Vitamin C and Arthritis
Arthritis
is the archetype of a holistic
disease. It is not a single,
simple condition; in fact,
although rheumatoid arthritis
and osteoarthritis constitute
the two largest classes
of joint diseases, the family
of more than 100 types of
arthritis may be associated
with other systemic diseases
and deficiencies, as shown
in Table 4.
Table 4. CLASSIFICATION
OF ARTHRITIS
____________________________________
INFECTIOUS
INFLAMMATORY METABOLIC
________________________________________
Bacterial:
Rheumatoid Osteoarthritis
Staphylococcal Ankylosing
spondylitis Traumatic
Gonococcal Juvenile rheumatoid
Osteoporosis
Tuberculosis Collagen disease
Aseptic necrosis
Streptococcus Reiter's syndrome
Hyperparathyroidism
Pneumococcus Sjogren's syndrome
Avascular necrosis
Parasitic:
Psoriatic Osteoporosis
Amoebic Polymyositis Allergic
(Atopic)
Malarial Rheumatic fever
Calcium deficiency
Treponemal Scleroderma Vitamin
D deficiency
Viral:
Lupus erythematosus Osteochondrosis
Hepatitis Bechet's syndrome
Hypothyroidism
Mumps Polychrondritis Hormonal
deficiency
Rubella Polyarteritis Protein
deficiency
Fungal:
Polymyalgia Hypertrophic
osteoarthropathy
Mycoplasmal:
Erthema nodosum Gout
From "Fight Back Against
Arthritis", Robert
Bingham, MD. 1985(21)
____________________________________________________
Arthritis
is not caused nor treated
by a single agent; complex
inter-related contributory
factors to this most painful
and dreaded disease may
include:
infectious microorganisms
such as viruses, bacteria
and protozoa;
physical injuries to bones
and joints;
nutritional deficiencies
of protein, minerals and
vitamins;
environmental toxic pollutants;
metabolic and immunological
disorders, including allergies;
psychological and emotional
stress.
Tens of
millions of people suffer
the outrageous slings and
arrows of arthritis, desperate
for and bereft of any hope
of relief or cure. Victims
of, and wracked with seemingly
unbearable pain, arthritic
sufferers have classically
been condemned to the medical
merry-go-round of the toxic
arthritic drug emporium:
aspirin, cortisone, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory agents
(NSAIDS), gold shots, penicillamine,
methotrexate and, as a last
resort, surgery. The side
effects of all these traditional
anti-arthritic drugs can
be severe(21):
Aspirin:
gastric bleeding, stomach
upset, loss of hearing,
tinnitis, increased bleeding
time, allergic reactions;
Cortico-Steroids:
suppression of immune response
moon-face, bruising, psychic
derangements, cataracts,
glaucoma, ocular infection,
elevated blood pressure,
salt and water retention;
NSAIDS:
gastric, nervous, hepatic,
skin, renal, ocular and
blood disorders;
Gold: bone
marrow damage, anemia, exfoliative
dermalitis.
Penicillamine:
generalized allergic reactions,
gastrointestinal pain, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, peptic
ulcer, liver dysfunction,
pancreatitis, bone marrow
depression, aplastic anemia,
renal dysfunction and/or
failure, tinnitus, myasthenia
gravis. Penicillamine is
a drug with a high incidence
of severe reactions, some
of which are potentially
fatal.
Methotrexate:
bone marrow damage, anemia,
leukopenia, bleeding, extensive
liver damage, foetal deaths,
congenital anomalies, diarrhea,
ulcerative stomatis, hemorrhagic
enteritis and death from
intestinal perforation.
Fortunately,
there is good news, thanks,
in very large measure to
the painstaking and pioneering
work, worldwide, of over
200 physicians in 15 different
countries who have each
contributed innovative and
effective treatments in
the development and implementation
of an integrated and comprehensive
programme to fight and win
the battle with arthritis.
Physicians who have pioneered
and developed the Rheumatoid
Disease Foundation's recommendations,
which have since 1982, produced
a consistent 80% remission/cure
rate for so-called intransigent
Rheumatoid Diseases include
Drs. Roger Wyburn-Mason
and Paul Pybus, both now
deceased, Jack M. Blount,Gus
J. Prosch, along with outstanding
contributions by many others.
Central to these successes
has been: (1) the use of
certain oral medications;
(2) intraneural injections;
(3) appropriate diet and
supplements; and (4) other
appropriate treatments,
such as treatment for Candidiasis,
virtually universal in arthritics.
The publishers
of this book, the Rheumatoid
Disease Foundation, have
published several outstandingly
written volumes describing
this comprehensive arthritis
regime for the layman, which
combines all modalities
of treatment: physical,
nutritional, infectious,
emotional and spiritual.
Several, which are highly
recommended reading for
everyone, include: "The
Art of Getting Well",
Anthony Di Fabio, 1988(71);
"Fight Back Against
Arthritis", Robert
Bingham, 1985(21); and "Rheumatoid
Diseases Cured At last",
Anthony Di Fabio, 1982(70).
These books provide a wealth
of well-presented information
relating to cause, diagnosis,
treatment, diet, counselling,
and exercises for the entire
range of arthritic conditions.
The Vitamin C - Arthritis
Connection
____________________________________
Vitamin
C is vital to any arthritic
therapeutic programme, because
Vitamin C has an intimate
therapeutic relationship
with each of the major causes
of arthritis: physical structure
of joints and bones - collagen;
immune response against
infectious agents; nutritional
deficiency; and stress.
As can
be recalled from previous
chapters, Vitamin C is an
obligatory requirement for
almost every step in the
synthesis of collagen, that
fibrous protein which forms
the strong connective tissue
vital for strong bones,
cartilage, the very bodily
structures which become
degenerate in arthritic
diseases. Hence, Vitamin
C must figure prominently
in any health promoting
and arthritic prevention
regime, in order for wound
healing and regeneration
of connective tissues to
proceed at optimal levels.
As related
in the preceding chapter,
arteriosclerosis, the clogging
up of arteries with cholesterol,
interferes with normal circulation
and metabolism of bones
and joints, leading to degeneration
and ultimately to arthritis.
The previously described
sterling role of Vitamin
C in the prevention and
even reversal of arteriosclerosis
is yet another strong indication
of the role of Vitamin C
in the prevention and treatment
of arthritis.
The role
of Vitamin C in maintaining
and strengthening immune
resistance to infectious
agents, and especially in
the function of particular
white cells, is yet another
facet of Vitamin C's power
against arthritis. Considerable
research points to a pivotal
role played by microorganisms,
perhaps an RNA virus in
association with a cell-wall
deficient organism, in arthritis.
Vitamin C's multi-faceted
role in stimulating lymphocyte
production, modulating the
levels of circulating antibodies,
in the synthesis of complement,
the production of the body's
natural anti-viral substance,
interferon, in the inhibition
of the prostaglandins PGE2
and PGF2, which are involved
in inflammatory responses
- swelling, pain, tenderness
and heat - and Vitamin C's
salutory therapeutic effects
in allergic responses, often
a critical component of
arthritis, all speak to
Vitamin C's essential role
in the successful treatment
of arthritis.
Ester-CR Ascorbate's Therapeutic
Success in Arthritis
_____________________________________________________
The majority
of physicians working with
arthritic sufferers develop
treatment regimes to alleviate
the pain in the individual.
It is difficult to set up
controlled cross-over trials
to assess the effectiveness
of various treatments, and,
as a result, most available
information is anecdotal
and subjective. Countless
case histories exist detailing
the effects of Ester-CR
ascorbate; the following
represents a small sample
exerted from one doctor's
files.
Dr. Edwin
Goertz, a Canadian-trained
physician with a distinguished
medical career in Canada
and the United States in
Emergency Medicine, Rehabilitation
Medicine and private practice,
has used Ester-CR with 300
arthritic patients. Dr.
Goertz reports(90): "....at
least 50 per cent have consistently
reported beneficial results
in their symptoms using
Ester-CR either as a primary
treatment or as adjunctive
therapy. Also I have never
observed any toxic side
effects to this product
or had any adverse reactions
when taken in conjunction
with other medications..."
Several case histories are
hereby appended:
Female
age 61. Diagnosis, osteoarthritis
of many years effecting
major joints and back. Patient
had very limited success
with various arthritis medications
and treatment. She was placed
on Ester-CR ascorbate t.i.d.
(3 times per day) along
with calcium salicylate
800 mg t.i.d. She was virtually
free of pain for one and
a half months until she
incurred back strain. For
a brief time she ran out
of Ester-CR ascorbate and
substituted Vitamin C with
immediate exacerbation of
pain. Patient insisted on
remaining on Ester-CR during
the past year and has experienced
no side effects.
Female,
age 83. Diagnosis of degenerative
joint disease most severe
in hips and knees. Had history
of intolerance to most arthritic
medication and little or
no relief from salicylates.
Was placed on Ester-CR ascorbate
t.i.d. and calcium salicylate
800 mg. t.i.d. for 2 weeks.
She reported improved knee
pain especially during the
night.
Female,
age 66. Diagnosis of rheumatoid
arthritis as a child with
extensive deformities. Patient
was placed on Ester-CR 300
mg. t.i.d. She felt much
improved in a few days both
physically and mentally
and was able to reduce Prednisone
and analgesics to about
one half dosage. She commented,
"I didn't believe I
could ever feel this good
again". Patient has
remained on Ester-CR during
the past year with continued
benefit and no side effects.
Male, age
60. Diagnosis of osteoarthritis
with symptoms primarily
of hands. Ester-CR three
times a day with moderate
improvement in pain over
three week period. The patient
then discontinued Ester-CR
and noticed an increase
in pain. He then resumed
Ester-CR with a notable
improvement.
Male, age
55. Degenerative arthritis
in the knees for several
years with occasional edema
at times but fairly persistent
pain. At time of initial
consult there was mild joint
effusion and tenderness
of left knee. Placed on
Ester-CR three times daily.
On three months follow up
almost asymptomatic with
no other medications but
Ester-CR and working as
full time truck driver.
Ester-CR
Ascorbate: Crippled Dogs
Walk Again
____________________________________________
Over the
last 30 years, draconian
efforts have been undertaken
by breeders and veterinarians
to eliminate canine hip
dysplasia. These measures
included sterilization of
all pups from a dysplastic
litter and selective breeding
of only those dogs free
from hip dysplasia. These
strategies were ineffective,
since they were based on
the erroneous assumption
that canine hip dysplasia
is an inherited birth defect.
More recent clinical research(20)
demonstrates that canine
hip dysplasis develops as
a result of inadequate Vitamin
C in the young puppy, resulting
in poor-quality, low-strength
collagen in the affected
ligaments. Although dogs
produce their own Vitamin
C, certain breeds produce
low levels of Vitamin C,
insufficient to counter
the high levels of stress
encountered in early life.
Vitamin C is essential in
the synthesis of collagen,
the building blocks of muscles,
ligaments, bones and tendons.
Over the past 5 years, eight
litters of German Shephered
puppies from parents with
hip dysplasis, have been
totally devoid of canine
hip dysplasis under the
following regime: the pregnant
bitch was administered 2-4
gm Vitamin C daily; from
birth to 3 weeks, the pups
are given 50-100 mg Vitamin
C orally; from 3 weeks until
4 months, 500 mg; from 4
months to 2 years, 1 to
2 gm daily.
In a recently
conducted study in at Droruddalen
Dyreklinikk in Oslo, Norway(20),
Dr. Berge tested Ester-CR
ascorbate on 180 dogs, who
were fed 3 x 30 mg/kg Ester-CR
ascorbate over 6 months.
These dogs exhibited clinical
symptoms of chronic joint,
skeletal and muscle inflammation,
which was diagnosed by journal,
clinical evaluation and,
in some instances, X-rays.
Treatment evaluation, 7
days following supplementation,
after 6 weeks, and finally
after 6 months, was based
upon clinical evaluation
and owner report. 100 dogs
with the following chronic
ailments were monitored
in this study:
Joint injuries
with secondary, permanent
changes
Arthrosis
Spondylosis
Hip dysplasia
Older disc-prolapse with
secondary, permanent changes
Muscle-atrophy as a result
of functional loss
Senile wear-changes in support
and motion systems.
The results
are as follows(20):
Ailment
Good Improvement Little
Improvement
Free of Symptoms No Effect
____________________________________
Hip Dysplasia:
1 week 32 (71.7%) 13 (28.9%)
6 weeks 35 (77.8%) 10 (22.2%)
Spondylosis
and
Back prolapse: 1 week 13
(76.5%) 4 (23.5%)
6 weeks 13 (76.5%) 4 (23.5%)
Arthrosis:
1 week 30 (78.9%) 8 (21.1%)
6 weeks 31 (81.6%) 7 (18.4%)
The possible mechanisms
for Ester-CR ascorbate appearing
to exert a therapeutic effect,
in arthritis, beyond that
of Vitamin C(60) are presently
not fully understood. However,
the case of the dogs' (who,
of course, manufacture their
own Vitamin C) recovery
from their chronic ailments(73,156),
in response to Ester-CR
supplementation, is quite
dramatic evidence that possibly
the metabolites in Ester-CR
exert a yet to be discovered
powerful therapeutic effect.
Further, more rigorous clinical
trials with these dogs are
presently in progress in
Norway.
Treatment
Programmes for Arthritis
__________________________________
The author
wishes to point out that
Vitamin C should be regarded
as merely one component
of a fully comprehensive
programme in the treatment
of arthritis. The type(s)
of arthritis should be established
by careful diagnosis. This
programme, in following
the guidelines set out by
the Rheumatoid Disease Foundation,
should consist of anti-protozoal
treatments, carefully and
individualized nutritional
programme paying careful
attention to allergies,
nutritional supplements
including Vitamin C, exercise,
relaxation and emotional
support. Additional, complementary
treatments such as hydrotherapy
and acupuncture may also
be appropriate.
