Pros and Cons of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Use In Cancers

For decades, ascorbic acid (aka vitamin C), has been popularly prescribed by alternative and complementary health care practitioners and used by individuals or patients with various health conditions, including cancer progression [1], due to its renowned antioxidant property, which consists to neutralize free radicals such as superoxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl (OH) radicals, as well as its capacity to protect and repair normal cells that are damaged by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Surprisingly, the mechanism of anti-tumor effect of ascorbic acid, especially used at high dose, has been proposed to be mediated by generation of H2O2 and secondary metabolite.