[Paleopsych] LRC: Global Battle Erupts Over Vitamin Supplements by Bill Sardi

Thu May 19 19:06:03 UTC 2005

Global Battle Erupts Over Vitamin Supplements by Bill Sardi
http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi37.html
5.5.16

    In an unprecedented action, the World Health Organization (WHO), the
    United Nations (UNICEF), and an AIDS activist group that promotes drug
    therapy in South Africa, joined forces in opposing vitamin therapy
    that exceeds the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), and in particular
    vitamin C in doses they describe as being "far beyond safe levels."
    These health agencies suggest nutrients primarily be obtained from the
    diet and warn that supplemental doses of vitamin C that exceed a 2000
    milligram per day upper limit could cause side effects such as
    diarrhea. The AIDS activist group also suggests patients receiving
    doses beyond the RDA should undergo proper counseling and informed
    consent before being placed on high-dose vitamin C.

    As outrageous as these statements sound, they burst into public view
    recently with an ongoing battle between Dr. Matthias Rath, a former
    Linus Pauling researcher, and The Treatment Action Campaign in South
    Africa. The public battle ensued after Dr. Rath published a full-page
    ad in the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune
    advocating vitamin therapy over anti-AIDS drug therapy. Coinciding
    with these full-page newspaper ads is a legal battle underway in South
    Africa where The Treatment Action Campaign seeks to censor statements
    made by Dr. Rath.

    Dr. Rath cites a study by Harvard Medical School researchers that
    showed dietary supplements slow the progression of AIDS and resulted
    in a significant decline in viral count. [New England Journal of
    Medicine 351: 23-32, 2004] Harvard researchers responded by saying
    vitamin therapy is important but may not replace anti-viral drug
    therapy.

    Diet promoted over supplements

    UNICEF and WHO advocate a balanced diet rather than supplements
    despite the fact AIDS patients have nutritional needs that exceed what
    the best diet can provide. AIDS patients often exhibit nutrient
    deficiencies due to malabsorption or diarrhea. Vitamin E, one of the
    supplemental nutrients provided in a cocktail developed by Dr. Rath
    for AIDS patients, is known to reduce the incidence of diarrhea. [STEP
    Perspectives 7:2-5, 1995]

    RDA for vitamin C is bogus

    Furthermore, the RDA for vitamin C established by the National
    Institutes of Health (NIH), referred to by the Treatment Action
    Campaign, was established using testing methods that have been proven
    to be inaccurate. A study published last year in the Annals of
    Internal Medicine by NIH scientists clearly shows much higher vitamin
    C levels can be achieved with oral dosing than previously thought
    possible. [Annals Internal Medicine 140:533-7, 2004]. Twelve noted
    antioxidant researchers have petitioned the Food & Nutrition Board to
    review the RDA for vitamin C now that it is apparent the RDA is based
    upon flawed research. [9]Steve Hickey Ph.D. and Hilary Roberts,
    pharmacology graduates of Manchester University, have authoritatively
    outlined the flaws in the current RDA for vitamin C.

    Furthermore, the RDA was established for healthy people and does not
    apply to patients with serious infectious disease such as AIDS
    patients.

    Health groups tip their hand

    This battle over vitamin supplements may be a foretaste of what will
    happen later this year when a worldwide body called Codex Alimentarius
    will meet to establish upper limits on vitamin and mineral
    supplements. Codex is governed under the auspices of the United
    Nations and World Health Organization. These health organizations are
    tipping their partiality for drugs over nutritional supplements.

    For example, Codex may establish a 2000 mg upper limit for vitamin C
    as previously proposed by the National Academy of Sciences, or as low
    as 225 mg which was recently established by German health authorities.
    Controlled studies do not support the use of either number.

    Dr. Rath is reported to recommend 4000 milligrams of daily vitamin C
    for AIDS patients. The amount of oral vitamin C that a patient can
    tolerate without diarrhea increases proportionately to the severity of
    their disease. [Med Hypotheses 18:61-77, 1985] AIDS patients often
    dont exhibit any diarrhea with extremely high-dose vitamin C therapy.
    Diarrhea may occur among healthy individuals following high-dose
    vitamin C therapy depending upon how much vitamin C is consumed at a
    single point in time. Divided doses taken throughout the day minimizes
    this problem.

    Huckster or helper?

    Dr. Rath, a renowned vitamin researcher who described a vitamin C cure
    for heart disease and cancer in 1990 in collaboration with Nobel prize
    winner Linus Pauling [Proc Natl Academy Sciences 87:9388-90, 1990], is
    characterized as a "wealthy vitamin salesman" by the Treatment Action
    Campaign in South Africa. Raths vitamin company is providing free
    vitamin therapy for AIDS victims in South Africa.

    Anti-AIDS drug therapy failing

    World health organizations appear to be solely backing AIDS drug
    therapy at a time when a highly drug-resistant strain of HIV that
    quickly progresses to AIDS has been reported in New York [AIDS Alert
    20: 39-40, 2005], and drug resistance is a growing problem [Top HIV
    Medicine 13: 51-57, 2003]. Its only a matter of time till all current
    anti-AIDS drugs fail.

    Of particular interest is selenium, a trace mineral included in Dr.
    Raths anti-AIDS vitamin regimen, which appears to slow progression of
    the disease. Researchers report HIV infection has spread more rapidly
    in Sub-Saharan Africa than in North America primarily because Africans
    have low dietary intake of selenium compared to North Americans.
    [Medical Hypotheses 60: 611-14, 2003] Selenium appears to be a key
    nutrient in counteracting certain viruses and HIV infection progresses
    more slowly to AIDS among selenium-sufficient individuals [Proceedings
    Nutrition Society 61: 203-15, 2002].

    The strong reaction by world health organizations against vitamin
    supplements causes one to wonder if they are afraid vitamin therapy
    will actually prove to be a viable alternative to AIDS drug therapy.

    Bill Sardi [[10]send him mail] is a consumer advocate and health
    journalist, writing from San Dimas, California. He offers a free
    downloadable book, The Collapse of Conventional Medicine, at [11]his
    website.

                           [13]Bill Sardi Archives

References

    9. http://www.lulu.com/Ascorbate
   10. mailto:BSardi at aol.com
   11. http://www.askbillsardi.com/
   13. http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi-arch.html