From the Guidelines
Vitamin C infusion is not recommended as a standard treatment for patients with malignancy due to lack of high-quality evidence supporting its effectiveness in reducing cancer incidence or improving outcomes. The most recent and relevant study, 1, published in 2021 in the Clinical Nutrition journal, found that long-term supplementation with vitamin C (500 mg/day) and vitamin E (400 IU/day) had no effect on cancer incidence in a large cohort of US physicians. This study suggests that vitamin C supplementation, even at high doses, does not have a significant impact on cancer prevention or treatment.
When considering the use of vitamin C infusions in cancer patients, it is essential to weigh the potential benefits against the risks and limitations. While some studies propose that high-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) may have pro-oxidant effects that could selectively damage cancer cells, the evidence is largely theoretical and not supported by robust clinical trials. Typical protocols for IVC therapy involve doses ranging from 0.4g/kg to 1.5g/kg body weight, administered 1-3 times weekly, but these regimens require careful medical supervision due to potential interactions with chemotherapy drugs and risks in patients with renal impairment, G6PD deficiency, or other conditions.
Key considerations for clinicians and patients include:
- Lack of high-quality evidence supporting the use of vitamin C infusions in cancer treatment
- Potential risks and interactions associated with IVC therapy
- Importance of discussing vitamin C infusions as part of a comprehensive treatment plan with an oncologist, rather than using them as an alternative to conventional cancer therapies
- Need for careful patient selection and monitoring to minimize adverse effects and ensure safe use of vitamin C infusions, if considered at all, based on individual patient circumstances and under close medical supervision, as suggested by 1.
From the Research
Vitamin C Infusion in Cancer Patients
- The use of vitamin C infusion in patients with malignancy has been studied in various research papers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- According to a 2021 study, vitamin C was applied intravenously or orally to patients with various malignant diseases, and the results showed either no effect or a positive trend, although this was rarely statistically proven in group comparisons 2.
- A 2022 review article suggests that high doses of vitamin C administered intravenously may improve patients' quality of life, particularly for terminal cancer patients, by reducing chemotherapy-related side effects 3.
- Preclinical studies have shown that high-dose vitamin C can have antitumor effects, and its mechanisms of action include pro-oxidant effects, modulation of TET enzymes, and alteration of the DNA damage response 4.
- A 2006 case study reported three cases of advanced cancers where patients had unexpectedly long survival times after receiving high-dose intravenous vitamin C therapy, suggesting that the role of high-dose intravenous vitamin C therapy in cancer treatment should be reassessed 5.
- A 2018 review article provides a rational approach to the use of intravenous vitamin C in cancer care, suggesting that it can be a safe supportive intervention to decrease inflammation and improve symptoms related to antioxidant deficiency and disease processes 6.
Key Findings
- Intravenous administration of vitamin C may be more effective than oral intake in patients with malignancies 2, 5.
- High doses of vitamin C can have antitumor effects and improve patients' quality of life 3, 4.
- The use of intravenous vitamin C is generally considered safe, with few side effects reported 2, 6.
- Further clinical trials are needed to collect stronger evidence of the role of vitamin C in supportive cancer treatment 3, 4.