T Nation

Vitamin C

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

Simply put, Vitamin C is the most amazing creation on God’s green Earth. I’ve been taking it since early November and I’m pretty sure I’m turning into the Wolverine. Since then I have not been sick, not even a little bit.

I’m talking I think I’ve blown my nose less than 5 times since December. I pretty much used to have chronic colds/allergy symptoms, but not any more. My roomate started to get the flu pretty bad and I shared my C with him and he got better within a couple of days.

My workout recovery is definitly better, soreness is down, and all around I just feel better. I take 2 grams of C every night before I go to sleep. The only side effect is that it gives you some pretty wicked gas- 2 grams is ok, but anything above that will clear a room. I think that could be the shitty CVS brand though.

I just felt compelled to share my experiences with this wonderful creation. Anybody else supplement with a ton of C?

#2

I take 1 gram daily, and go outside in the winter with no shirt for 10 minute stretches some times. I rarely get sick. Since I started supplementing with C, I think my test has been boosted as well. I feel thicker and fuller in certain areas.

#3

[quote]jtrinsey wrote:
Simply put, Vitamin C is the most amazing creation on God’s green Earth. I’ve been taking it since early November and I’m pretty sure I’m turning into the Wolverine. Since then I have not been sick, not even a little bit.

I’m talking I think I’ve blown my nose less than 5 times since December. I pretty much used to have chronic colds/allergy symptoms, but not any more. My roomate started to get the flu pretty bad and I shared my C with him and he got better within a couple of days.

My workout recovery is definitly better, soreness is down, and all around I just feel better. I take 2 grams of C every night before I go to sleep. The only side effect is that it gives you some pretty wicked gas- 2 grams is ok, but anything above that will clear a room. I think that could be the shitty CVS brand though.

I just felt compelled to share my experiences with this wonderful creation. Anybody else supplement with a ton of C?[/quote]

If you take 2 grammes, don’t use time release and take 4x 500mg divided dosages as the vitamin is water soluble.

#4

Well, truth be told, Wolverine never did keep his ass on a leash. It was one gas typhoon after another.

But seriously 2g is pretty huge, I’ve never tried that much.

#5

[quote]BarneyFife wrote:
I take 1 gram daily, and go outside in the winter with no shirt for 10 minute stretches some times. I rarely get sick. Since I started supplementing with C, I think my test has been boosted as well. I feel thicker and fuller in certain areas.[/quote]

Vitamin C can suppress cortisol levels. Don’t think it directly boosts T levels I’m afraid. I take about 3 grammes a day of buffered with rose hips, and often get a cold. Depends if you come into contact with people with colds more than anything.

#6

I’ve never taken vitamin C by itself, but I tell you I had a nasty flu for about three days after all I could stomach was fruit,even though I was working through it, but on the third day I felt like a million bucks. I’ve been thinking about taking it ever since, now I have to!

by the way, ever tried zinc, it’s an immune system booster and recovery agent, I started taking at night with my protein to cut back on DOMS, it really helped. Wait a minut this T-Nation you probably take ZMA.

#7

I don’t get sick,haven’t in a long,long time,but when I did I’d juice the whole day and mix it with alo vera juice and it was gone within a day.

#8

[quote]wyrd1 wrote:
I’ve never taken vitamin C by itself, but I tell you I had a nasty flu for about three days after all I could stomach was fruit,even though I was working through it, but on the third day I felt like a million bucks. I’ve been thinking about taking it ever since, now I have to!

by the way, ever tried zinc, it’s an immune system booster and recovery agent, I started taking at night with my protein to cut back on DOMS, it really helped. Wait a minut this T-Nation you probably take ZMA.[/quote]

Yeah I take ZMA at night along with 4 500mg Vitamin C tablets. Even if it is only placebo effect, it’s a pretty awesome placebo effect and C is cheap as balls.

#9

[quote]jtrinsey wrote:
Simply put, Vitamin C is the most amazing creation on God’s green Earth. I’ve been taking it since early November and I’m pretty sure I’m turning into the Wolverine. Since then I have not been sick, not even a little bit.

I’m talking I think I’ve blown my nose less than 5 times since December. I pretty much used to have chronic colds/allergy symptoms, but not any more. My roomate started to get the flu pretty bad and I shared my C with him and he got better within a couple of days.

My workout recovery is definitly better, soreness is down, and all around I just feel better. I take 2 grams of C every night before I go to sleep. The only side effect is that it gives you some pretty wicked gas- 2 grams is ok, but anything above that will clear a room. I think that could be the shitty CVS brand though.

I just felt compelled to share my experiences with this wonderful creation. Anybody else supplement with a ton of C?[/quote]

Vitamin C can act as a chelator of many toxic metals, which is a good thing if you carry higher than normal levels of them. On the other hand vitamin C also lowers calcium, magnesium, and copper as well, which if you’re already deficient in them can cause exacerbation of certain health problems.

Vitamin C is also supportive of the adrenal glands if they are sluggish, helps collagen formation, improves the immune system, acts as an antioxidant, and stimulates the thyroid gland indirectly. Megadoses are good if you’re lacking in all/many of those functions.

#10

jamba juice, “Coldbuster”

#11

I remember reading in Optimum Sports Nutrition by Dr. Micheal Colgan (1993?) that he believed that vitamin C had a positive effect on testosterone. I am not sure if you have read this book or if he has changed his opinion since then. He supplemented with 2-12g of vitamin C, with his athletes.

#12

Bri,

Can you give a couple of links to sites that talk about the para/sympathetic theory you mentioned? If you have nothing can you post the name of the theory or whomever came up with it or wrote on it?

Thanks,

B

#13

Woops, the last post was for another thread. Oh well, VIT. C ROCKS!! I use emergen-c packets. :slight_smile:

#14

I know some stregnth coaches use vit C Iv’s and some doctors are now thinking its a good idea to use post surgery to cut down on inflamation(don’t know the article mom’s a nurse and I talk to her about lifting supps and she mentioned it). BB

#15

[quote]papi93 wrote:
I remember reading in Optimum Sports Nutrition by Dr. Micheal Colgan (1993?) that he believed that vitamin C had a positive effect on testosterone. I am not sure if you have read this book or if he has changed his opinion since then. He supplemented with 2-12g of vitamin C, with his athletes.[/quote]

Its favourable in the Cortisol / Testosterone ration, thats the testosterone benefits and also insufficient levels of C can lead to agglutination of sperm. Not a problem for ladies though.

#16

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
Bri,

Can you give a couple of links to sites that talk about the para/sympathetic theory you mentioned? If you have nothing can you post the name of the theory or whomever came up with it or wrote on it?

Thanks,

B[/quote]

Some books:

“Nutritional Balancing” by Lawrence Wilson, M.D.

“The Metabolic Typing Diet” by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey

“An Analytical System of Clinical Nutrition” by Dr. Guy Schenker

“A Nutrition Solution” by Harold J. Kristal and James M. Haig

Some websites:

http://www.royalrife.com/hbal.html

http://drlwilson.com/Articles/NERVOUS%20SYSTEM.htm

http://www.drlwilson.com/Articles/metabolic%20typing.htm

http://www.whale.to/cancer/k/Ch8.html

Some of the authors have slightly different recommendations, and some I don’t agree with, but it should get you started.