Vitamin C and the Common Cold

The daily TV advertisements endorsing various ways to prevent, abort, or cure the common cold produce little ripple in the scientific community. Even when "4 out of 5 doctors" chose the method, or a famous football player or movie actress swears by it, or a "controlled field trial" is cited, the ripple does not significantly enlarge. But when a world known and respected biochemist, a two time Nobel Prize winner, endorses a product as common as Vitamin C to prevent and cure the cold, then the ripple develops into waves of criticism, mostly unfavorable. This is especially so if the individual is not a physician, has carried out no experiments bearing on the problem in his own laboratory, and bases much of his argument on personal experiences of his own and of friends combined with an uncritical glance at the scientific literature. Such is the case with Linus Pauling and his book, Vitamtin C and the Common Cold. Two of three reviews of his book by prestigious individuals published in Nutrition Today (Jan./Feb. 1971) were unfavorable and critical of Pauling's recommendation. One, by Harvard nutritionist F. J. Stare, M.D., charges Paul-ing with irresponsibility in reporting remarks made by him. In addition, Stare states, "Vitamin C and the Common Cold is the second nutritional fairy tale (the first was "Orthomolecular Psychiatry," Science, 1968, 160:265) to come from this very intelligent and likeable man. Like Hansel and Gretel, he is lost in the woods-of health and nutrition, areas outside his competence." Another reviewer is more gentle and recommends a massive field trial. The editorial in the same issue expresses faith in Paul-ing's philosophical approach to the problem. Also in the same issue, but in another context, Dr. Philip Handler, President of the National Academy of Sciences, makes the following pertinent comment, "The nations of the world may yet pay a dreadful price for the public behavior of scientists who depart from established fact to indulge themselves in hyperbole." While such dire consequences may not follow ingestion of too much Vitamin C, there is little known about possible toxic effects of massive dosages in large numbers of people. In fact, a Russian article (Biull. Eksp., Biol. Med., 1966 8:96) quoted by Stare reports abortion in 16 to 20 pregnant women given six grams of Vitamin C per day for three successive days. The key studies quoted by Pauling were examined by this reviewer. …