The topic of vitamin C and enhanced resistance against (as well as accelerated recovery from) infections (especially viral) is highly controversial. Modern medicine dismisses vitamin C as being good for only preventing/treating scurvy. However, a number of high-profile scientists, including Nobel laureate Linus Pauling believed (and repeatedly demonstrated in studies) that vitamin C has a broad immunostimulating effect and may be effective at both preventing and treating variety of infections, especially viral ones such as influenza and cold (COVID-19 anyone?), and even cancer! The study below seems to vindicate Mr. Pauling and demonstrates that the beneficial effects of vitamin C are not limited to just viral infections, but also extend to bacterial, fungal and even multi-cellular (parasitic) infections. The exact mechanism of action of vitamin C is not known, however given its structural similarity to sugar and usage of the same pathways of active transport into the cell (the GLUT channels/receptors), I suspect that vitamin C may serve as a glucose mimetic in situations when the cell is under stress and glucose availability is limited. Glucose availability has already been demonstrated to be crucial for resistance to all types of infection, and lowering serum glucose is known to increase lethality from both pathogens and allergens.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9040339
The Surprising Link Between Vitamin C and Fighting Off Infections, According to Science
“…The notion that vitamin C could help ward off infections is not new. As early as the 1930s, physicians like Dr. Casimir Funk pioneered the use of vitamin C to combat infectious diseases. However, the advent of antibiotics in the mid-20th century largely overshadowed research into vitamin C’s antimicrobial potential [1]. “Our review aimed to dust off a century’s worth of accumulated evidence on vitamin C and infections,” explained Dr. Samantha Patel, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Helsinki. “What we found was a wealth of data suggesting that this humble vitamin could be a valuable addition to our anti-infection toolkit.”
“…Dr. Patel’s team began by analyzing over 148 animal studies that investigated vitamin C’s impact on infectious conditions. Remarkably, they found that vitamin C demonstrated protective effects against a variety of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi like Candida albicans, and even parasitic protozoa [1]. “Across diverse animal models, vitamin C consistently helped prevent, shorten, and alleviate infectious diseases,” noted Dr. Patel. “While the human implications remain to be fully elucidated, these findings strongly suggest that vitamin C has untapped potential as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent.”
