Vitamin C and common cold

Abstract

Vitamin C has been reputed as the best remedy of common cold in the past but the ability of vitamin C to cure the common cold has been questioned and argued since its discovery. People are used to vitamin C due to the perception that it cures common cold but the results of many studies and research works that have been carried out to find whether vitamin C really cures cold or not; have been suggesting that it does not affect the common cold. Some studies have shown that vitamin C can be helpful for the people who go through physical stress regularly. Despite of these facts found by the research works, the fact that vitamin C improves the immune system of the human body to fight against the viral diseases; holds its ground firmly. It has been found that high dosage of ascorbic acid reduces the duration of cold if taken at the start of symptoms. Linus Pauling, who discovered ascorbic acid, was against the name of “vitamin” given to it. Despite of various research works, still the question is not perfectly answerable whether vitamin C can cure common cold or not. The previous research works and their results are discussed in this paper. An attempt to find the answer to this question by carrying out a controlled trial is made and discussed in this paper.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

Background5

Criticism5

Vitamin C: Ascorbate6

Effects of cold and function of vitamin C6

Vitamin C for treatment12

Common perception13

Hypothesis14

Methodology14

Sampling and sample size14

Data gathered15

Data analysis and results of the research16

Recommendations16

Conclusion16

References18

Role of Vitamin C in cure from Common Cold

Introduction

The outcome of vitamin c on the human immune system has been indicated by many experimental biological studies and researches. The production of interferon and increase in proliferative responses has been observed by the use of vitamin c. vitamin c also helps in preventing the possible imperfections in neutrophils (Hemila, 1996, 1997). But the physiologic significance of these imperfections on the vulnerability of human body to virus is not healthy implicit. The relationship between dosage of vitamin C and the cure of common cold is still unclear and blur. Many studies have been carried out in order to have a specific and certain conclusion regarding this fact. However, according to a survey conducted in western countries in which the medication and dosage period of vitamin C was about 9 months, concluded that vitamin C doesn't affect common cold (Anderson et al, 1972, pp.503-508). Despite of this fact, some specific studies under critical stress concluded that some people eventually didn't catch much cold because of extremely low intake of vitamin C. different studies have brought up different results, due to which, it can be said that still the relation between the dosage of vitamin C and the cure of common cold and flu is unclear.

The cold occurs due to strains of many harmful viruses including the rhinovirus and the corona virus. Flues are the main grounds of the visits to doctors. It is also the main reason of ...