses of C would help those who already have Alzheimer鈥檚. Today, there is no evidence this would reverse the disease, nor research to prove it.
Some readers were concerned that taking high doses of vitamin C would injure kidneys.
Linus Pauling used 20,000 mg daily and he lived to age 94. I don鈥檛 know of any study that shows this is a problem. I鈥檝e found it interesting, however, that many patients tell me high doses of C reduced the number of night-time visits to the bathroom.
But remember, I am not your doctor, so a decision to take vitamin C must be decided between you and your own doctor.
You might remember that I stressed in a previous column my inquiry was not a scientific study. I added there would never be a study as vitamin C is a natural product and cannot be patented.
So no one will spend millions of dollars on research with no chance of repayment. This is why, with an epidemic of Alzheimer鈥檚, and still no cure, it is time to think outside the box. Many agreed with me.
Your responses show that many readers have known Alzheimer鈥檚 patients who did not take high doses of C. But having received a ton of responses, no one has been able to tell me of an Alzheimer鈥檚 patient who died after being on large doses of vitamin C for several years.
It would be irresponsible for me to suggest that at least 4,000 mg of C for several years would protect from Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. But we know that tens of thousands of people are using vitamin C available in health-food stores. So it is thought provoking that none of my readers can report a single case in which Alzheimer鈥檚 has developed after long-term use of C. It does make you wonder.
