Summary
Taking a daily dose of Vitamin C can strengthen your immune system and that, in turn, can help you avoid colds and nasty viruses, new research from Texas says. Scientists discovered in a test of 12 patients that disease-killing white blood cells were much more active after patients had taken daily doses of the vitamin for two weeks.
Original source:
http://allergies.about.com/cs/vitaminc/a/blaaaai030703b.htm
Details
People who take daily doses of Vitamin C can boost their immune system, potentially protecting themselves from viruses and colds, according to a study presented at the 60th Anniversary Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).
Vitamin C is a nutrient that has been demonstrated to have a substantial impact on human health.
Researchers originally proposed that large doses of Vitamin C could decrease the incidence and the severity of the common cold.
To determine whether vitamin C can alter the function of the immune system and provide increased protection from viral infection, Susan Ritter, MD, PhD candidate, and Gailen D. Marshall, Jr., MD, PhD, both from the University of Texas Health Science Center, studied the white blood cells of 12 patients before and after each patient took one gram of vitamin C daily for two weeks.
Researchers then analyzed the immune cell types present in the blood as well as the ability of these cells to make antiviral compounds.
The number of NK cells (a cell that protects against viruses) in the peripheral blood increased after two weeks of supplementation with Vitamin C.
While the number of T cells (also active in antiviral immunity) remained the same, they were more activated following vitamin C supplementation.
The T cells also produced significantly more interferon-gama (an antiviral compound) and less interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 (both of which are associated with allergic disease) after two weeks of supplementation with
vitamin C.
Researchers concluded that this data suggests an increase in antiviral immunity after two weeks of 1g/day vitamin C supplementation and the possible use of vitamin C to modulate the immune system in people.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, and he has created several downloadable courses on survival and preparedness, including his widely-downloaded course on personal safety and self-defense. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In mid 2010, Adams produced TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a noted pioneer in the email marketing software industry, having been the first to launch an HTML email newsletter technology that has grown to become a standard in the industry. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and practices nature photography, Capoeira, martial arts and organic gardening. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Email this article to a friend
Share
this article on: 
