The Vitamin C Thing

Missy reminded me this morning about the whole vitamin C thing. It went out of contention awhile back (at least in my own meager circles), but only because we all forgot it had been an issue. That’s all well and good, ‘cause I can’t even remember who exactly I was discussing it with.

A story on NPR this morning talked about the hoax of megadosed vitamin C, of which I guess I’ve been a proponent. Yam yam yam, Megan’s mouth runs long past the point reasonable evidence would support, we know. :P But there was something to it, some strange thing. And I know now how much better those sneaky smaller doses can work, but I still can’t deny it. Something definitely happened.

Forget about knowing exactly what it was. Hell, it was 2003, even. I saturated my body with vitamin C. I suffered the gastrointestinal effects thereof. (Having to run to the restroom every time you’re done with a scene is a huge inconvenience, in case it hasn’t already occured to you!) But the sinus infection was coming, and it disappeared – poof – like that.

Now, I’ve tried it a bunch of other times since then. Once I believe it worked partially, but the other times I chocked up to the Magical Remedy Rule – if it works well, it works once. My latest scheme with vitamin C was to take regular dosages throughout the day, every day I was sick, along with some vitamin E and some Echinacea, and (mandatory) oil of Oregano. And this worked pretty well this last time – I was sick for a couple of days, tops.

“…If something is good, more is better.” Well, okay. Anyone who follows that precept is going to have a surprise coming. In my case, I was already aware of the unhappy effects of too much vitamin C in one’s system, but I had a hunch, and that hunch allowed me to sing one more performance of Madama Butterfly when my counterpart was home with her sinuses packed. The only thing I can imagine is that if you surprise the body, you can do wacky things. And that’s all I’ve got. In fact, that’s how this last one worked, because I was staggering dosages to keep myself from getting used to one thing or another. Hooey? Maybe. But I’m not sick now, so who cares?

If you had asked me then, I’m pretty sure I would’ve denounced ‘more is better’ in half a second. Of course more isn’t better! But this shock value thing? That’s definitely something. Hell, it could turn out to be nothing later, but in the meantime it’s keeping me interested… :-D

My next experiment is going to involve replacing (?) vitamins with foods. I heard somewhere (and don’t need to be convinced) that nutrients from foods are absorbed (?) much easier / better (?). So I am wondering what happens if I provide my body with those same nutrients… as meals, instead of supplements?

Hell, that’s probably what everyone’s supposed to have been doing all along, and we’re all too incorrigable. Pah!

PS - Nope, nothing about mind over body. Ya’ll know me well enough to know I’m mulling it over anyway. Talking about it isn’t going to do anything for me right now. After the crazy conversation I had last night, I feel a little embarrassed to tell you that much!

Tagged as: Blog