I was wondering if any one on the forum takes high doses of vitamin c tablets ( 1000mg) to help protect against colds and viruses and are they effective.
Now that i am have asthma i am getting a little bit worried about catching a nasty bug and being really rough, i always wrap up when walking in the cold weather and always wash my hands..but catching a cold is pretty unavoidable living in the U.K, so any advice would be helpful.
Digg.
I haven’t taken vitamin C tablet for years (and when I did it wasn’t for very long) and whilst I do get colds, I don’t get them on a regular basis. You’re right, such viral infections are pretty much impossible to avoid, but there are other things (apart from those you mention above) that you can do to help.
Eating a good balanced diet should give you enough vitamin C. As I understand it (someone please correct me if I’m wrong) the body only needs so much vitamin C a day, and any extra will just get excreted out. So if you are getting enough from your diet you’re unlikely to benefit from taking supplements. It’s easy to find out online which foods are rich in Vitamin C.
Another thing you can do is to keep yourself physically fit. Whilst it won’t necessarily prevent you picking up a viral infection, it will help your system to fight it if you do get one.
Do I gather from the above comment that you have recently been diagnosed with asthma? If so, do you have a Peak flow metre? f I get a cold I immediately start to keep a check on my Peak flow readings as there’s a reasonable chance that will give me advance warning that my my asthma is beginning to be affected and I can then take steps to counter it.
MaggieHP,
Thank you for your reply it was very helpful, i do have a peak flow meter being recently diagnosed and will have a puff on it if i start to feel a bit poorly.
Regarding exercise i do very little other than walk to work i guess something is better than nothing, it is rather difficult when the weather is so cold and wet, will get out and about when the weather improves. 
Digg, at this stage you really need to check your Peak flow at least twice a day (morning and evening) in order to work out what is a normal reading for you (it does vary from individual to individual). You should do three attempts, recording the best of the three, and you should always do it before you take any medication for your asthma:-).
Hi MaggieHP, Would have replied sooner..just arrived in from work. I have recently have been recording my peak flows in the booklet that i received from Asthma Uk which is very useuful.
My peak flows have been steady, but recently with the cold weather and when i was washing my duvets at the launderette ( i guess a shop full of chemicals did not help me ) they dropped a wee bit, so it was very helpful to compare readings.
I still have yet to receive a written Asthma plan from my nurse, my next appointment is March 1st, so hopefully i will get one.
Thank for your help and advice.
I moved to the USA and part of the many reasons was my health in the uk. I have been asthmatic for 20 years now and I reach 50 last year. I got colds twice a year and sometimes ended up in hospital. Now I’m in Florida and the best thing and I do agree is vitamin D the sun! Yes I’ve started going out in this wonderful sun and last week I caught a cold!.... if I can call it that. I’ve manage to nurse myself better with extra vitamin D tablets, vitamin c in oranges and juices inc cantalope melon and believe it or not coffee is good for you. I also take Manuka honey in lemon each morning
So it all helps to take some vitamins and good diet. And plenty of that big vitamin D in the sky.. the sun.
I have moved to the UK from the US (Pennsylvania). My health was better here for the first 10 years, but the second 10 years were a lot worse. I won't go back to America though because I am highly allergic to ragweed which is a big problem in America in August. It hasn't made it to the UK yet, but it's on the continent. I hope it doesn't make it over here.
Hello Suspect1, How i envy you being in such a beautiful part of America, i found some of your points interesting..especially the Manuka honey, does it work for you and what strength is it i know that they vary from low strength to high, i have heard so much about the Manuka honey and all it's benefits.
Did your Asthma improve when you moved to a climate that has a lot of sunshine.
Looking out of my window at a grey wet day, but seeing the local trot by the trees fox has cheered me up.
enjoy the sunshine
Hi digg, yes Manila honey 10+ or15+ depending what I can get one spoonful in half a cup of boiling water, half a fresh lemon squeezed into it and a bit of turmeric powder drink it first think on waking before brushing teeth or breakfast. I mean first!! Thing. It helps the chest and is so good for you. It’s become routine for me even when I’m well. Natural antibiotic.
The sunshine here helps dry up cold quicker and the vitamin D is good for you. I don’t go OTT though I’m not silly.
Moving to warmer climate was best thing I did. My body can’t take grey, wet, damp anymore. Plus I’m here to live too many people ill or dying close to me, not to be too morbid but it’s life. It’s not for everyone but I’m glad we’ve done it. Hope you feel better with the honey remedy
I am on 1000mg of Vitamin C a day as well as Calcium and Vitamin D tablets. My health this winter has been really good. However, I think because my asthma is finally under control, that might have something to do with it as well.
Hi emmasue, Glad to hear your asthma is under control, i guess it is a combination of both the medication and the high doses of vitamin c that must have helped, vitamin d is a good one i think i will start taking some supplements due to the fact that i rarely see that bright orange object in the sky sending down warm rays of lovely sunshine.
Digg, it might be an idea to get your levels of vitamin D checked by your GP before you get the supplements. It’s not difficult (a blood test does it) and it will give you an idea of what doseage to take if indeed you need it.
Hi MaggieHP,
The bloods check (vitamin D) sounds a good idea, although it has taken me since being diagnosed with asthma late November to get x-ray check a week ago and a spirometer test in March.
No rush in my surgery when my life has been turned upside down by asthma...it's all still a massive learning curve for me at the moment.
When i next meet up with the Doc to discuss x-ray & spirometer results i will ask him for bloods.
In the present i have just received a allergy blood test pack from a private company so it would be interesting what the test results will flag up.
Cheers
digg.
I am really pleased to hear that. I’m still getting mine under control in the US so hopefully I’ll be in the same position.
Stay healthy 😀
The Bird Flu was similar in the fact it was/is a deadly viral flu. Dr Hillary Jones was on TV the other day i think it was breakfast TV. Try looking on catch up TV to find the short interview. He was very informative and balanced in his view. He was very reassuring. He advised to treat it like any other flu virus.
My children caught Bird flu in 2010 and i treated it with the vitamin C treatment. It did work. Any flu virus attacks the soft lung tissue. Vitamin C protects the soft tissue. Look online for Dr Gifford Jones article on vitamin C also Dr Andrew W. Saul. Its worth a try it worked for my children. Concentrate on the dosages because its different for each person. You have to find out your personal tolerance level and then reduce by a certain % then take the reduced personal level and take 3 times a day during the scare. Its a personal choice but it worked for my family. Do some research on the dosages. for instance i can tolerate 3 x 2.000mg solvable tablets per day without it upsetting my bowel that = 6,000mg per day spread over 3 doses. (2,000mg 3 times a day) My Son can tolerate 3 x 1,500 per day. find your own personal level. Hope this helps.
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