Ensure adequate vitamin C intake through diet or supplements, as it is highly concentrated in immune cells (neutrophils and leukocytes) and plays a crucial role as a potent antioxidant, facilitating neutrophil migration and overall function to eliminate pathogens.
Consider increasing daily vitamin C intake to 200 milligrams for adults, as this level may elevate tissue levels and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, and metabolic dysfunction.
Consume vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables raw and immediately after cutting or peeling, because cooking and exposure to oxygen can destroy 25% or more of the vitamin C content in foods.
If you smoke or drink alcohol, you may need higher vitamin C intake than non-smokers/drinkers because smoking increases oxidative stress, and alcohol consumption increases urinary vitamin C losses by nearly 50%.
Avoid overly restrictive diets focused exclusively on meat, as meat is generally a poor source of vitamin C, and such a diet could feasibly lead to vitamin C deficiency.
For patients diagnosed with sepsis, consider intravenous vitamin C, potentially combined with other treatments like thiamine, as studies suggest it can decrease the risk of organ failure and death.
For cancer patients, consider intravenous vitamin C as an adjunctive therapy to chemotherapy, as clinical studies suggest it can improve quality of life by reducing fatigue, nausea, vomiting, pain, and appetite loss.
For children with viral myocarditis, consider intravenous vitamin C combined with conventional therapy, as a meta-analysis found this approach to be more effective than conventional therapy alone.
For patients on mechanical ventilation for more than 24 hours, consider intravenous vitamin C, as studies showed it reduced the time spent on ventilation by 18% compared to controls.
To reduce cold symptoms and duration, take prophylactic doses of 1 to 3 grams of vitamin C daily over several months, and then increase to a therapeutic dose of up to 6 grams daily at the onset of cold symptoms.
If you have a cold, supplement with at least 2 grams of vitamin C per day, as this dose showed greater benefit in reducing cold duration compared to 1 gram daily, especially in children.
If you have very low plasma vitamin C levels, consider supplementation to decrease the incidence of pneumonia, as studies suggest it might be protective in such cases.
Maintain adequate vitamin C status for effective fat utilization and weight management, as low vitamin C levels are linked to decreased fat oxidation during exercise and increased fat storage.
For individuals with high blood pressure, consider taking an average of 500 milligrams of oral vitamin C per day for about eight weeks, as studies showed significant decreases in blood pressure.
For infertile men, consider taking one gram of oral vitamin C twice a day for two months, as studies showed increased sperm count and motility, indicating improved semen quality.
If you frequently participate in high-endurance exercise, consider supplemental vitamin C, as studies reported 50% fewer colds among athletes who took it.
To alleviate respiratory problems caused by exercise, such as exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, consider taking between 0.5 and 2 grams of vitamin C immediately before exercise for two weeks.
Before administering high doses (40 grams or higher) of intravenous vitamin C, screen patients for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, as individuals with this condition are at risk of hemolysis (rupturing of red blood cells).
If you have hemochromatosis or abnormally high iron levels, exercise caution when considering vitamin C supplementation due to its propensity to improve the absorption of dietary iron.
If you have pre-existing kidney impairments, exercise caution with high-dose vitamin C, as it might lead to kidney stones due to oxalate formation, though the risk is low for most healthy people.
Avoid taking vitamin C in combination with other antioxidants like vitamin E (e.g., 1g C with 235mg E) when exercising, as this combination might blunt beneficial cellular adaptations to exercise, such as mitochondrial biogenesis.
Avoid taking vitamin C with other supplemental antioxidants like vitamin E (e.g., 500mg C twice daily with 400 IUs E) alongside exercise, as this combination might attenuate exercise-mediated improvements in insulin sensitivity.
If taking oral vitamin C doses higher than 5 grams, consider using a liposomal form, as studies suggest it can increase bioavailability and achieve higher plasma levels compared to non-liposomal forms.
To sustain maximum plasma vitamin C levels (around 220 micromoles per liter) throughout a 24-hour period, take 3 grams of oral vitamin C six times per day, as a single 3-gram dose cannot achieve this sustained level.