Hi Bonniebaby-
I am really sorry about your diagnosis. What led them to diagnosis you?
I think that is fascinating you did iv vit c....it probably did help but because you had no idea what else you were lacking, it could not really make a huge difference. Besides your skin, did you notice anything else???
I know what you mean about taking too much of one thing and not enough of another. When I first started taking glutathione, I had not had all of my other antioxidants tested....not such a great deal. Now, I do have all of my levels tested....not by my cf doc, but by a wellness doc. My cf doc used to say it was a waste of money...now, with all the talk of diet and antioxidant intervention, he is on board...funny.
The test all vitamins, all minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids...omega3, 6 and 9. My health has improved since we have been addressing these things.
One thing that even that doc is CLUELESS on the the importance of vitamin c. When my level came back almost non-detectable, he said since it is water soluable it varies all the time and even though we tested it fasting and at 2 other times, he did not find it important that it was at critical low..
Now, having read all these studies on adult cfers vit c level...I am a little intrigued. I did not know that the first place vit c goes is to the lungs and nasal passages to fight invaders...It is a free radical scavenger...the most critcal antioxidant behind glutathione. Studies also show that very low levels of vit c is in DIRECT proportion to asthma in healthy population.
Also, I read a study conducted in vivo and in vitro of how vit c has effectivesness in opening the cftr channel...that is the channel that causes cf if the channel is not functioning properly. They tested it in the nasal epithelia and the vit c was effective in an increase in ion flow....VERY BIG DEAL.
Since vit c is water soluable, it leaves from the body very quickly. You always hear people say vit c will help you with a cold..... That is true, but only if you replace it every four hours...really when you have a cold, who wants to do that?
I already take glutathione eery four hours, so for me, the extra vit c is not that big of a deal.
While I agree that diet is key in treating cf, there are more than enough studies to settle the fact that some sort of nuetraceutical intervention is required for cf patients. The burden of this disease as far as oxidative injury, the lack of absorption in pancreatic insufficeint patients, and the Standard American Diet which is so lacking in essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins speaks loudly to the fact we as cfers need some help.
Couple of summaries of studies from the last 3 years:
<b>We conclude that cellular vitamin C is a biological regulator of CFTR-mediated Cl secretion in epithelia. The pool of vitamin C in the respiratory tract represents a potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical target for the complementary treatment of sticky airway secretions by enhancing epithelial fluid secretion.
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ECENT FINDINGS: Several antioxidants have been shown to have mucolytic and anti-inflammatory properties. Some antioxidants such as zinc and vitamin C may also help increase epithelial chloride secretion through CFTR-dependent and independent pathways. Other antioxidants are showing promise in helping CFTR mobilization to plasma membranes. SUMMARY: The many levels of potential application offered by antioxidants make this class of molecules one of the promising areas of therapeutic development for CF. Several redox-modulating agents have a high likelihood of providing useful approaches for the treatment of many aspects of CF airway disease.
Adult patients with CF in particular showed distinct vitamin deficits and elevated indicators of oxidative stress in plasma, BMCs, and breath condensate along with a progression of clinical status. We suggest that early in life dietary habits should be improved and that innovative supplementation strategies should be applied to optimize the antioxidant status of patients with CF.
Whereas increased beta-carotene, selenium, and fatty acid concentrations are linked to improved lung function, increased plasma fatty acid concentrations are linked to oxidative stress. If oxidative stress is deemed to be important to the clinical outcome of CF patients, means of reducing oxidative stress while maintaining a high-fat, high-energy diet must be investigated.