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"Vitamin C when taken in high enough doses will counter the effects of viruses, bacteria, radiation poisoning and most toxins. This is medical procedure that has been ignored and should be adopted"

Please note the words when taken in high enough doses. This implies between 15 and 200 grams (not milligrams) per day. The idea is to increase the dose until the patient starts to get diarrhoea, and then decrease it slightly. One of the most important claims of the proponents is that studies that refute this do not use a high enough dose rate (usually not more than one or two grams).

As true skeptics, I hope and trust you will not just examine the sources I give here, but to give you a start and let you know what I'm going to be talking about we have:

The basic paper giving the theory (note date 1981, and the fact it is in "Medical Hypothesis").

Two web sites about this here and here (unfortunately both of these subscribe to the view "People are more likely to think this is true true if I write it in a bigger font").  If you have broadband I recommend Tom Levy's lecture on the Vitamin C foundation web site, which can be downloaded. (This takes a couple of hours to listen to.) Enough links in that to keep you busy for hours. This links to masses of stuff of varying reliability. You may find some good and some appalling stuff, but look. If you find some dubious stuff, check it relates to the theory we discuss.

The main disbelieving web site is part of the Quack watch site here, which I am sure Skeptics must be familiar with.

I encourage you to look at the Baloney Detection Kit but I would also encourage you to point this weapon at both sides of the argument.

I have a copy of Tom Levy's book "Vitamin C infectious diseases and toxins" which I am willing to lend to people, but as I lose so many books this way I will have to insist on a five pounds returnable deposit. You can read a bit of the book at the bottom of the web page.

If people want me to email them some more stuff I can do so, I have a Powerpoint I gave to the ministry of defense. I also have full electronic copies of two reports from the cochrane collaboration. One on Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold and one (which should be compulsory reading for all skeptics) on Placebo treatment vs no treatment. This shows the placebo effect cannot be detected (Oops!).

If you would like to see the full reports on these email me.

This shows the evidence.

What I also need to discuss is the question "If this is so good, why hasn't it been adopted by mainstream doctors?"

If you have technical knowledge in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Medical Research I should love to see you at the meeting. But what I most need is skills in Critical Thinking.

Please try to come with an open mind, in particular with answers to the question "What would it need to make me change my mind on this?". I am certain that you are more aware than most about post decisional rationalisation, and other such problems with the way we think. Make sure you don't fall into any of these traps yourself.

Mike's contact details:

(Mobile) 07960 493089

(Home) 01634 311838
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