Question
I have been reading about vitamin C as an alternative cancer treatment. What can you tell me about it?
Answer
The use of vitamin C in alternative cancer treatment isn't new. Proponents claim that large doses of vitamin C are toxic to cancer cells. However, there is no reliable evidence to support this theory.
Studies in the 1970s first suggested that large doses of supplemental vitamin C might be of some benefit in the treatment of cancer. But these studies were later found to have serious flaws. Subsequent well-designed, randomized, controlled trials of vitamin C and cancer found no such treatment benefit.
More recently, intravenous (IV) vitamin C has been touted to have different effects than does Vitamin C taken orally. This has sparked renewed interest in the use of IV vitamin C as a cancer therapy. However, until clinical trials are completed, it is premature to determine what role, if any, IV vitamin C may play in the treatment of cancer.
Last Updated: 03/26/2007
