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In an animal trial, injections of high doses of vitamin C have been demonstrated to reduce tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers.

The NIH researchers, however, tested the idea that ascorbate, when injected at high doses, may have prooxidant instead of antioxidant activity. Prooxidants would generate free radicals and the formation of hydrogen peroxide, which, the scientists hypothesized, might kill tumor cells. In their laboratory experiments on 43 cancer and 5 normal cell lines, the researchers discovered that high concentrations of ascorbate had anticancer effects in 75 percent of cancer cell lines tested, while sparing normal cells. In their paper, the researchers also showed that these high ascorbate concentrations could be achieved in people.

Why injections? Apparently, our bodies precisely regulate the amount of ascorbate absorbed by the body when it is taken orally. So even if you eat lots and lots of oranges and other foods rich in vitamin C, our natural physiology prevents blood levels of ascorbate from exceeding a certain range. Hence, the injection approach.

Tags: ascorbate, ascorbic-acid, diet, functional-foods, health, health food blog, health-food, Healthy Eating, healthy-diet, healthy-food, nutraceuticals, nutrition, vitamin-C, ~Cancer

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Source: Eating Fabulous