High Dose Vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential water-soluble vitamin commonly used as a dietary supplement to support immune function, antioxidant defense, and collagen synthesis. It is widely taken for general health, illness prevention, and recovery from physical stress, with excess amounts typically excreted in urine. Supplement forms and doses vary, ranging from low daily intake to higher short-term use during illness.
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This page summarizes anecdotal reports and community observations, not medical evidence. Reports may be incomplete, biased or inaccurate and are not medical advice or recommendations. “Risk” here refers to how frequently severe or prolonged symptom worsening is reported, not to proven causation or population-wide probability. Individual responses vary widely, and absence of issues in some users does not rule out significant reactions in others.
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Within PFS/PSSD/PAS communities, high-dose vitamin C is discussed in relation to its potential interactions with redox/antioxidant cycling, catecholamine biology, and endothelial function pathways. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential nutrient best known for its antioxidant role and its importance in collagen synthesis, immune function, and iron absorption. Mechanistically, vitamin C intersects with a few pathways that people in PFS/PSSD/PAS communities care about, even if the leap from mechanism → outcome is uncertain. It participates in redox/antioxidant cycling, supports catecholamine biology (it's involved in norepinephrine synthesis), and it can influence endothelial function. Some theories frame high-dose vitamin C as potentially supporting nitric oxide (NO) / vascular function indirectly (which could matter for ED) and as a "system support" lever when oxidative stress/inflammation feels high. These mechanisms may interact with pathways involving antioxidant/redox cycling, catecholamine synthesis, endothelial function, or nitric oxide signaling that are often discussed in relation to PFS / PSSD / PAS.
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Mixed Outcomes: Limited Effect (for PFS/PSSD/PAS):
High-dose vitamin C is generally discussed as a lower-risk supplement. Some people report small improvements, many others report no noticeable effect beyond GI changes. Severe or lasting worsening is not a common theme in community discussions, but some people do report feeling worse—most often due to GI upset, reflux, sleep disruption from “wired” feeling, or “histamine-like” intolerance to acidic supplements. If any benefit exists for, it’s likely indirect—via inflammation/oxidative stress tone, endothelial function, or general nutritional support—rather than “fixing” the core syndrome mechanism. So it tends to be a modest-support tool at best, and inconsistent across individuals.Some people try high-dose vitamin C as supportive care and tolerate it well, but it’s not a reliable lever.
Evidence basis: Anecdotal reports (online forums, self-reports); established biochemistry of vitamin C; no controlled studies examining PFS/PSSD/PAS-specific outcomes.
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Public comments reflect individual experiences and opinions. They are not medical advice and may not be accurate or representative.