Madison Area Lyme Support Group

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) elicits pleiotropic effects in the body. Among its functions, it serves as a potent anti-oxidant, a co-factor in collagen and catecholamine synthesis, and a modulator of immune cell biology.Furthermore, an increasing body of evidence suggests that high-dose vitamin C administration improves hemodynamics, end-organ function, and may improve survival in critically ill patients. This article reviews studies that evaluate vitamin C in pre-clinical models and clinical trials with respect to its therapeutic potential.

Vitamin C is one of the most well-known essential nutrients and is believed by many to confer a litany of health benefits (Figure 1). The Nobel Prize Winner Linus Pauling may have been the foremost ambassador to date who suggested that vitamin C would enhance cardiovascular health, improve the body’s immune function to overcome infections, and even help abate cancer[1–4]. These health claims created significant controversies that lasted for decades. While many of Pauling’s “more is better” claims have not been supported by rigorous scientific investigation, a growing number of benefits of vitamin C administration have been identified for medical treatment, including in the field of critical care. This mini-review will examine the evidence in support of vitamin C administration for critically ill patients and provide general recommendations for use by intensive care unit practitioners.

Figure 1 Biological functions of vitamin C.NK: Natural killer cells; ICAM: Intercellular adhesion molecule.

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