Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin C (unspecified)
For the health condition: Contagious Diseases

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) has a long history of use in the treatment and prevention of infectious or contagious diseases, dating back to the early 20th century when it was used to prevent scurvy. Scientifically, Vitamin C is known to play a role in immune function; it supports various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Some laboratory and animal studies suggest that Vitamin C can enhance the function of immune cells and possibly reduce the severity and duration of some infections, such as the common cold.

However, clinical evidence in humans is mixed. Randomized controlled trials have found that Vitamin C supplementation does not significantly reduce the incidence of colds in the general population, but it may reduce the duration and severity of colds. For other contagious diseases, such as influenza and other respiratory infections, evidence is limited and generally not robust. There is little high-quality evidence supporting its use for more serious contagious diseases like influenza, pneumonia, or COVID-19, though some small studies have investigated its adjunctive use in hospitalized patients with mixed and inconclusive results.

Overall, while there is a scientific rationale for Vitamin C's use in supporting immune health, strong clinical evidence backing its use as a treatment or preventive for contagious diseases is lacking. The evidence is rated as 2 out of 5, reflecting weak but present scientific support, mostly limited to minor respiratory infections and not definitive for serious contagious diseases.

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