Vitamin C and Ulcers

Published: September 9, 2012
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Vitamin C to Help Address Ulcers

In a study involving 171 subjects infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), supplementation with vitamin C was found to reduce the dose of antibiotics needed to effectively eradicate the infection. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups. For a period of 1 week, all subjects received 20 mg omeprazole (prilosec) and 1 g amoxicillin (an antibiotic). In addition, subjects in Group1 received 250 mg clarithromycin (Biaxin) twice a day; subjects in Group2 received 250 mg clarithromycin plus 500 mg vitamin C twice a day; and subjects in Group3 received 500 mg clarithromycin twice a day. The level of H. pylori eradication was assessed 6 weeks post-therapy via a 13C-urea breath test. Strains of the bacteria were tested and determined to be either clarithromycin-susceptible or clarithromycin-resistant. Results found that for subjects with clarithromycin-susceptible infections, therapy with vitamin C (500 mg/twice a day) plus clarithromycin (250 mg/twice a day) (Group2) led to significantly greater eradication of the infection than therapy with clarithromycin alone at a dose of 250 mg/twice a day, and was equivalent to eradication found among subjects taking clarithromycin at a dose of 500 mg/twice a day. For subjects with clarithromycin-resistant infections, all groups showed a poor eradication rate (less than 34%). The authors conclude that, "Adding vitamin C to one-week triple therapy can reduce the dosage of clarithromycin, but preserve the high eradication efficacy for clarithromycin susceptible H. pylori infection."

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.

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