methotrexate and ascorbic acid Vit C

[jamjar67]

I am writing on behalf of my brother who has RA. I have been reading much about the benefits of Vit C and wondered if anyone takes Vit C alongside Methotrexate ?

Many Thanks

[ruth_p]

When you talk about vitamin c do you mean for its supposed immune system boost? Why would you want to boost an immune system that is attacking your own body? The whole point of taking methotrexate (and other DMARDS) is to suppress your immune system. 🙂

[Sockknitter]

I don't take it as a supplement, but I do try to get as much fruit and veg as part of a good diet.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Sockknitter]

Best way! My biologics sister and senior rheumatologist both said it was absolutely fine to take a Haliborange or similar multivitamin with vitamin c in it and zinc as they weren’t the higher amounts of the vitamins some are. I was told to do this a couple of years ago when I kept getting colds when my Rtx infusions were starting to be given closer together. Yes, why over boost your system when your meds are trying to do the opposite etc I understand and get entirely, but then as I once said to another senior rheumy nurse who was against the many vitamins added in some breakfast cereals .. How do you propose to remove those then?! She did see the amusing side to my comment but said all vitamins should be from fresh fruits and veg etc. I do that very much. However, not sure how long before we get a distinct shortage of those. I know we are not supposed to touch the super immune boosters like echinacea and I wouldn’t want to do that.

[Pippy25]

Always best to check with health care professionals for medical advice, perhaps your brother could raise it with his rheumy or nurse. I'm not on MTX but would think that taking any vitamins or herbal remedies is always best checked out first. It's lovely that you have read about this and want to help your brother that is so caring of you, but be aware also that not all information out there can be validated, proven or reliable. Take care and hope you and your brother are keeping well.

[Hidden]

I have taken vitamin C with zinc for decades. My GP and rheumatologist are both fine about it. I take other supplements too. I declared and was given approval for the ones I was taking when I fell ill. For a couple of things I wanted to add later, I asked first and nothing has been forbidden. Sometimes the answer from the rheumatologist (or the rheumatology pharmacist) is very positive, saying yes, some people get benefit from this, at other times it is more that it's OK to take it but they are doubtful whether there will be any benefit.

The one thing my rheumatologist cautiously recommended is turmeric.

[springcross in reply to Hidden]

That's really odd. I asked my Rheumy about turmeric in December and he said it was good stuff and there would be no problem taking it. He also said that there are no known contraindications against it.

[Hidden in reply to springcross]

When I said she cautiously recommended it, she had said it was something I could try because there appeared to be some evidence that it could be helpful. She can't make more definite statements about something that has not been fully tested. So she was saying much the same as your rheumatologist.

[springcross in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that. x

[BoneyC]

For general health, I have a small glass of orange juice daily and eat fresh oranges when in season. I always thought it best to eat fresh as Vit C is not stored in the body, any excess is flushed out daily and it also helps iron absorption - my iron levels are on low side with RA.

[Hidden]

Vitamin c helps to absorb folic acid more efficiently. Rheumatologist told me to take vitamin c and D

[cass24]

Although it's taken me a while to get my head around myself, as far as I understand it, the idea that the drugs we take are suppressing our immune system and therefore we should avoid anything that "boosts" it, is rather too simplistic. After all, if that were the case, we should probably all be eating junk food, doing no exercise and generally aiming to live as unhealthily as possible...

Personally I take Vitamin C, D and zinc (all checked with my rheumy first)... and am also giving turmeric a try (which my rheumy thought "wouldn't do any harm" and had apparently seemed to help at least one or two of his patients) though I am aware there is some debate on the latter.

As others have said, always best to double check with your own medical people first though.

[4201]

I have Psoriatic Arthritis and have been on MTX for a year. I have had no flare ups and the MTX is working. I have never been advised not to continue taking vitamin supplements by my primary doctor, my chiropractor, nor my rheumatologist. With this pandemic, Vitamin C and Vitamin D3 are important to our overall health. The folic acid that I was prescribed to take daily while I am taking MTX, hopefully will keep my hair from falling out. So far, so good. I have read on this site where MTX users were thinking that they should not go on the drug or stop taking it while this pandemic rages so that they would not be suppressing their immune system. Sounds logical and I would like to do that too. However, knowing how much pain and how disabled I was before this treatment, I will continue to take it every week. Hope my experience helps in making your decision. Warm regards.....

[jamjar67]

Thank you for all the comments, I have passed them all to my brother and he really appreciates the info. Obvs he will have to do what feels right for his own health.

Thankyou