Vitamin C
McCormick and Klenner, respectively, first used vitamin C, preferably intravenously. Both reported success in treating a wide variety of illnesses. McCormick theorized that vitamin C could play a role in cancer and heart disease.[1][2] Irwin Stone postulated, based on the fact that most animals synthesize large amounts of vitamin C, that humans genetically suffer from hypoascorbemia.[3] This conclusion seems to be accepted by many orthomolecular practitioners today.[4]
In 1966 Linus Pauling met Irwin Stone, and in 1970 Pauling published Vitamin C and the Common Cold.[5] Subsequently, Pauling began to research vitamin C with oncologist Ewan Cameron, and the two published several papers, the most significant of which was a trial of 100 cancer patients treated intravenously with 10/g of ascorbate for 10 days and then orally thereafter.[6] This trial was restudied based on some concerns raised over the first, with similar, and actually more significant, results.[7] Cameron and Pauling published Cancer and vitamin C in 1979, a collection of their papers. In response to their work the Mayo Clinic conducted two randomized controlled trials on vitamin C and cancer, which were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.[8] Pauling attempted to publish a rebuttal in the same journal, but it was rejected.[9] Instead, Pauling published his response in Chemistry in Britain, now called Chemistry World.[10]
A recent review of vitamin C and the common cold by Douglas and Hemila conducted for the Cochrane Collaboration found that vitamin C had a small but significant effect in reducing the duration of colds when ingested prior to sickness by 8% in adults and 14% in children, but 50% for athletes and soldiers in cold environments. No effect was seen when vitamin C was administered after the onset of symptoms.[11][12] This review was criticized for ignoring literature which indicates that previous studies have been flawed by their reliance upon oral dosages, when intravenous dosages are generally administered by advocates.[13] Douglas and Hemila responded by stating that they do not believe their review is conclusive, and that they look forward to incorporating intravenous trials in the future, although they do not believe such trials will necessarily show greater benefits.[14]
Niacin
The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, founded as the Journal of Schizophrenia in 1967, was first founded on the basis of Drs. Abram Hoffer and Humphry Osmond's reported success in treating acute schizophrenia with niacin. Mainstream medicine has responded to these claims with skepticism.
References
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
McCormickwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Klennerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
hypoascorbemiawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Klenner, FR. [1971] (1998) Observations On the Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When Employed Beyond the Range of a Vitamin in Human Pathology. Reprinted in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine 13(4). Original paper published in 1971 Journal of Applied Nutrition
- ^ Google Books entry
- ^ Cameron E, Pauling L (1976) Supplemental Ascorbate in the Supportive Treatment of Cancer: Prolongation of Survival Times in Terminal Human Cancer
- ^ Cameron E, Pauling L (1978) Supplemental Ascorbate in the Supportive Treatment of Cancer: Reevaluation of Prolongation of Survival Times in Terminal Human Cancer
- ^ 1979 study, 1985 study
- ^ Hoffer, A. (1994) Journal of Othomolecular Medicine.
- ^ Pauling's bibliography
- ^ Douglas RM, Hemilä H, Chalker E, Treacy B (2004) Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold.
- ^ Douglas RM, Hemilä H (2005) Vitamin C for Preventing and Treating the Common Cold. PLoS Med 2(6): e168 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0020168.
- ^ Hickey S, Roberts H (2005) [http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020307&ct=1 Misleading Information on the Properties of Vitamin C.[ PLoS Med 2(9): e307 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0020307
- ^ Hemilä H, Douglas RM (2005) Authors' Reply. PLoS Med 2(9): e309 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0020309