Re: Bird Flu and Vitamin C

[Jones Beene]

Cathcart's web site says treatment of the Bird Flu with massive doses of ascorbate would be the same as any other flu except that the severity of the disease indicates that it may take unusually massive doses of ascorbic acid orally, or even intravenous sodium ascorbate. According to him, IF and when the body needs a massive dose, it will be tolerated by the digestive system. Personally, I find that claim unlikely based on my experience (~40 years of taking C in large doses).   Even informed lay observers might consider much of the advice on this site extreme. Whether it works or not is another issue - but the site is short on actual statistical proof. Most medical professionals in the US would consider these claims outrageous, but most of them are bonded permanently - as if by feeding IV tubes, into the mother ship - the largess of the drug companies. Roche must surely resent this kind of alternative information as a costly intrusion into their turf. If only 10% of potential patients opted for massive C, instead of Tamilfu it could cost them billions.   Cathcart claims to have treated 30,000 patients with massive dosages of C - presumably many of these patients were in Africa as it would never be permitted here - and claims to have saved patients who had contracted Marburg and Ebola, which is presumably otherwise always fatal.   Why the dose needed is somewhat proportional to the severity of the disease being treated is "discussed in my paper published in 1981, Titrating to Bowel Tolerance, Anascorbemia, and Acute Induced Scurvy." He is saying that the massive doses are tolerated in infection- situations where the C is rapidly depleted by the disease itself - and that these disease do induce scurvy (oddly the same will happen with too much C, if taken when it is not needed). One needs to be very careful with the huge dosage.   "It is possible that the bird flu may require even higher doses such as 150 to 300 grams a day."  ...." If massive doses of ascorbate are not used, they may not be adequate."   For many years I've taken about 1 gram per day when healthy, and up to 10 grams when feeling even slightly  ill - using the Pauling suggested method of dissolving the ascobrate powder in juice. 10 grams will give anyone "acid stomach". 100 grams seems crazy, but if I do get Bird Flu, I will try it.   Much more economical for anyone without good medical coverage. My last purchase of vit C powder was online and 500 grams cost about $15, but I cannot imagine taking this all in a few days as it will normally last many months. However, as a matter of cost - vs. the Tamiflu - this is the situation:   Tamiflu is often quoted at $100 per dose, which is inaccurate. The best price I could find from Canada for a  "treatment" which is to be taken over the course of the infection - but NOT as a preventative, was $202.99 for 30 of the 75 mg caps. Other commercial sites say that it can be taken as a preventative but I doubt it. Everyone would love to sell it to you and there really is no shortage online at least.   Some recommendations for Avian flu are for the injectible only, which would be much higher in cost. If you get Avian flu and are treated by the medical profession without insurance, the cost will likely be a minimum of $300 per dose or injection, with 7-10 needed, and more likely much more. It could cost you as much as $5000. But in the typical obfuscation fashion of the medical profession - no one will actually quote this cost ahead of time for Avian. Too embarrassing, probably.   Costwise, there is no comparison with massive Vit C - and in either case we are talking about reducing the symptons and/or survival (if this is as bad as Spanish flu). Neither is a preventative and C has a long history of reducing symtoms whereas Tamiflu does not, but as Rothwell metnions, why would all of these scads of medical professionals be so enthusiastic about it, if it did not work as claimed?   To that my answer is "follow the buck." It is not a question of it not working - it is a question of how superior is it to vitamin C. Few MDs will want to contradict Roche and miss out on there next free golf outing to Jamaica.   One hopes that some cross-testing is done Tamiflu vs Massive C but that will never happen here becasue Roche has the many in CDC and the larger medical profession on a short leash. In places like Asia Africa, where Roche is less powerful and we can possibly get good numbers which are not altered by sepcial interests, we may see some real cross-comparison.   At any rate, I'm going to order another 500 grams of ascorbate powder for the flu season (it keeps well if un-needed) ...  Along with some ant-acid !   Jones