Megadosing Vitamin C? (Increase DHEA, Lower Cortisol)

Andreas

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Since DHEA is illegal in my country I have been looking for natural ways to increase it through diet/supplements.

I found this study where the participants megadosed with 4 grams of Vitamin C daily for ten days. They splitted the dose to 1 gram every 6 hour :
Annals NY Acad of Sciences, Jul 1987, 498:487–490, "Bimodal Effects of Megadose Vitamin C on Adrenal Steroid Production in Man

It increases DHEA by 77%::
"DHEA increase (after 1 week) was rather profound from 426 ng/dl to 755 ng/dl, a 77% increase. "

It also lowers cortisol (maybe through the increase in DHEA?)
"Cortisol was lowered from 19.6 to 14.8 ug/dl on average, a drop of approximately 25%. "
 

Queequeg

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I listened to an old KMUD show the other day where RP was against vitamin C supplementation as he said it caused too much iron absorption and that we get enough from food. I think he also said it actually acted like an oxidant as opposed to anti-oxidant. I cant remember what show it was but you may want to dig around some more. Maybe there are safer ways to increase DHEA.
 

paymanz

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It depend,if you drink lot of oj a day then around one gram vitamin c a day,which is good.

I guess he meant a diet based on fruits ,otherwise we should get some vitamin c from somewhere.
 

InChristAlone

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4 grams is nothing! I know people taking 20 grams a day and they aren't even sick.
 
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tankasnowgod

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4 grams is nothing! I know people taking 20 grams a say and they aren't even sick.

When you look at some of the old Vitamin C promoters, they were regularly taking double digit gram doses- Linus Pauling at 18 grams a day, Robert Cathcart took 16. Of note, both of those men took those doses when they were older.

Two things that might let you get the same (or better) benefits from a smaller daily dose (say, around 5 grams).

First, keep iron levels near deficiency. I bet some of the benefits Pauling got was from C neutralizing the effects of excess iron.

The other is apparently keeping Vitamin D levels high, to recycle C. I just saw this talk from David McCarthy where he mentioned this mechanism (I think he discusses this around the 10 minute mark)-


Also, of note..... just yesterday, I felt a cold coming on (aches, sore throat, slight cough). I starting dosing C, got up to 9 grams in 2 hours (12 total grams on the day), and it seems like it has knocked that cold out. I'm a bit surprised at how great I feel today.
 

Cirion

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How are you mega-dosers keeping a supply of C at an affordable price? I use 1 gram pills but even those get used up quickly at 10-20 gram a day dosages, which is $$$ lol
 

InChristAlone

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When you look at some of the old Vitamin C promoters, they were regularly taking double digit gram doses- Linus Pauling at 18 grams a day, Robert Cathcart took 16. Of note, both of those men took those doses when they were older.

Two things that might let you get the same (or better) benefits from a smaller daily dose (say, around 5 grams).

First, keep iron levels near deficiency. I bet some of the benefits Pauling got was from C neutralizing the effects of excess iron.

The other is apparently keeping Vitamin D levels high, to recycle C. I just saw this talk from David McCarthy where he mentioned this mechanism (I think he discusses this around the 10 minute mark)-


Also, of note..... just yesterday, I felt a cold coming on (aches, sore throat, slight cough). I starting dosing C, got up to 9 grams in 2 hours (12 total grams on the day), and it seems like it has knocked that cold out. I'm a bit surprised at how great I feel today.

Yeah limiting iron is key. C gets used up quickly with iron overload. That's great you could do that! I have never been able to stop a cold once it starts though I'm terrible at dosing all day. I might try that right now as I developed a cold with a low fever I already took 6 grams this morning.

I use a China made powder. I buy it when it's on sale, revitalize wellness brand. I really should be getting rewards for the number of times I recommended it lol.
 

Logan-

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Is it dangerous to supplement with vitamin C if someone eats a lot of red meat every meal?
 

Queequeg

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How are you mega-dosers keeping a supply of C at an affordable price? I use 1 gram pills but even those get used up quickly at 10-20 gram a day dosages, which is $$$ lol
powder ... I use bulk Supplements which is about $20 for 1 kg.
 

tankasnowgod

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Is it dangerous to supplement with vitamin C if someone eats a lot of red meat every meal?

I don't think so. When it comes to Vitamin C, the research suggests it only enhances absorption of non-heme iron, not heme. And most of that research comes from radiolabeled iron isotopes in a single meal setting. And as for increasing body iron levels..... the long term studies are very inconclusive. I discuss this in this thread-

Vitamin C Is An Endotoxin Antagonist And Can Reduce Cortisol And Inflammation

Here is the longer term study, were they had people take 1 gram of C with two meals per day. I attached the table in my thread, too- http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/bloodjournal/64/3/721.full.pdf?sso-checked=true
 

tankasnowgod

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How are you mega-dosers keeping a supply of C at an affordable price? I use 1 gram pills but even those get used up quickly at 10-20 gram a day dosages, which is $$$ lol

I purchased a kilo of bulk supplements ascorbic acid powder a while ago. It's still only about 20 dollars. (edited to clarify ascorbic acid, "kilo of powder" has some other connotations.....)
 

Vinero

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Is this megadosing of vitamin C really necessary? Why is a "low dose" of 1 gram not enough to restore adequate blood levels of vitamin c? I am not going to ingest 10 grams of vitamin C a day that just seems insane.
 

tankasnowgod

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Is this megadosing of vitamin C really necessary? Why is a "low dose" of 1 gram not enough to restore adequate blood levels of vitamin c? I am not going to ingest 10 grams of vitamin C a day that just seems insane.

Well, I only took 12 grams yesterday because I felt a cold coming on, and as I dosed, it took away the symptoms, and it knocked the cold out. This is in line with what Linus Pauling suggested, and Dr. Cathcart found in his clinical practice. I was taking about 4 grams a day, as I experimented with some higher C doses after looking at Janelle's log, and decided to experiment. It made a noticeable difference in energy within a half hour. I don't know if these higher doses are strictly "necessary," but they have been very beneficial to me.
 

Queequeg

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Is this megadosing of vitamin C really necessary? Why is a "low dose" of 1 gram not enough to restore adequate blood levels of vitamin c? I am not going to ingest 10 grams of vitamin C a day that just seems insane.
According to Dr Humphries who is an expert in Vitamin C, it all depends on your toxin and stress level. If you live in the country and are just chilling out you may not need any. If in the city and under lots of stress you may need 10 grams.
here is a good video talking about the reasons for high dose vitamin c.
My reason is for CVD repair. My older bro had a heart attack and I dont want to sit around waiting for mine.


She btw recommends sodium ascorbate over ascorbic acid. Im going to start mixing the two
 
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Anyone here currently taking high?? doses of Vitamin C.

Is Quali-C worth the 'extra' cost
@Experienced

Should C be 'pulse' dosed, many grams one day, 0 the next etcetera??, also I believe Vit D 'recycles' C so take D on 0 gram days??

C'mon let's have those opinions, good, bad and ugly :|:smug:
 

pork88

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This worked well for Linus Pauling which died in his 90s after megadosing vit C for years. I would just try it and see how you feel
 
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