Vitamin C: Nature’s Chemotherapy

Most folks think of Vitamin C as something you reach for when a cold’s coming on — a couple of pills, maybe a glass of orange juice, and you’re good to go. But let me tell you, Vitamin C is a whole lot more than that. It’s not just an immune booster — it’s one of the most powerful healing tools I’ve ever come across. I know because I’ve lived it. In fact, I devoted an entire chapter to it in my book I Used to Have Cancer. I truly believe Vitamin C played a major role in saving my life.

The Power of High-Dose Vitamin C — Oral and IV

Vitamin C was one of the biggest game changers in my recovery from Stage 4 Melanoma cancer over 40 years ago, and it’s still part of my daily routine today. Back when I was fighting for my life, I started taking high doses of oral Vitamin C, and I’ve never stopped.

A lot of people talk about intravenous Vitamin C, and I’m a big believer in that, too. It can be incredibly powerful. But I also think people sometimes overlook how effective oral Vitamin C can be when it’s done right. In fact, Dr. Linus Pauling and Dr. Matthias Rath showed years ago that high-dose oral Vitamin C, along with lysine, proline, and EGCG (from green tea extract), could do amazing things for cardiovascular and overall health. They didn’t use IVs — just oral nutrients — and still saw remarkable results.

From what I’ve seen and experienced, the real magic comes from combining both approaches. IV Vitamin C gives your body that immediate, powerful boost, while oral Vitamin C helps keep those levels up day after day. It’s a one-two punch for healing and long-term strength — and it’s something I still swear by.

I’ve always believed that true healing takes consistency and faith — not quick fixes. Vitamin C, taken the right way, has stood the test of time for me and for many others I’ve met through the years. That’s why I continue to share what I’ve learned through the Templeton Wellness Foundation — to help others find the same hope, strength, and natural tools for recovery that changed my life.

I always remind people — do your homework, ask plenty of questions, and surround yourself with a solid team of both experts and encouragers. Keep an open mind. Don’t be afraid to look at therapies that don’t make the evening news. For me, Vitamin C has been one of the best allies I’ve ever had in my fight for health.

What are your experiences with Vitamin C? I’d love to hear your story.

 

Resources:

Böttger F, Vallés-Martí A, Cahn L, Jimenez CR. High-dose intravenous vitamin C, a promising multi-targeting agent in the treatment of cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2021 Oct 30;40(1):343. doi: 10.1186/s13046-021-02134-y. PMID: 34717701; PMCID: PMC8557029.

Chen, Q., M.G. Espey, et al., “Pharmacological Ascorbic Acid Concentrations Selectively Kill Cancer Cells: Action as a Pro-drug to Deliver Hydrogen Peroxide to Tissues.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102, 38 (2005): 13604–13609. Sep. 6, 2018. www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/16157892

Klenner, Frederick R. “Observations on the Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When Employed Beyond the Range of A Vitamin In Human Pathology,” Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine 13, 4th quarter (1988). Sep. 3, 2014. https://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v10n14.shtml

Levy, Thomas E. “The Clinical Impact of Vitamin C: My Personal Experiences as a Physician.” Orthomolecular.org. Sep. 18, 2018. https://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v10n14.shtml

Wright, Jonathan. “Frederick R. Klenner M.D., The Originator of Successful High-Dose Intra venous Vitamin C Therapy.” The Alliance for Natural Health USA. July 7, 2018. http://www.anh-usa.org/frederick-r-klenner-m-d-the-originator-of-successful-high-dose-intravenous-vitamin-c-therapy

Ngo B, Van Riper JM, Cantley LC, Yun J. Targeting cancer vulnerabilities with high-dose vitamin C. Nat Rev Cancer. 2019 May;19(5):271-282. doi: 10.1038/s41568-019-0135-7. PMID: 30967651; PMCID: PMC6526932.