Evaluation of the efficacy of ascorbic acid in prophylaxis of induced rhinovirus 44 infection in man
Abstract
Twenty-one healthy, susceptible adult male volunteers were enrolled in a double-blind study designed for evaluation of the prophylactic efficacy of ascorbic acid (3 g daily) in induced rhinovirus 44 infection of the upper respiratory tract. While in continuous isolation, 11 men received 1 g of ascorbic acid three times daily, and 10 men received a placebo for two weeks, after which an intranasal inoculum containing 100 tcid50 of rhinovirus 44 was administered. Each man continued to receive the same dose of medication for one week after the viral challenge. All participants subsequently developed typical illness due to rhinovirus. Similar levels of antibody in serum, nasal washings, and sputum developed in all subjects. Nasal shedding of virus and the flow of the nasal mucociliary blanket were unaffected by the ingestion of ascorbic acid. No prophylactic benefit was demonstrated from the daily ingestion of 3 g of ascorbic acid in induced rhinovirus 44 infection in man.
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Schwartz 1973 found a reduction in common cold severity in the vitamin C group.
“Schwartz 1973 found a reduction in common cold severity in the vitamin C group”
From Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold (2013) · cites this paper as Schwartz 1973
The Results (p. 2) found no significant difference in illness, sign, or symptom scores between the vitamin C and placebo groups. The Discussion (p. 5) concludes that vitamin C did not significantly ameliorate the induced rhinoviral illness, contrary to the claimed reduction in severity. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSchwartz 1973's finding indicates a biological effect of vitamin C.
“also indicating a biological effect.”
From Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold (2013) · cites this paper as Schwartz 1973
Doses of 3 g/day vitamin C have not prevented natural colds in ordinary people (Karlowski 1975) or laboratory colds (Walker 1967; Schwartz 1973).
“Doses of 3 g/day vitamin C have not prevented natural colds in ordinary people (Karlowski 1975) or laboratory colds (Walker 1967; Schwartz 1973).”
From Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold (2013) · cites this paper as Schwartz 1973
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- Authors
- Schwartz, A. R., Togo, Y., Hornick, R. B., Tominaga, S., & Gleckman, R. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1973-10-01
- Volume
- 128
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 500-505
- ISSN
- 0022-1899 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-6613
- OpenAlex
- W2127187139
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 7.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Vitamin C and Antioxidants Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Respiratory viral infections research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Emergency Medical Services › Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
- Keywords
- vitamin C, common cold, upper respiratory tract infection, prophylaxis, serum antibody response, nasal shedding, mucociliary clearance
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Ascorbic Acid, Clinical Trials as Topic, Common Cold, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Placebos, Rhinovirus
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