Vitamin C

Vitamin C has lately been identified chemically as “ascorbic acid” according to Prof. Szent-Gyorgyi. (Nature-London, December 10, 1932, p. 888). (Previously announced as hexuronic acid).

Vitamin C is one of the most necessary vitamins, and its deficiency results in a wide category of pathologies, the most conspicuous probably being damage resulting from a loss of integrity of intercellular substance in various connective tissues, blood vessel walls, teeth and gums, friability of bones, etc. These are all indications of the loss of strength of the intercellular substance.

Black and blue spots without traumatic cause are due to “C” deficiency causing weakness of blood vessel walls. Vitamin C deficiency is no doubt the major systemic cause of pyorrhea.

Hypertrophy of adrenals with reduced secretion occurs in “C” deficiency. Low blood pressure is the consequence, with fatigability and impaired heart action, tachycardia and shortness of breath.

As Vitamin B as well as “C” are known to be necessary to the proper function of the adrenals (see above reference in Nature-London), and “B” is also known to be necessary to the nervous control of heart action, it is evident that here we have an explanation of the present-day high mortality from heart disease.

Most heart pathology begins as functional weakness, with enlargement, valvular lesions, and coronary disease as secondary developments. Infection can, of course, play an important part, which may be due to Vitamin A deficiency. The valvular trouble in many cases can probably be attributed to enlargement and consequent distortion. The use of vitamin concentrates (“Catalyn”) is indicated in all such cases. The improvement is usually definite and progressive. Enlargement and heart weakness are the most responsive to this treatment, coronary disease the least. “Catalyn” is the drugless successor to digitalis.

Vitamin C is also a factor in some anemias.

“The existence of anemia due to the absence of Vitamin C but occurring before frank symptoms of scurvy become manifest has been insisted upon by Weil and Mouriquand who have described the existence of anemia which resisted treatment by iron but which was cured by lemon juice. Recently Rohmer and Bindschelder investigated a group of 22 anemic infants with a view to determining the existence of ‘pre-scorbutic anemia.’ In six of these cases the administration of iron did not produce any effect but when Vitamin C was given in addition a prompt cure resulted.” (Arch. Dis. of Childhood 8-117-144, April ‘33)

Vitamin C is cooperative with Vitamin D in the calcium metabolism of bone and teeth, possibly in supplying the connective tissue matrix to permit calcification. “Despite a plentiful supply of calcium and phosphorus, little mineralization takes place in susceptible species in the absence of Vitamin C.” (Yale Jol. Biol. & Med. p. 235-244, Jan. ‘33.)

Peptic and duodenal ulcers have been found to be amenable to treatment with vitamin concentrates (as “Catalyn”) according to reports made to us by physicians using it for other ailments in the same patient. This is now explained by the following reference:

1. Routine necropsies on 1,000 guinea pigs maintained on our stock diet failed to show a single spontaneous peptic ulcer.
2. Of 75 guinea pigs fed on diets deficient on Vitamin C, in twenty (or 26%), peptic ulcers developed which were similar in location and in gross and microscopic appearances to those observed in man.
3. Of 80 guinea pigs fed on corresponding basic diets supplemented by Vitamin C, in only one did peptic ulcer develop.
4. Diets deficient in Vitamins A, B and D did not cause peptic ulcers if the supply of Vitamin C was adequate.
5. Mechanical injury to the mucosa of the duodenum in guinea pigs fed on an adequate diet was followed by rapid and complete healing, while similar injury to guinea pigs fed on a diet deficient in Vitamin C resulted in the formation of peptic ulcers.
6. Peptic ulcer in the guinea pig is apparently caused by a partial but prolonged deficiency of Vitamin C.” (Arch. of Int. Med. V. 51, p. 426.)

Vitamin C promotes, and is essential to, the production of mucin in the body. Mucin is necessary to the building of connective tissue, and is the gastric protective agent of the mucosa against the digestive agents. The recently discovered effectiveness of gastric mucin (a packing house product) as a remedy for peptic ulcers is here explained. But such therapy does not go to the real cause–Vitamin C deficiency–nor prevent associated pathologies due to the same thing.

Probably the best way to get quick results in peptic ulcers is to confine the food intake for two days to orange juice and milk, following this with four “Catalyn” tablets a day for a month or more.

“Partial and prolonged” vitamin deficiencies (or “latent avitaminosis”) can now be therefore definitely charged with two of our most common classes of chronic disease–gastro-intestinal ulcers and heart disease. When the human race becomes civilized, it will be made a penal offense to advertise or sell a devitaminized food. The only excuse for such indefensible activities today is ignorance. It is exemplified by the full-page ads in our leading medical journals today touting the use of cheap synthetic glucose–corn syrup–for babies. Babies need above all vitamins and minerals–not energy, which is all that glucose has to offer. Synthetic glucose is not even a safe food for adults, when we realize that the growing incidence of diabetes is nothing more than an indication of too much synthetic and devitaminized carbohydrates.