Extracts from More Energy & Less Disease with Vitamin C and MSM By Walter Last

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Alternative Oxygen Supply

Our main oxygen distribution is with the haemoglobin in red blood cells. A problem with it is that oxygen is released into the tissues only in response to the presence of carbon dioxide as generated with the aerobic energy metabolism through muscle or brain activity.

People with a high amount of Candida, fungi and other myco-microbes have an anaerobic metabolism in parts of the brain and in many muscles and organs. Also cancer cells have an anaerobic metabolism and can become normal with increased oxygen supply so that tumours may just melt away (5). Anaerobic cells do not produce carbon dioxide, and therefore do not get sufficient oxygen from the normal blood circulation. This makes it understandable why it is highly beneficial with all anaerobic and low-energy conditions to use additional oxygen supply methods that do not require carbon dioxide to release oxygen.

Best suited for supplementation are vitamin C and MSM. These form reduction-oxidation or redox pairs. One such pair is vitamin C (ascorbic acid or ascorbate) as the reduced form and dehydroascorbic acid or DHA as the oxidized form. Another one is DMSO as the reduced form and MSM as the oxidized one (6).

The principle of action is as follows: In an oxygen deficient environment such as a cell with anaerobic metabolism a redox pair changes from their oxidized state to their reduced form by giving off one atom of highly reactive oxygen. When vitamin C or DMSO return to the circulation and flow with the blood through the lungs they are again being converted to their oxidized forms. In this way the redox cycle can repeat several times until the chemicals are gradually being excreted through the kidneys, and an oxidative energy metabolism can be restored in anaerobic tissue where this is not possible with the oxygen in red blood cells.

DHA is the form in which vitamin C gets into the brain and most other cells. Vitamin C cannot enter directly in its reduced form, it only gets inside cells as DHA. Inside the cell it is then reduced by liberating oxygen. With the normal intake levels of vitamin C and MSM the released amount of oxygen is so low that it does not make a difference, and especially not in cells that produce carbon dioxide and get their oxygen from haemoglobin. But it can make a world of difference in anaerobic tissue, and with high intakes of vitamin C and MSM. The oxygen released in this way is initially highly reactive and kills the microbes inside the cells that caused this blockage, and then re-starts the blocked oxidative energy metabolism. This is how vitamin C protects us against cancer and infections if we use enough of it.

I do not regard hydrogen peroxide and ozone as suitable oxygen delivery systems to restore the cellular oxygen metabolism. While hydrogen peroxide can be very beneficial to destroy or control fungal-type microbes in the stomach and small intestines, it is not normally suitable for delivering oxygen to anaerobic tissues deeper within the body as it is too reactive, and in the high amounts needed would cause too much damage to antioxidant systems. It has been used with good results, just like ozone, to destroy blood-born microbes by intravenous infusions. But even blood can probably be cleaned just as well or better with frequent oral doses of sodium ascorbate and MSM than with occasional intravenous courses of hydrogen peroxide or ozone.

I regard this alternative oxygen supply as being very effective in all conditions of low energy, mental-emotional conditions, cancer, autoimmune diseases, liver diseases, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and all other fungal or Candia-related diseases as well as chronic inflammations and infections.

Cleaning Blood Vessels

Blood vessel congestion is the main underlying cause of many serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) leading to heart attacks and strokes, and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) leading to varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, leg ulcers potentially causing leg amputation in diabetes, and poor blood supply to the brain. Many common conditions such as arthritis, degenerative eye changes (e.g. cataracts, macular degeneration), migraines, and multiple sclerosis are aggravated by it. I noticed symptoms attributed to multiple sclerosis or nerve degeneration disappearing with improved blood circulation.

The position of the medical orthodoxy is that atherosclerosis, the clogging up of blood vessels with cholesterol, is caused by high levels of low-density lipoproteins, transporting mainly cholesterol from the liver to other parts of the body. The main problem with this theory is that many individuals with persistently high LDL levels never have a heart attack, and many individuals with low or normal LDL levels do have heart attacks.

In 1991 and 1992 doctors Matthias Rath and Linus Pauling wrote important articles linking the development and cure of CVD and PVD to vitamin C deficiency (7, 8). They showed that it is actually a variant of LDL, namely lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a), and not LDL that is accumulating in the blood vessel wall causing atherosclerosis. Lp(a) is formed in increasing amounts in the liver in response to low ascorbate concentrations. Animals, except for primates and guinea pigs produce their own vitamin C at a comparable daily rate of several grams in humans. It therefore comes as no surprise that CVD is essentially unknown in animals, and Lp(a) is mainly found in species that have lost the ability to produce their own ascorbate.

Ascorbate deficiency results in degenerative changes of the blood vessel wall, potentially leading to life-threatening bleeding disorders. To avoid such unwanted consequences, low ascorbate levels at the same time increase the plasma concentration of factors that constrict blood vessels and increase blood clotting, including Lp(a) and fibrinogen. Accordingly, Lp(a) is deliberately accumulated in blood vessels damaged by vitamin C deficiency to strengthen the wall and prevent it from bleeding or bursting. An unwanted side effect of this defensive action is the clogging up of blood vessels like old water pipes, and the formation of blood clots, especially micro-clots blocking the blood flow in capillaries. With this vitamin C deficiency appears to be the main cause of acquired as well as inherited bleeding and blood clotting disorders.

Another side effect of vitamin C deficiency is high or low blood pressure. Hypertension is mainly associated with CVD and caused when the congestion of arteries and the blood vessel constricting effects dominate. Hypotension is mainly due to weakness and loss of elasticity in the veins, leading to PVD. In PVD triglyceride-rich lipoproteins accumulate in the plasma as very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). These are easily oxidised by chlorinated water, smoking, polluted air, and other factors that deplete vitamin C and then form brownish coloured residues in affected tissues. Elevated glucose levels as in diabetes inhibit the cellular uptake of vitamin C, leading to greater degeneration of the blood circulation.

The authors and others have shown that prolonged high supplementation with ascorbate does not only protect against the development of CVD and PVD, but also gradually clears congested blood vessels and strengthens blood vessel walls. They also wrote:" The therapeutic significance of our discovery is not limited to CVD; Lp(a) and ascorbate are involved in cancer, inflammatory disease, and other diseases, including the process of aging" and "We are convinced that before long ascorbate will become the treatment of first choice for cardiovascular disease." Not unexpectedly this last statement is the only one in this article which has turned out to be totally wrong. Why would drug companies give up the highly profitable statins and face bankruptcy with vitamin C instead? Even if individual doctors were inclined to use vitamin C, the drug companies control the system. As I will point out below the drug companies are moving in the opposite direction by restricting the availability of vitamin C.

I can confirm from my own experience that this method works. However, in individuals with impaired liver function the cholesterol and oxidised fats cleaned-out from the blood vessels may not be removed through the liver but remain under the skin for several months until they are gradually eliminated through the skin. This can temporarily lead to an unclean skin.

Connective Tissue

Connective tissue holds the different parts of our body together. Examples of connective tissue are tendon, ligament, skin, cornea, cartilage, bone and blood vessels. Skin cells grow on a scaffolding of connective tissue, while bone consist of minerals within a matrix of connective tissue. The main component of connective tissue is collagen. It is structured as three protein strands arranged as a triple helix, and is the most abundant protein in the body.

Ascorbate is essential in forming different components of collagen and to assemble everything into the triple helix. Severe vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy in which collagen becomes defective and prevents the formation of strong connective tissue. Gums deteriorate and bleed with loss of teeth; skin discolours and breaks down, and wounds do not heal just as with diabetes. Another scurvy-like effect of vitamin C deficiency is haemorrhagic bleeding in the brain of children after vaccinations for which some parents were put in jail accused of causing "shaken baby syndrome".

Along with soft keratin, collagen makes the skin strong and elastic, its degradation leads to wrinkles, loose and ageing skin. Even more important for health is the effect on the blood vessels. Deficiency causes them to lose their elasticity, rigid and calcified arteries drive up the blood pressure and they can more easily break. This is especially a problem with aneurisms - ballooning enlargements of arteries with thin walls that can easily rupture (Albert Einstein died of a ruptured abdominal aneurism). In the veins vitamin C deficiency causes distension and slack walls so that the valves no longer close properly. The blood stagnates in the lower legs and pools to form varicose veins.

Now we can also understand sagging breasts and enlarged prostates as chronic vitamin C deficiencies rather than just advancing age. The prostate story is more complicated and goes like this: testosterone is partially converted in the testes and prostate into the much stronger dihydrotestosterone or DHT. It is then supposed to go with the blood circulation into the rest of the body. But with chronic ascorbate deficiency the blood keeps stagnating and pooling in or near the prostate leading to very high DHT levels that now stimulate prostate growth. The solution is improving the elasticity of connective tissue.

High DHT levels in the scalp are the main cause of male-pattern baldness. It appears that prostate enlargement is the result of DHT combined with a weak venous system (PVD) while male-pattern baldness is due to DHT in a congested arterial system or CVD. Both may, of course, be present simultaneously.

All of these problems - ageing skin, rigid arteries, aneurisms, varicose veins, sagging breasts, enlarging prostates and male-pattern baldness are signs of chronic vitamin C deficiency, commonly in combination with copper deficiency. Copper is also essential in forming connective tissue. Furthermore, plenty of sulphur is required either from sulphur-rich vegetables or MSM or both.

How to use Vitamin C and MSM

Linus Pauling, two times Nobel prize winner, pioneered the daily use of 10 grams of vitamin C for the improvement and protection of health. However, even much smaller amounts can cause diarrhoea if taken all at once. Therefore use it well spread out during the day and night (in case you tend to wake up) but increase amounts only gradually to minimize the possibility of diarrhoea and cleansing reactions, cut back if problems arise.

It is best to use vitamin C and MSM together, such as up to 10 grams of sodium ascorbate and 10 grams of MSM, and possibly 2 to 3 teaspoons of 50 to 70% DMSO rubbed on the skin at problem areas.

You may either frequently mix the powders with drink or food, or dissolve them in half to one litre of water, juice or herb tea, and frequently sip during the day. If there are indications that you are too acidic and need additional alkalizers, then you may also mix sodium bicarbonate and/or potassium citrate as required with the same drink. You may also add magnesium chloride or magnesium oil, or borax, or other frequently taken nutrients, but generally not oxidants such as MMS or Lugol's solution.

I would generally continue with 10 grams daily until the treated problem has been resolved, be it to get more energy, a chronic disease, liver problems, improving connective tissue, or just to clean out and strengthen the blood vessels. After about one year or with sufficient and sustained improvement you may try reducing to 5 grams daily and later even less. Young and healthy individuals may remain healthy with several hundred milligrams of vitamin C available from a good diet.

Do not stop a high vitamin C intake suddenly as this can create a serious rebound deficiency, rather reduce high intakes gradually.

Note from Regenerative Nutrition: we suggest Zell Immunocomplex as a complimentary aid to fighting infections, supporting energy and cellular oxygenation. Also, please see Organic Germanium for its role in boosting available oxygen. What the information above is indicating is that even with sufficient blood oxygenation oxygen and nutrients will not be effectively delivered to sickly anaerobic cells sufficiently; as they are not releasing carbon dioxide to pull in oxygen. MSM improves health by aiding the transportation of nutrients and oxygen into the cells whilst also transporting toxins out. Due to this and the other actions of MSM; it can be viewed as an ultimate detox remedy. Vitamin C and Zell Immunocomplex help to mitigate detoxification symptoms. 

Haemochromatosis

Individuals with iron overload problems, mainly the elderly and those with haemochromatosis (HC) may be reluctant to use vitamin C because of medical advice that it may increase iron absorption. However, from a biochemical perspective, iron overload is a problem of the redox balance with too much iron in the oxidised ferro-form accumulating in the liver. I have shown that this can easily be cured or rectified with a sufficiently high intake of vitamin C (10 grams of spaced-out sodium ascorbate/day) to normalise the overall redox potential of the body (9, 10).

I had several HC patients whose iron levels normalised within weeks with a high sodium ascorbate intake. The success rate was 100%, while with the low vitamin C intake suggested by conventional medicine it is 0%. My first patient with hereditary HC was treated conventionally for several years with frequent blood-letting, and was close to death without bringing the iron values into the normal range. But this happened within 20 days after starting ascorbate supplementation. He was anaemic with very low haemoglobin values, and additional Meniere's disease, also all of these normalised rapidly with the start of ascorbate therapy. Interestingly, when he reduced his ascorbate to 5 grams and also started eating meat his iron level moved up again and only normalised when increasing vitamin C to 10 grams.

In medicine HC is regarded as an iron overload disease because high amounts of oxidised iron in the form of ferritin (an iron-3 binding protein complex) are stored in the liver and cause oxidative problems also in other parts of the body. I prefer instead to regard it as an iron deficiency disease. The body is deficient in usable iron, that is why it sends out a message to absorb more of it.

Vitamin C not only improves the absorption of iron, it is also required to move iron in and out of ferritin tissue stores. Without adequate antioxidants, ferric iron stores may build up because iron cannot be liberated from tissue ferritin and transferred onto plasma transferrin, the main protein in the blood that binds to iron and transports it throughout the body. This step requires vitamin C for a temporary reduction of 3-valence ferric to 2-valence ferrous iron.

A main problem is the recycling of iron from the continual breakdown of haemoglobin in the spleen. About 25 mg of iron are recycled daily in this way, but this requires a reduction-oxidation step to transfer ferritin iron in the tissue onto plasma transferrin. With vitamin C deficiency there would be only a partial recycling. Most of the iron stores build up in the liver where the decomposed haemoglobin arrives through the portal vein after its liberation from old erythrocytes in the spleen.

This causes a very high oxidation potential in the liver, leading to various liver diseases and elevated liver enzymes. However, very high ferric iron stores in the liver would also make this organ more antioxidant deficient than other tissue. The highest vitamin C activity would be in the intestinal mucosa as these have first call on the antioxidants absorbed from food. Therefore, transferrin will preferentially pick up iron from the intestinal mucosa and avoid the liver stores as too difficult to convert.

Iron overload is not just a problem of our genes. It is a general problem as we get older but happens more rapidly in males and with liver diseases. Therefore it is probably a condition of most elderly individuals. This causes generalised vitamin C deficiency being expressed as a great variety of old-age symptoms. Two very common ones are connective tissue weakness and loss of hair colour.

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