Following is a fantastic article showing that high dose vitamin C greatly improves the efficacy of antibiotics. Similarly, since Wild Oregano Oil is also an antibiotic, it too should be potentized if taken with high doses of vitamin C.
Shortly after the birth of my third child, Hugo, I had to go to the hospital and receive IV antibiotics for seven different bacterial infections, including pneumonia – even my blood was infected with 2 different kinds of pathogenic bacteria.
In case you’re wondering why/how this happened – no one really knows for sure. But, I had a cough/cold infection for the last 2 months of my pregnancy, but stupidly just assumed there was nothing I could take for it, since I was pregnant – I learned later that I could have taken intravenous hydrogen peroxide and inhaled glutathione. The other huge contributing factor was that I was absolutely petrified of having another child – Hugo was our “surprise!” baby as both Ian and I had decided we couldn’t physically handle the work load and sleep deprivation of another child – and then here we were having one. So I was VERY emotionally affected by this event. I didn’t know much about EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) at that time, but if I had, I would have immediately booked with Annabel Fisher to address all these emotions before giving birth – and that would likely have prevented the infectious outburst.
Anyway, upon completing the IV antibiotics in the hospital, I then embarked upon a course of 10 IV treatments of hydrogen peroxide alternating with ten treatments of 10,000 – 15,000 mg of IV vitamin C at my naturopathic doctor’s clinic. By doing this, I:
a) healed much of the damage done by the antibiotics (I also took high dose Natren probiotics during and after and drank only Absorb Plus whilst in the hospital – to protect myself from toxic hospital food!)
b) prevented secondary or opportunistic infections from occurring (very common following IV antibiotic use)
c) cleared up the remaining pneumonia and fluid in my lungs (I also used inhaled glutathione, Infrared heat on my lungs and acupuncture)
Another “must-take” supplement that I recommend – vitamin D (but must be cholecalciferol – D3) is also recommended by this article as an immune system regulator. I recommend 3,000-4,000 IU per day in the winter if you live in a low-sunlight area. See my blog post for lots more info on vitamin D supplementation.
Also, remember that people with IBD or IBS need to take their vitamin C in mineral ascorbate form to prevent it triggering diarrhea.
Click here to see the vitamin C and vitamin D that I recommend.
And now, here’s the article:
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ANTIBIOTICS AND VITAMINS WORK TOGETHER
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(OMNS Dec 3, 2007) The benefits of using vitamin C together with antibiotics are considerable. In a controlled trial with dairy cows with infected udders, high dose vitamin C has been shown to have synergistic effects when used with antibiotics. [1] The cows were divided into two groups. One group was treated with antibiotics alone, and the other group was treated with antibiotics and the human equivalent of 10,000 mg/day injections of vitamin C. The vitamin C group got well much sooner: in just over half the time.
In humans, an astoundingly high 120,000 mg/day (nearly 2,000 times the RDA) of vitamin C delivered intravenously has been demonstrated to accelerate healing of burned skin in a blinded clinical trial. [2] 1,000 to 3,000 mg/day (100 times the RDA) of niacin is a standard treatment for controlling cholesterol. [3] Similar doses of niacin have been demonstrated to reduce inflammation [4] and to reduce injury to the brain after strokes. [5]
Extensive evidence shows that vitamin D serves as an important regulator of immune system responses. [6] Many of these regulatory pathways are optimized when vitamin D is present in the bloodstream at levels considerably higher than average values in the American population. Regular vitamin D supplementation, by taking a daily multivitamin and an additional daily 1,000 IU of vitamin D, is recommended. In addition, a one-time dose of up to 5,000 IU of vitamin D at the onset of a serious bacterial infection should be considered. Physicians now have access to routine tests of vitamin D status. Periodic blood testing is recommended for anyone regularly taking very large amounts of vitamin D.
Physicians managing life-threatening bacterial infections have many options for administering vitamin C and niacin. The simplest is oral supplementation at modest doses of 2,000 to 10,000 mg/day of vitamin C and 100 to 500 mg/day of time-release niacin or “no flush” niacin (inositol hexaniacinate). Injections can be used to deliver much higher doses directly to the site of infection. For improved at-home management of respiratory infections, extra vitamin C, vitamin D and niacin should be taken along with antibiotics or other prescribed medication. There are now dozens strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria. They are estimated to kill about 100,000 Americans per year, more than AIDS, breast cancer, and auto accidents combined. High potency vitamin supplementation can prevent many of these deaths and speed recovery.
References:
[1] Naresh, Ram; Dwivedi, S. K.; Swarup, D.; Patra, R. C. Evaluation of ascorbic acid treatment in clinical and subclinical mastitis of Indian dairy cows. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 2002. 15(6), 905-911. ‚Ä®[2] Dubick, Michael A.; Williams, Chad; Elgjo, Geir I.; Kramer, George C. High-dose vitamin C infusion reduces fluid requirements in the resuscitation of burn-injured sheep. Shock, 2005. 24(2), 139-144. ‚Ä®[3] Brown, B. Greg. Can niacin slow the development of atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease patients already taking statins? Nature Clinical Practice Cardiovascular Medicine, 2005. 2(5), 234-235. ‚Ä®[4] Yu, Bi-lian; Zhao, Shui-ping. Anti-inflammatory effect is an important property of niacin on atherosclerosis beyond its lipid-altering effects. Medical Hypotheses, 2007. 69(1), 90-94. ‚Ä®[5] Maynard, Kenneth I. Natural neuroprotectants after stroke. Science & Medicine (Narberth, PA, 2002). 8(5), 258-267. ‚Ä®[6] Tavera-Mendoza, L.E. and W! hite, John H. Cell Defenses and the Sunshine Vitamin. Scientific American, November 2007, 62-72.
Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine
Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information: http://www.orthomolecular.org
The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource.
Editorial Review Board:
Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
Damien Downing, M.D.
Harold D. Foster, Ph.D.
Steve Hickey, Ph.D.
Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.
Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D.
Erik Paterson, M.D.
Bradford Weeks, M.D.
Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D. – Editor and contact person. Email: omns@orthomolecular.org
It is also recommended to take Vit C when supplementing with strong antioxidants that work to restore glutathione – such as N-acetyl cysteine – as it can be the rate limiting factor for preventing oxidative damage from inflammation or other sources of cellular stress.
Jini’s story is rather eerily similar to what my sister experienced – although her stress came from a completely different source. For some reason, she became more sensitive during her pregnancy to the minor irritations she experienced through interaction with our sister-in-law (by marriage to our brother). Perhaps this negativity was a symptom of another underlying issue – but it didn’t help that when she was admitted to the hospital – the said-source of angst worked there as a nurse! Both distance from the source of misery and some EFT is worth that ounce of prevention – especially when experiencing a time of low tolerance.
[…] Vitamin C Makes Antibiotics Stronger […]
Hi Jini,
Just wondering why on page 54 of Listen to your Gut you say to make sure any supplement you ingest does not contain ascorbic acid (among other things), however a few pages later you recommend Emergen-C. I just bought a box and now realize the first ingredient is ascorbic acid! 🙁
Sara
Hi Sara,
Although the vitamin C is listed on the label as ascorbic acid, as soon as you add water to this product, the ascorbic acid is converted into mineral ascorbates, due to the presence of sodium bicarbonate. If you do research on the Internet, you’ll see that a common recipe for vitamin C in ascorbate form is to take ascorbic acid, then add baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and water. So don’t worry – even though the label says “ascorbic acid”, as soon as you add water, all the ascorbic acid is converted to mineral ascorbates – a highly absorbable, non-irritating form of vitamin C.
Keep in mind that vitamin C transits through the body very quickly, so to increase absorption: drink one packet at a time and sip slowly. It can also have a bit of a diuretic effect, so best not to drink it before bed (or you may have to get up in the night to pee). Or if you have kids that might wet the bed, don’t let them drink any within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Thank you! 🙂
Justin,
What you wrote is true to an extent but not entirely fact. One very important fact about ascorbic acid is that it can and will cause severe diarrhea in a “lot” of people. It does not matter if it is in pill form or liquid. Bioflavanoids is a better route to take.
Sodium Bicarbonate can cause a severe reaction if not taken properly by getting the shakes to the point of dizziness, and possibility of passing
out. All depending on the person a small dose can cause a reaction as in one half tea spoon.
Kevin
Hi Kevin, For people with IBD even the mineral ascorbate (buffered) forms of Vit. C are not well tolerated and loosen the bowel. That’s why I prefer the IV form. I had not heard that about Sodium bicarb though – maybe it’s worse in people with high blood pressure?
And good idea to replace the Vit. C with bioflavonoids – although I haven’t tested what high doses of bioflavonoids do, so don’t know if there’s any effect on the bowel… max dose I’ve taken is 1000 mg at a time. Have you?
Jini,
I have taken as many as 12,000 mgs. of bio-flavonoids in a day no problem. That also depends on the manufacture how much filler is in them. I prefer Puritan Pride or Da’Vinci Labs.
When I get sick I start taking 8 to 10 sometimes 12,000 mgs of bio-flavonoids a day. Have been sick 8 times since 1980, am 64 yrs. old. i “DO NOT” get flu shots never have never will. I regularly take 1000 mgs a day everyday.
Have been into nutrition since 1980. Had a Nutrition practice with my partner whom passed away in November 2000, from 1996 until 2003 when I gave it up was not the same without her. My partner had two Phd’s in nutrition BS in Bio Chemistry and was an RN. Our practice was international. Kathy was also a consultant for for Discovery Health Channel right before she died of cancer.
Wow – that’s good to know. Thanks for the info Kevin! Glad to have you sharing your knowledge here 🙂
I found this article very useful.
Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin at all. It is a hormone. It really should not be supplemented, but getting enough sunlight, and getting it through your food should be fine.
Hi Jine, I was most interested in your combination of vitamin C and antibiotic and your one reference to this idea with infected cows. The method used IV Vitamin C simultaneously with an antibiotic. I guess that approach avoids the rapid depletion of vitamin C due to the effect of the antibiotic, since the antibiotic is continuously supplied. I had read somewhere else that taking vitamin C and antibiotic orally would cause the antibiotic to be eliminated prematurely from the body. Not good, since a regular doctor’s prescription does not take into consideration the effects of vitamin C. To counteract that elimination process, more of the antibiotic than usual would have to be prescribed (not going to happen, unless one is being treated by a naturapathic doc). I would like to find a reference to how one could safely take both antibiotic and vitamin C during a 24 hour period.
My intuition says to take a large amount of vitamin c (at least 10 grams in water) orally intermittently between antibiotic doses (at 15 to 30 minute intervals just up to gut intolerance), but always giving approximately 2 to 3 hours before and after each antibiotic dose; that is, in the middle of the interval between antibiotic doses (assuming having been prescribed a x4 per day schedule for the antibiotic).
Your comments appreciated.
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for commenting on this subject and sharing your thoughts. We only have the information from this study, but if you find any other studies, we would love for you to share them here! As always, we recommend consulting with your physician if you have any concerns related to your specific health situation.
Warm regards,
Isabel
Customer Care
Hi Aaron,
To add, if you contact the Orthomolecular Medicine group, they have the largest database of Vitamin C info that we know of:
http://www.orthomolecular.org
For example, I did a search of their Journal Archives of “vitamin c antibiotics” and it pulled up a LOT of interesting articles. CLICK HERE!
Hope that helps!
Cris B
Customer Care