A new study published in the journal 'Public Library of Science Medicine' claims that there is no link between taking vitamin C and improvement of patients with the common cold.
The researchers reviewed 23 studies covering 65 years of data to reach the conclusion that there is no evidence that high doses of vitamin C prevents colds or lessens the symptoms of those who already have them except in rare cases of extreme physical exertion.
Six additional studies covered the effect of vitamin C on those who were under extreme physical duress such as marathon runners and soldiers doing winter training exercises. The study did find a positive correlation under these extreme circumstances.
Vitamin C has long been accepted as an important part of a healthy diet. In 1970, the book 'Vitamin C and the Common Cold' was published by Nobel Prize winning author Linus Pauling. In the book, Pauling recommended that if people took 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day, they would reduce the number of common colds suffered by 45 percent. Pauling also claimed that 2,300 milligrams of vitamin C per day was the ideal amount for maintaining good health.
According to the lead researchers of this study, Dr. Robert Douglas of the Australian National University, and Harri Hemila of the University of Helsinki in Finland, Pauling made the mistake of taking the results found in extreme cases of physical exertion and applying them to the general public.
Now the general public must be asking, is anything our parents told us about health still true?
