[LakeMountD]

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/107/108709.htm

[natiels]

Doesnt sound very conclusive. It seems that those who physically tax their bodies on a regular basis have shown to benefit from vitamin c.

I am the type that always get sick when someone in the office gets something and surely whenever my wife gets something. I started taking vitamin C this year before the major cold/flu season at about 3 grams a day and i have not gotten sick yet despite many bugs going thru my workplace and my wife getting sick twice. Another thing i noticed is that i have not had a cold sore or any other mouth sore since and i used to get them more often then i liked. My personal experience thus far tells me that Vit. C is doing my body very good so this study doesnt mean much IMO.

I wonder how many others have had positive experiences from vit c.

[LakeMountD]

Originally Posted by natiels

Doesnt sound very conclusive. It seems that those who physically tax their bodies on a regular basis have shown to benefit from vitamin c.

I am the type that always get sick when someone in the office gets something and surely whenever my wife gets something. I started taking vitamin C this year before the major cold/flu season at about 3 grams a day and i have not gotten sick yet despite many bugs going thru my workplace and my wife getting sick twice. Another thing i noticed is that i have not had a cold sore or any other mouth sore since and i used to get them more often then i liked. My personal experience thus far tells me that Vit. C is doing my body very good so this study doesnt mean much IMO.

I wonder how many others have had positive experiences from vit c.

The study doesn't say that it won't prevent illness. It states that its ineffective against the COMMON COLD, which I can attest to since I took like 2 grams a day for a realllllly long time and still got a cold at least once a year. About the same rate as I had before. But it did prevent other things and it probably helps you get over things quicker.

[natiels]

Originally Posted by LakeMountD

The study doesn't say that it won't prevent illness. It states that its ineffective against the COMMON COLD, which I can attest to since I took like 2 grams a day for a realllllly long time and still got a cold at least once a year. About the same rate as I had before. But it did prevent other things and it probably helps you get over things quicker.

True, but I would imagine anything that helps boost your immune system would aid in preventing a cold at least somewhat. I have not gotten a cold yet this year and normally i would have had 1 or 2 by now. I have to admit though, i have only been taking vit c about 6 months so there is a chance i may have been lucky. I don't "think" it has been luck, but only time will tell.

[stalemate]

dang, i guess i don't appreciate my immune system enough. last time i got ANYTHING was in '02. i believe it's all about diet. you shouldn't need so many extra synthetic vitamins. i dunno, maybe i'm just LUCKY!!

[exnihilo]

The biggest factor in how often you get sick is how often you wash your hands.

[bioman]

Originally Posted by stalemate

dang, i guess i don't appreciate my immune system enough. last time i got ANYTHING was in '02. i believe it's all about diet. you shouldn't need so many extra synthetic vitamins. i dunno, maybe i'm just LUCKY!!

After about age 25 there is a sharp reduction in immune system reactivity and thus a sharp increase in number of viral infections like colds and flu.

In other words, enjoy it while it lasts.

[asap nutrition]

Originally Posted by LakeMountD

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/107/108709.htm

Because I am in a Molecular Biology program at my university I have never believed that taken these extreme amounts of substances was beneficial to the majority of those that take them. Yes I do believe that some individuals will derive some extra benefits from excess amounts of vitamins and other supplements but most will just be wasting their money.

Glad to see this study validate this argument. This isn't the only article I have read where this is was stated though.

[picasso]

This report states that unless you are highly stressed (skier in cold or a soldier) or take large doses, Vitamin C does not prevent or reduce the severity of colds.

Of course, what the report could have said is that if you are a strength athlete, working out hard regularly, and working, & living your life, that your level of body stress may be enough to enable the cold-prevention qualities of C to help you.

And instead of saying that doses less than 8 grams at the onset of a cold didn't prevent a cold, they could have said "Take at least 8 grams on the day you start to feel a cold come on and you may not catch it".

I personally have no problem taking 8 grams throughout the day if I start to get that feeling you get when catching a cold. If your body can't use it, it will just excrete it naturally. Why the reports perspective was from a negative slant towards C is anyone's guess, and maybe I'm cynical but the pharmaceutical industry sometimes has a part in these 'news' stories, since they can't patent a natural vitamin like C.

Anyway, off my soapbox. Remember that vitamin C is also a powerful anti-oxidant that works in concert with E reduce cell damage while you age and helps repair sun and pollution damage caused by our environment.