It may not be a coincidence that its name begins with the same letter as calcium. A recent study on this crucial vitamin, typically recognized as an immune system builder and scurvy’s worst foe, has confirmed that it plays a pivotal role in bone health.
The study was published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry. It clearly demonstrates that when Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is present in greater concentrations than just the minimum dosage to prevent scurvy, it promotes higher bone mass and lowers fracture rates.1
This happens because Vitamin C suppresses osteoclasts (bone-destroying cells) while it also stimulates the production of osteoblasts (bone-building cells). Thanks to this balanced process, Vitamin C promotes healthy and constant bone renewal, critical to preventing fractures.
Let’s keep in mind that most osteoporosis drugs, including the widely prescribed bisphosphonates, only manage to suppress osteoclasts. They don’t stimulate osteoblasts which means that they don’t promote new bone growth. Clearly, osteoporosis drugs cannot compete with Vitamin C’s dual action on bone renewal!
Good Findings, No Big Surprise
Vitamin C’s direct role in bone health has unfortunately not yet stirred up the mainstream medical community, which still continues to ignore it as a crucial micronutrient for bone health. Chances are that your doctor never mentioned to you the importance of getting enough Vitamin C for your bones.
The same cannot be said about the Save Our Bones community. From the get-go, the Osteoporosis Reversal Program includes Vitamin C as one of the Foundation Supplements. Plus I write in the Program that the current Recommended Daily Allowance of 60 mg is much too low to support bone health.
I‘ll discuss dosage in more detail a little later, because first, I’d like to give you a quick snapshot of Vitamin C’s function as…
Your Powerful Bone-Building Ally
While most mammals and practically all animals synthesize their own Vitamin C, humans don’t. We can only get it from foods and supplements.
In the Osteoporosis Reversal Program I explain the mechanism by which Vitamin C helps build bones and prevent fractures as follows:
“Without Vitamin C, collagen is insufficiently hydroxylated and therefore, it can’t be formed properly. Since osteoblasts manufacture collagen to bind the bone matrix cells together by forming hydroxyapatite, Vitamin C plays an important role in bone health.”
How Much Should I Take?
In the Osteoporosis Reversal Program I recommend taking a minimum of 500 mg a day of Vitamin C, either ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, or the ascorbate bound to other minerals. I also encourage you to eat plenty of foods that contain it. They are all listed under the Foundation Foods, and include common staples such as oranges, tangerines, pineapple, cantaloupe, broccoli, cauliflower and many more.
What is important to understand here is that 500 mg is the minimum amount. Vitamin C is water-soluble, which means that the body gets rid of it quickly and efficiently. Therefore, in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program I assert that, “…it is better to err on the high side.”
And the study researchers agree on this – albeit a few years later – and write that,
“While current recommendations may be valid for the prevention of scurvy, they are not necessarily appropriate for the prevention of osteoporosis.”1
The maximum? It can be as high as 2,000 mg, the Tolerable Upper Limit recommendation, which was set as the level where a supplement is typically free of side-effects for almost everyone. Just make sure you don’t take it all at once.
Special Occasions
In addition to your regular daily Vitamin C intake, there are times when you should consider taking extra to boost your immune system and to reduce inflammation and speed up healing . Here’s a short list to keep in mind:
- When you need to spend time in a hospital, either for a procedure or to visit a friend or loved one.
- Before major dental work, such as an extraction, root canal, etc.
- If you’ll be spending many hours on an airplane.
- If someone in your household has the flu or other contagious condition.
And remember, “C’s” the day!
Till next time,
References
1 Gabbay K. H. et al. “The Ascorbate Synthesis Pathway: Dual Role of Ascorbate in Bone Homeostasis.” The Journal of Biological Chemistry. April 21, 2010.
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How To Increase GABA Naturally To Keep Calm And Build Stronger BonesComments on this article are closed.
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Hi Vivian!
I recently purchased your program and I love it! I am 37 years old and became very I’ll last year. It was a wake up call to turn myself around and take the best care of myself. They say prevention is the best medicine. I am confident that following your book and exercises will help me keep strong bones for my entire life 🙂 thanks for putting this out there! My question today is this: there are many conflicting articles as to which kind of vitamin c is best for us. Do you know which kind of vitamin c was used in these trials? Some sites claim that Ascorbic acid make the blood acidic. If that’s the case would it be leaching calcium from the bones? I recently started taking 3,000 MG a day( in divided doses) and feel great; but I don’t want to be hurting my bones with out knowing it. Kindly reply at your earliest convenience.
Many thanks again for all your research! -
Hi Vivian,
I was sure you knew about Vitamin C. I just finished reading Dr. Thomas Levy’s book Primal Panacea (2011) (Winfied, 4/2/12 mentioned the book too.) I also read 2 other books in 2013 written by Levy: “Curing The Incurable: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases & Toxins”, “Uninformed Consent: Hidden Dangers in Dental Care”. All were excellent informative books. Dr. Levy is a board certified cardiologist as well as a lawyer. He studied under Linus Pauling and started giving High Dose IV Vitamin C. He now believes that Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C which is a oral form is also good and might even be better than the IV especially when combined with Glutathione. He is VERY concerned about the United States becoming a member in 2009 of Codex Alimentarius (latin for “Food law”). ” This treaty was conceived, drafted and pushed by international pharmaceutical companies and agricultural chemical conglomerates through the World Trade Organization (WTO). The stated purpose for the law is to standardize the “farm-to-fork” production – growing, pesticide residues, veterinary drugs, contaminants, food harvesting, food hygiene, food preparation, packaging, labeling, presentation, and marketing rules – for ALL food, food additives, drugs, herbs and food supplements worldwide. According to the U.S. Constitution, treaties take precedence over any and all national, state, county, or municipal laws. As a member of this treaty, the United States must “harmonize” its laws to comply with the standards established by Codex Alimentarious (Codex) or face fines and penalties payable to the WTO. Among many other frightening standards to be imposed through Codex, the treaty will control supplement dosage sizes. For example, the dosage size of vitamin C supplement will not be allowed to exceed 200 mg. Many have written on this site they are exceeding that dosage. I am too. A vitamin C supplement that delivers more than the stated dosage will be considered to be a drug, and assuming that it can eventually receive FDA drug approval, will have to be prescribed by a doctor and purchased at a pharmacy. All of these legal manipulations decrease the availability while increasing the price of vitamin C or any other targeted nutrient.” The FDA is not a friend of the people. They are in bed with the Pharmaceutical companies. “Jan. 2011, Obama signed one of dozens of laws headed our way: The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. This law gives the FDA MORE authority. And , in response the FDA has already called for $100,000,000 in “user fees” (a.k.a., bribes) to fund its enforcement. ” I have not researched what is presently going on with these laws. But, I think it is in our best interest to take notice. If you are not familiar with any of the FDA actions against doctors and scientist check out Burzynski the movie online. Shocking!
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In regards to the opening comments made which began this blog, no one, not even I, has addressed the 2 ton gorilla doing handsprings in the bathtub in the middle of the room. Of course, that is the misuse and misunderstood use of the term Vit C, and it’s very real physiologic dosages. This molecule is a ‘complex’, just as the B group is, and so many others, which are naively and ignorantly (i.g. – lack of knowledge) spoken about. The outermost molecular ring of the C complex, ascorbic acid (or…the anti-scorbutic factor) is a powerful anti-oxidant and has anti-histiminic effects to be sure – is NOT Vit C as the human mammalian animal is screaming for – as we no longer make our own. Ascorbic acid will NOT stop nor reverse scurvy, but whole food C-Complex WILL, as so deftly demonstrated by Szent-Gyorgi and his repeated successful trials with paprika &! failures trying to replicate with asc acid), who was roundly misquoted by the press so many decades ago – and received the Nobel prove for (sorry for poor grammar ).
Suppressing o.clastic activity is nothing to be proud of. That’s the equivalent to using termite infested timber to frame a house. It looks normal on the outside, but has no substance, no joi-de-vie, no mass, no holding power, no STRENGTH, on the inside. Are we not forced to wonder if whole C Complex would demonstrate the same ‘property biologique’?
Anyone can own a blog and have the Constitutional right )as they should) to write or say most anything. But caveat emptor – sometimes the Emperor has no clothes, and someone needs to step up and state this so clearly.-
Thank you very much for your feedback, Dr Scott. This is a good illustration of why getting as many nutrients as possible from food is optimal. 🙂
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Linus Pauling did work with Vitamin C. He said 3 major things. But 2 of those things turned out to be not entirely true, those being that VitC is great for common colds and VitC helps fight cancer, since then, no one seems to take him seriously. However the 3rd item, his ground breaking research where he showed (very logically) that VitC is used for cardiovascular and arterial health went un-noticed. It is the best thing for heart disease and rebuilding your vascular system. Based on his research, you are supposed to take 6 – 12 grams a day, as he did, and lived to be 93. I have started this regiment and take 3 x 3 (3 grams 3 times a day) and the results are astonishing. I am going to do like him and take this level till I reach 93.
Linus was a dual noble prize recipient and an expert in multiple scientific fields, and I take him seriously.To save bones, stop dairy, reduce meat intake, stop fructose (the sweet stuff), start a strength training program, get magnesium, zinc and D3 supplement. Try not to supplement D3 since your body can create it from the sun. Get sunlight. 🙂
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Colin, thank you for that feedback, and for your insights about Linus Pauling. 🙂 It always impresses me how community members do their own research and share the results!
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Hi Vivian, thanks so much for all your great information.
Yesterday I had an appoinment with my Endocrinologist, to inform him that I decided no to take the Reclast infusion, he was not happy. My Osteoposisis is very bad, and I had 6 fractures so far.
I mentioned the Vit C and he lokeed at me like I was from another planet.
He said, “I never hear of that in my life” -
Thank U, 4 the information. I’m a 59 yrs. old Vegan who has a condition call”COLD URTICARIA”. It was diagnose on 11/26/1991 but, this year I’ve decided 2 work @ being healthy,tone,strong & as flexible as I caan. Yet, I do not digest protein well so, Dr. Oz & some of the information I’ve read talked about V-C but, my inner Spirit, that Chatter mind kept saying 2,”take 1000 mg. daily of V-C & I started today after workout! U b safe & bless,peace!
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I am a diabetic with” heart and potassium level a little high in the kidneys” would vitamine C cause problems for me.I have osteoporosis.
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Thank you so much for this information. It really helps my family and me
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Thank you much Mrs Vivian for all your information. Every thing is so help full for me and my family
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Great information on vit C. I have been taking 500mg of Ester C daily for about a year & have just started taking the algae calcium. Thanks Vivian
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I just now came from my doctor’s Office and we discussed my most recent Bone Density test. I have increased my Bone Density from “Osteoporosis” to Osteo Penia”.
I currently take 1/day Nature’s Sunshine ‘Cal-Mag-Plus’ containing Calcium (phosphate, citrate, amino acid chelate)250 mg
Magnesium (oxide, amino acid chelate) 125 mg
Phosphorus (Calcium Phosphate) 100 mg
Vit D 133 IUI eat daily: yogurt with cinnamon, & raw: walnuts, slivered almonds, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed and raisins: cheese, broccoli, pineapple,& 60 ml (2 oz) Inner fillet preservative free Aloe Vera juice and twice a week, salmon and cheese.
My doctor tonight said that I should be getting 1000IU Vit D and get all my calcium from Dietary sources. Not bad advice from a GP, right?
Sincerely, Jan Church
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Thank you for this info Vivian. I take 500 mg vitamin C per day. I shall increase this to 1000 mg. But I do have a question Vitamin C is an acid so could you explain how it would help increase bone density rather than decrease done density.
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Hi Christine! You might like to read today’s post on a study showing vitamin C helps bone density – you can read it here:
https://saveourbones.com/why-doesnt-your-doctor-know-about-this-amazing-new-study/#comment-60457
Have a great week!
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My bones are in a very poor condition. I was on Fosamax and Evista
for more than fifteen years; till I bought the Saveourbones program.
I will have a bone density test in October and pray that my bones are in better shape.
Thank you Vivian.Ines.
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Hi Vivian
Enjoying all the good information. As far as Vit C is concerned, I trust Dr. Mary in New Orleans area who was head of Charity Hosp for all of LA. He said the healthy person should be getting 10,000 mg a day. I take 4000 mg at a time as I try to maintain the upper level. He said to take it like 5000 mg at a time until your bowels loosen then take 75% of that amt and that is the amt your body can tolerate at one time which for me is 4000 mg (four scoops of powder) I get my powder from Swansons Vitamins. Also excited about taking my first Krill oil today.Keep up the great work Vivian! Ron
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EXCELLENT article!!! More power Doc…
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I am tacking COUMADIN….and have to restrict my intake of Vitamin K….What can I substitute for the lack of K?
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I am taking COUMADIN and have to restrict my diet as to Vitamin K. What can I take to substitute for not having vitamin K in my diet or supplements.
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Coumadin (warfarin) works precisely by blocking Vitamin K, so it’s not really a blood thinner. Rather, it stops the formation of natural blood coagulants. You might want to consult with a naturopathic doctor, since there are many natural and much safer alternatives to Coumadin.
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Dear Vivian
Thank you for your valuable information about the Vita-c also for bone building and balancing effect also for the correct dosage to use it safely.
Diana
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should i increase the intake of vit. C depending upon the different health problems
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I’ve noticed that I get mouth ulcers if I take too much vitamin C. Maybe other readers will want to watch for this side effect too.
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Prunes are a good source of Vit C too, right?
Well, in an case, I just read this article on the value of prunes in addressing OP: https://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=12960&Section=Nutrition&utm_source=DailyHealthBulletin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Nutrition&utm_content=Body+ContinueReading&utm_campaign=DHB_120405
I am going to begin eating them today!
Vivian, can you add your thoughts/comments on the value of prunes? Thank you. Winfield-
Prunes are good for our bones, cause they have Boron in them.
I buy Now, Osteo Boron with Greens..(I have nothing to do with the Now Co.)
I did not finish reading your artical, but I have
never heard that Prunes have vitamin C in them??I’m wondering why Vivian does not answer these questions here!!?
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Your continuous efforts to contribute to this world in invaluable!In so many Ways you are presenting various topics on to maintain homeostasis in our body by natural means.
Love you for your love for the PEOPLE!!!
Suseela-
Thanks for your kind words, Suseela!
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Thanks so much Dr. Goldschmidt for the always useful information and advice you gift us! I’m taking at present Vitamin C made of: Acerola Extract, Camu Camu and Rose Hips. The other ingredients are: Cellulose, Stearic Acid, Croscarmellose Sodium, Vegetable Stearate, and Silicon Dioxide (all from plant or mineral sources).
I’m very interested in knowing what your opinion is on these ingredients as I don’t see on the label any of the ingredients you recommend. I choose these vitamins because I am a vegan of…40 years! lol! and take 500 mg twice a day, although following your good advice I’ll double the dosis.
I anticipate my deep thanks for your opinion on my Vitamin C ingredients.
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sounds pretty powerful… i never knew how important vitamin c was for your bones. i think its crucial to acquire sufficient vitamin c… i came across a review site which speaks on behalf of acerola cherry https://acerolacherryreview.com. it apparently, acerola cherry has 65x more vitamin c then even an orange has. pretty neat stuff!
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good suggestion and best advise
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Hi.Viv
Many people know the very little importance of vit. c . but I extended my
respects to your microscopics informations of the influence of vit.c. & its
role in bone=building process as you explained.
God bless you
yasin. -
I am happy for this. Thank you so much.
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I usually make one cup of orange juice a day, I don,t know whether it is
enough or not? You always remind us, thank you.-
Hi Nu Ly – An average orange contains approximately 70-75 mg of Vitamin C. So you will probably need to supplement with some additional Vitamin C.
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I’ve just started to drink rose hips tea for the vitamin C which is recommended for blood type A because of low stomach acid. I’m wondering how much I need to drink daily.
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I’ve often wondered how they can say there is Vitimin C in tea, when we add very hot water to it to make it! And I believe Vit. C is heat soluable. If that’s the case, it may be in the tea bag, but I’m not convinced it is in the teas we drink. Just a thought. That has bothered me a long time.
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Hi Jeannie – You’d have to look at the package for your rose hips tea and find out how much Vitamin C you’re getting in a serving. If it’s not enough to get the minimum 500 mg I recommend, you could look into getting some rose hips tablets or capsules.
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Thanks Vivian Ur info is so good and very important.
I take 1000mg as daily pill and am fish-getarian if I can use the term,and so eat a lot of nvegies and fruits with only fish. I eat green vegies and colored too the red ones rich in lycopene. I do cardio exercise and so my bone density is very good. Many thanks to know how the osteocl,,, destroy and the osteobl,,, rebuild.
thanks & best Regards
George-
The term is “pescatarian.”
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thank you so much for the Vit C recomendation . Great informations always . From Vivian. thanks
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I have had osteopenia and got much better with using bio-identical progesterone cream and drinking the occasional pale ale beer. I use 25mg DHEA every morning, 1g Vit C (fast release) and a Maca tablet. I try to avoid gluten and refined carbs as much as possible but I do succumb occasionally. I believe in good quality meats and raw veg. I use lots of kefir, fresh unpasteurised goat cheese and eggs and I flavour soups with seaweed. I avoid all soy products, all GMO and MSG. I have now started brewing Kombucha teas myself but this is too recent for any results. I also detox occasionally with pink salt flushes and castor oil packs for the liver.
I do not use medicines and cure the rare cold or throat with lots of C, Colloidal silver, olive leaf extract and oregano oil.
I use coconut oil for my body and face and fluoride-free toothpaste and I drink 5-stage filtered water.
I also get in a little weight-bearing excercise.
Can you comment on this or write an article about bio-identical progesterone. THANKS-
I used progesterone cream for over a year. The side effect was more facial hair (above lip and fuzz on other facial areas). Also starting getting dark course hair on the tops of my toes. This is a listed side effect and it does not go away when you stop using the cream.
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Hi Teriza – I’m glad you feel that the bioidentical hormones have helped you. I’m not in favor of any hormonal therapy, whether bioidentical or not. I believe that nature knows best, and that it’s unnatural to supplement hormones that normally dwindle with age. As mammals, we were created so that we can maintain our health without interfering with the normal biological cycles. I answered this question in a little more detail in Question #3 at Vivian Answers Day #2.
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this is a valuable information, about Vit. C. thank you – shula
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Great tip, Vivian, and thank you so much for all your informative emails!
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Wow, no one ever told me about vitamin C being good for my bones, I will incorporate it into my daily supplements. Thank you so much, so are so important to us. Sandy Holland
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THANK YOU VIVIAN FOR SHARING THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH US.
REGARDS,
IRMA -
I have been told our bodies will only absorb 250 mg of vit C a day. what will our bodies do if we take more?
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Hi Marilyn – The amount of Vitamin C your body can absorb depends on a variety of conditions. If you’re sick or under stress, for example, your body needs (and can absorb) more Vitamin C. As a general rule, about 250 mg at a time is good, but you never have to worry about taking extra Vitamin C, since any excess is harmlessly excreted in your urine.
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I cannot swallow capsules, or gels of some supplements and have to cut open the casing and add them to food or drink.I’ve tried to find out if this is o.k. but am not sure I can trust the answers I’ve been given from various suppliers. Can you please give guidelines on this problem?
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Hi June – You can buy Vitamin C powder that is meant to be dissolved in juice or water. You should be able to find it by doing an online search or by asking at your local health food store or vitamin shop.
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Vivian is so helpful to all of us and we do appreciate her so much!
I learned in nutrition class in college that any excess Vitamin C is simply eliminated. Wouldn’t it be nice if everything were that easy?
Best wishes to all,
Andrea
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Vitamin C is acidic, and you recommend reducing the amount of acidity in our diets. How do we balance this?
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Hi Anita – Although Vitamin C may seem acidic, it does not have an acidifying effect on your system. That said, if Vitamin C causes you digestive difficulties, you can try a buffered C product.
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I take the non-acidic Vitamin C. Is this effective for the Vitamin C we need?
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Is ester c acceptable?
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Hi Esther – Yes, Ester C is fine.
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I have been taking half a grapefruit for breakfast every day also lots of tomatoes as you advised and feel the benefits in my osteoporosis in my back and hip. I had heard that tomatoes and grapefruit is not good for osteoarthritis which I have in my wrists which is painful. What are your views?
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To Muiel, In regards to your arthritis and fruit question, here is the simple answer. Tomatoes are only an issue if you have a genetic allergic issue with nigtshades. Grapefruits will only be an issue when used pasteurized, or if you are using certain meds which warn against grapefruit. I would be surprised if fresh grapefruit gave you any kind of a problem. If yes, try one which is organic, and see if the same reaction occurs.
scott
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Hi! Vivian,
Thank You VERY MUCH For Letting Us Know About Vitamin C Helping To Save Our Bones!
I Already Take Vitamin C! I Take 1000 mgs A Day, First Thing In The Morning, And Before I Go To Bed At Night!LOVE, MS. L. (LESLIE)
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Need to know the best way of getting 2000 “C” per day. Taking 1000 units now—is that enough?
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did we not have a controversy about too much calcium,a,t some point ,obviuosly not after your information,happy to know it is important many thanks denise
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Why not recommend the Calcium or Magnesium ascorbate salts instead of sodium ascorbate? I don’t think we need another 500mg sodium daily!
Should we not also consider a fat-soluble version, like Ascorbyl Palmitate, to prolong Vitamin C’s effect.
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The only problem with taking lots of Vitamin C before dental work is that it may take lots more numbing agent, I’ve found.
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Yes, do not take Vit C before dental work. I had to have 5 times the normal amount of lidocaine shots once because the lidocaine wasn’t working after my ingestion of 1GM of Vit C.
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I would also like to know the answer to the question ask before. Is ester c a good choice. Thanks
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Hi Marilyn – Ester C is fine.
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When I get a sudden burst of sneezing and nose congestion (blowing); I take a 1000 of Vit. C and get quick relief. Thank You.
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Is Purely C by the North American Herb & Spice Company a good source of vitamin C? It is wild amazon Camu Camu.
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THis will be the form in which your body actually derives the ‘biological’ effects of the entire vitamin C comlex. When anyone uses the ascorbated form, this is a laboratory produced substance, and it can and does only have a pharmacologic effect, and not a biologic effect. Using C.Camu is an excellent way to get whole Vit C.
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Thank you for this info on Vitamin C Vivian, I have been taking a smaller dose to recover from the winter colds plus the fresh fruit but I probably not been having enough Vit C.
I am concerned about my brother Greg who has a neck problem – spondylitis ankylosa. He has very limited mobility in turning his head up & down & side to side. The hospital is about to put him on a new very expensive drug (£35,000 a year) which will suppress his immune system to stop his condition getting worse. Greg (aged 63) has still not managed to give up smoking which he has been advised to do. This sounds very scary to me – and I wonder what your thoughts are on this subject.
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ANgela,
Vivian is not allowed to comment on, re treatment, what is more commonly called anklyosing spondylitis.
She can comment on what she would suggest as nutr. support for people who have this and anything else, but not on the condition itself.
Age 63 is very late in life to be be worried about a genetic condition which begins in the 20’s.
In no particular order, here all the therapies you want to persue:. homeopathy, ess. oils, very careful chiropractc, and exercise which involves spinal motion-swimming preferred. Of course, rock solid whole food nutrition is foundational.-
Thanks for this reply, Greg is unable to swim now due to his condition. (He previously was brilliant swimmer). He has of course had many hospital scans etc and phone call this morning to say he has had big injection into his neck. Results of this to be expected in 2-3 weeks to see if any improvement. I was just wondering if Vivian had heard of this new drug.
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Because I take prilosec for stomach problems and have on & off chronic Afib
that I take meds for…..I have to be careful about taking any thing such as too much sugar, white flour products, decongestants, caffeine, chocolate, etc that stimulates my heart PVC’s, & PAC’s that will bring on the Afib. Even the “cain” type over the counter & script meds are a stimulant. I take 1 500 mg tab of Ester C daily……and probably need more, but my question is……does the Ester C do the same or as well as regular Vit C? Thanks for you input. I have your book.-
Ester-C is a buffered set of a small handful of ‘ascorbated’ minerals. This is an acceptable way to take an unacceptable synthetic molecule. To be clear and fair, asc. acid is all the same, whether it comes from buckwheat, camu camu, kiwi, cayenne, paprika,limes mushrooms or a laboratory. The difference lays in all the various co-factors which occur in fully complete & complex form, when it comes from a food. Synthetic is a medium-grade anti-oxidant and an acidifier. Nothing more. Whole vitamin c complex has dozens, if not hundreds of biologic effetcs in the body which synthetic does not. Synthetic wont touch scurvy, or capillary fragility. Real Vit C will heal them up nicely.
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Dear Vivian, Your article on Vitamin C was very interesting. Have you any thoughts on the pros/cons of taking the Calcium salt of Vitamin C. As I guess you know, this is recommended for those of us who have sensitive stomachs. Many thanks. Rod
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Thanks for this simple and valiable information.
Veronica -
thank you ,Ita.
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Thanks Vivian, it’s good to know that C is Calcium’s best friend! have a happy Day… I will remember to take a C with me when I go to care for the Three little Girls I watch…CCCCCCCC ya soon… Joyce Hall
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I take a daily dose of vit C 1000mg “timed release”. I understand that it has a special coating that releases the vit C over a 24-hour period? Isn’t this better than the vit C without the timed release? Just checking.
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Hi Vivian,
Your thoughts on “timed release” vit C?
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I have read elsewhere, that L-lysine and Proline [amino acids], in addition to Vit C, are also necessary for collagen synthesis. I have been using them myself for some time to help a skin condition, [pruitis] to improve. It is working very well. The itching is relieved within 10 minutes or so and lasts 5 to 6 hours for me.
Vivian, wouldn’t this combination also be helping the bones too?
I take, in three equally divided doses, a total of: 6 grams of “C”, 4.5 grams of Lysine and 3 grams of Proline per day.
Looking forward to your opinion/response, Thank you, Winfield
PS, a wonderful book on Vit “C” is: Primal Panacea by Dr. Thomas E. Levy.-
Winfield, your Pruritis is beinbg addressed, as ascorbic acid, at mildly hig doses, ha svery nice ant-histiminic effects. It also drys up runny noses usually pdq. In your case, the itch problem is a histimine overload(a liver issue), which is being nicely controleld with a ‘natural pharmaceutical’.
When the time comes that you want to actually correct this issue, giving your liver what the cytochrome 450 pathways (look that up and leatrn about it-recc’d) require, will likely fix the problem for good. SOme Milk Thistle wouldn’t hurt either-
Thank you for your response. I will check out the info you refer to and I have been taking 1000mg/day of silymarin for several years now for other liver problems. I recently ran out of it and need to reorder ASAP. Winfield
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That is interesting to hear, Winfield. Recently I have learned that Vit C, L-Lysine and L-Proline are also very good for arterial health, and I’m sure also for osteoarthritis. I am battling all three conditions, which include my bone health. I am noticing also, that the nutritional ways to combat all these problems, are in line with the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. Do you mind my asking what type of doctor put you on this grouping of supplements?
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I recently ran across this combo and dosage suggestions in a Natural Health publication. But, I don’t remember which one it was, be it a newsletter or book.
To answer your question, I did not see a doctor. I just read about it and tried it. It worked so well for me I just kept it up.
I had never heard about Proline before that, but had been taking lysine and ‘c’ for some time. I feel adding the proline is what did the trick for me.
I know the owner of the local health food store pretty well and ask him to order some for me. Well, LO and BEHOLD! His wife had a terrible reaction to MSG in Thai food and came down with a severe rash, and the itch was unbearable, all over her entire body. She was taking 10,000 mg ‘C’ and L-Lysine, not sure how much of it though, per day to quell the itch. Once I related my experience to her of adding the proline, she did the same and finally got blessed relief also. The rash began clearing up and itch subsided for her in a very short time.
Her rash issue differed from my “dry skin” type itch. Her rash was more like “poison ivy” or “hives” in that there were visible raised bumps.
Good luck, if you try it, I hope it works for you also. Winfield
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I shall up my Vit C intake immediately! Thanks, Vivian, for another simple tip to help us all.
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You are doing a fantastic service for us all Vivian! I have recommended your program to many people because it has helped me. I find your weekly e-mails with new information is a great tool to keep me on track and is extremely valuable. I am still very enthusiastic about ‘Save our Bones’ after almost 2 years of your consistent communication. Thank You so much!!
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welcome
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Dear Vivian,
Thank you for your valuable information on Vitamine C in Bone Health.
Dhruba
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