Keeping the faith in vitamin c

Recently Annalise brought home some vitamin c solvable tables from college. These were handled out with the intent to help protect the staff from colds.

Linus Pauling's made the claim in 1970 that taking large doses could both protect against colds and reduce their severity. The direct benefits of vitamin c supplements for this purpose have long since been discredited however the credibility of the Nobel Prize winning Linus Pauling has meant that this myth has largely persisted 40 years later.

Numerous controlled studies have shown that that those taking a placebo have feared no worse that those taking vitamin c supplements with regards the common cold. Despite the fact that there is so much evidence against vitamin c why does the false promise of efficacy still persist? There is large industry that makes a great deal of money out of vitamin c and it is in their interests to maintain the link between vitamin c supplements and healthy living.

I suspect that there is placebo effect at the college that may work to it's benefit. Those believing in the efficacy of the vitamin c and taking the tablets may be less likely to "give in" to cold symptoms and stay at home than those not taking the tablets, even though both groups suffer equally.

Even so, isn't it time we focuses on scientific methods of prevention like hand washing and general hygiene rather than advocating quack remedies like vitamin c.