Intravenous Vitamin C for Cancer

Intravenous Vitamin C involves the injection of high doses of vitamin C directly into the blood to elicit the anti-cancer properties of our own bodies. There have been several studies on vitamin C in various cancers, and evidence suggests there are several benefits to the cancer patient. Some of these benefits may include improvement of quality of life1,2, reduction of inflammation1, reduction of chemotherapy-induced side effects2, and enhancing the effects of conventional cancer treatment2,3. There is also emerging evidence that vitamin C has direct anti-cancer properties in vitro, but more research needs to be done in humans before these claims can be made.2

The exact mechanism of action by which intravenous vitamin C has anti-cancer properties is unknown, but the dominant theory is based on the finding that high doses of vitamin C generates hydrogen peroxide.4 Normal cells contain enzymes that are able to process hydrogen peroxide, but cancer cells often lack these enzymes, leading to accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and cell death.4

Vitamin C is given intravenously to allow for a higher degree of absorption, because only a small amount of the vitamin C we consume orally is actually absorbed, and this amount is tightly regulated by our bodies.5 By injecting high doses of vitamin C directly into the bloodstream, we are able to bypass the digestive system, allowing us to give higher doses that are absorbed, which may have anti-tumour activity.5

To see if you’d be a good candidate for intravenous vitamin C treatments, please book an Integrative Cancer Care appointment at Bronte Wellness Boutique. Our naturopathic doctors will perform a full intake to determine if it’s appropriate in your specific case and can request the necessary blood work to make sure it’s a safe intervention for you. Please note that at this point, intravenous vitamin C is not viewed as a natural cure for cancer. It should not be regarded as an alternative to conventional cancer therapies, but as a tool to use in specific cases and in specific stages of one’s cancer journey, to facilitate overall health and wellbeing in the cancer patient.

References

1. Klimant E, Wright H, Rubin D, Seely D, Markman M. Intravenous vitamin C in the supportive care of cancer patients: a review and rational approach. Curr Oncol. 2018;25(2):139-148. doi:10.3747/co.25.3790

2. Böttger F, Vallés-Martí A, Cahn L, Jimenez CR. High-dose intravenous vitamin C, a promising multi-targeting agent in the treatment of cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2021;40(1):343. Published 2021 Oct 30. doi:10.1186/s13046-021-02134-y

3. Ma Y, Chapman J, Levine M, Polireddy K, Drisko J, Chen Q. High-dose parenteral ascorbate enhanced chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer and reduced toxicity of chemotherapy. Sci Transl Med. 2014 Feb 5;6(222):222ra18. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3007154. PMID: 24500406.

4. Chen Q, Espey MG, Sun AY, Lee JH, Krishna MC, Shacter E, Choyke PL, Pooput C, Kirk KL, Buettner GR, Levine M. Ascorbate in pharmacologic concentrations selectively generates ascorbate radical and hydrogen peroxide in extracellular fluid in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 22;104(21):8749-54. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0702854104. Epub 2007 May 14. PMID: 17502596; PMCID: PMC1885574.

5. Padayatty, Sebastian J., et al. "Vitamin C pharmacokinetics: implications for oral and intravenous use." Annals of internal medicine 140.7 (2004): 533-537.