Vitamin C And Cancer Prevention

Many controlled studies prove the value of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, as a protective from a fairly wide range of cancers. Vitamin C is largely obtained from vegetables and fruits, particularly in citrus fruits, cantaloupe, and certain vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and peppers.

A study of 102 women diagnosed with early stage cervical cancer and compared to 100 healthy women (controls) , showed a very clear cut reduction in risk of this cancer with increasing consumption of dietary sources of vitamin C (Van Eenwyk, “Folate, Vitamin C, and Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia,” J. Nat’l. Cancer Instit. 82 (1990) :p. 119-124).

Findings showed those women in the lowest group of dietary vitamin C consumption were found to be at a five-fold higher risk of cervical cancer than were women in the highest group of vitamin C consumption. Risk increased with declining vitamin C consumption in a dose-dependent fashion which argues strongly that vitamin C acts as an anti-carcinogen.