Vitamin C and auto-immune disease (ITP,AIHA)plus arthritis

[Guest guest]

Hello -When you asked about Vit C for ITP there have been trials in the

past for 2000 mg. once per day for ITP that were successful for some people.

The following article shows some success with arthritis. The ITP trials had

patients taking 2000mg.every morning and brought platelet levels up after

several weeks. I had heard that Vit C may not be good for CLL but I haven't

heard of any trials showing this. Have you been following the research with

the new proteins that are produced by platelets which scientists did not

know about before this year?

THE EXPANDED ROLE OF PLATELETS

" Platelets.regulate inflammation, tissue repair, and immune responses "

report researchers Weyrich and Guy Zimmerman of the University of

Utah. These comments in the March 15 issue of the journal Blood, were in

response to two articles on platelets in that issue that dramatically

expanded what is known about the proteins produced by platelets as they go

about their work. Researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons identified

more than 300 proteins that are released by platelets, only 37% of which

were previously known. Understanding the proteins produced by platelets

could lead to new diagnostic tools and therapies for thrombotic diseases.

" Propelling the Platelet Proteome " by Weyrich and Guy Zimmerman,

Blood, 15 March 2004, Vol. 103, No. 6

" Characterization of the proteins released from activated platelets leads to

localization of novel platelets proteins in human atherosclerotic lesions "

Judith A. Coppinger, et al. Blood, 15 March 2004, Vol.103, No. 6

See://www.bloodjournal.org

RISK OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS MAY

BE REDUCED WITH DIET RICH IN VITAMIN C

A report this month on the findings from a population-based study of more

than 20,000 initially arthritis-free subjects suggests foods high in vitamin

C may protect against inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) a rheumatoid arthritis

involving two or more joints. Dr. Dorothy Pattison and colleagues found that

those reporting low intake of fruits, vegetables, and vitamin C, less than

55.7 mg/day, were 3.3 times more likely to develop IP than the control group

who consumed vitamin C at a rate of more than 94.9 mg/day. The findings from

this study at the University of Manchester, UK contrast with a recent report

based on work using a guinea pig model of osteoarthritis that linked high

doses of vitamin C with increased severity of the disease. The researchers

pointed out that comparing the results from observational studies with those

conducted in a laboratory setting is difficult. Also these contrasting

results may suggest different disease mechanisms.

" Vitamin C Rich Diet May Cut Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk " , ls of the

Rheumatic Diseases, 2004; 63:843-847, WebMD Medscape, Reuters Health

Information.