1) All of the patients had abnormally low serum levels of vitamin C. Supplementing patients with nutrients that are pathologically low is not the same as loading them with abnormally high levels of those nutrients. There is a lot of precedent for replacing lost nutrients--usually, it consists of hydration with electrolyte replacement. Sometimes, this is coupled with symptomatic treatment.
2) As a reviewer of this study, I would express concern that the vitamin C replacement study pushed the serum concentration of ascorbate more than ten-fold higher than normal serum concentrations. 3) There is no reason to think that vitamin C has pharmaceutical activity beyond its role as an enzyme co-factor and its electron donor activity. If it does, in fact, have actual pharmaceutical activity, then mega-dosing on it is even more problematic than I have already discussed.
Keep in mind that the purpose of pharmaceutical agents is to disrupt metabolic pathways and processes. While there may be a valid reason to disrupt these activities when they enter a pathological state, there is absolutely no reason to interfere with them when they are functioning normally.
I seriously do not understand the desire to load up one's body with foreign chemicals (even when trace amounts of the chemicals are necessary for normal function). You delude yourself by thinking that since the chemical is "natural", it somehow cannot have adverse effects. Your body is meant to function within specific parameters, and your best bet to keep it functioning optimally is to eat a good balanced diet. Unless there is a specific medical reason to do otherwise, don't load your body up with abnormal levels of micronutrients, and don't abuse it with drugs.
Background
Parenterally administered ascorbic acid modulates sepsis-induced inflammation and coagulation in experimental animal models. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I trial was to determine the safety of intravenously infused ascorbic acid in patients with severe sepsis.
Safety of intravenous ascorbic acid
Safety of ascorbic acid infusion in critically ill patients was a primary endpoint for this Phase I safety trial. During the 96-hour infusion period, no patients were withdrawn due to study-related adverse events (i.e., hypotension, tachycardia, hypernatremia, or nausea/vomiting).
The results from this small phase I safety trial suggest that administering ascorbic acid in pharmacological dosages to critically ill patients with sepsis is safe and that it may provide adjunctive therapy in the treatment of severe sepsis.
Results
... Ascorbic acid infusion rapidly and significantly increased plasma ascorbic acid levels. No adverse safety events were observed in ascorbic acid-infused patients. Patients receiving ascorbic acid exhibited prompt reductions in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores while placebo patients exhibited no such reduction. Ascorbic acid significantly reduced the proinflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein and procalcitonin. Unlike placebo patients, thrombomodulin in ascorbic acid infused patients exhibited no significant rise, suggesting attenuation of vascular endothelial injury.
Conclusions
Intravenous ascorbic acid infusion was safe and well tolerated in this study and may positively impact the extent of multiple organ failure and biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial injury.
Why in the end you will lose
pharmaceutical companies can make no money competing with Vitamin C at $13 PER POUND.
the best part is in spite of the opposition of folks like you mega-dose Intravenous Vitamin C therapy is being successfully used to treat sepsis and Multiple Organ Failure just like that exhibited in hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola.
“I seriously do not understand the desire to load up one’s body with foreign chemicals...”
I notice you have no reservations about loading up the body with foreign chemicals such as prescription drugs and vaccines. If the FDA were doing their job, i.e., to protect we the people, most prescription drugs would be verboten because of the serious, and sometimes fatal side effects. Same is true of vaccines. You can rant all you want, but vitamin C is not a ‘foreign chemical’. All mammals except primates, bats and guinea pigs produce their own vitamin C.
Under stress the animals that produce their own vitamin C produce 100’s of times their ‘normal’ levels. And they get well. Same result for humans if high doses are used in times of stress. And in these times bowel tolerance goes up to match the need…and with absolutely no adverse effect on the various body organs. Your saying otherwise in your espousals on behalf of the drug industry does not make what you say true.