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Is Sodium Ascorbate okay for someone with high BP?

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:36 am
by ofonorow
I read in the book Primal Panacea that Dr. Levy recommends sodium ascorbate powder over other non-liposomal forms of C. Also, a comment he entered in the forum section of the Foundation site implied that since the sodium in sodium ascorbate is not sodium chloride it should not be a problem for someone with high blood pressure, and on medication for such (like myself), to orally use this form of C. On the other hand, I read on another site that someone with high blood pressure should avoid this form of C. I was wondering if you could clarify which may be the best form for me, as I am planning to try the protocol described in Chapter 7 - The Pauling Therapy - of your book.


Thanks,



Thank you for reading our book.

We and others (Dr. Cathcart and Levy) generally recommend ascorbic acid for a wide variety of conditions - including heart disease. The only other form of vitamin C that Dr. Levy recommends orally is sodium ascorbate (Curing the Incurable) , and for technical reasons (we are told) liposomal vitamin C is made from sodium ascorbate.)

Some people find that sodium ascorbate is less irritating to the esophagus, and I now take my vitamin C about 50/50, half ascorbic acid and half sodium ascorbate.

Can you tell me the page in primal panacea the SA recommendation appears?

Both are excellent forms of vitamin C, and as a general rule, in the amounts we recommend, if your urine pH is acidic - take sodium ascorbate (the alkaline form of vitamin C) and if your pH is alkaline, take ascorbic acid, and keep your urine pH neutral.

The only form of vitamin C appropriate for intravenous infusion is sodium ascorbate. Massive amounts have been infused for decades without any reported blood pressure issues, making us believe that Levy is correct. Taking sodium ascorbate will have little negative effect on blood pressure, and may help. Dr. David Brownstein found literature that showed people with high blood pressure who avoid salt can have something like a 400% increased chance of a heart attack, presumably because of hormonal changes as the body retains water as it tries to hold on to the little sodium it has in the blood stream.

Any site that recommends not taking sodium ascorbate for people with high blood pressure is suspect, and I would be interested in their references.

Re: Is Sodium Ascorbate okay for someone with high BP?

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:05 am
by ofonorow
Thank you Owen for this information. The page number in Primal Panacea is 133. The link to the cautionary reference I mentioned is http://www.livestrong.com/article/33588 ... ascorbate/ (the source mentioned in the article is the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University). Thanks also for you extended forum remarks. If you have a chance to drop a note regarding any additional information you may become aware of I would certainly appreciate it.



Don't get me started on the "Linus Pauling" institute!

After a cursory reading, I would label that web site among the worst vitamin C web sites we have encountered! I didn't see much (any?) correct information.

Re: Is Sodium Ascorbate okay for someone with high BP?

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:23 am
by majkinetor
The perfect solution for the dilema is to use low carb diet. The phenomena by which sodium is depleted by absence of carbohydrates or food abstinence is known as "natriuria of fasting". Its typical that people must start to supplement 3 - 5g of salt per day when they approach less then 50g of carbs per day. Low carb diet induces hypotension better then anything else, particularly orthostatic one. I had to start eating salt like crazy in order not to get dizzy.

So in this case, sodium part of sodium ascorbate is desirable, if we accept that sodium per se has any negative role in hypertension.

In case you don't want to go that way, keep in mind that with 10g of SA you will still be under recommended daily allowance of sodium.

The url provided is a joke.

Re: Is Sodium Ascorbate okay for someone with high BP?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:13 am
by Daniel D
What i have read over time, the low salt myth does not hold water. If you drink enough fluoride free water, salt should not do much.
Even mainstream medicine has aknowledged, that only a minority of people are sodium sensitive.
I suspect, that those people are either potassium deficient or they do have to much stress, as cortisol and the mineralcorticosteroides will determin, what your boddy does with the sodiumchloride.

The so called dash diet is a high fruit & veggi diet, delivering a lot of potassium, trace elemnts and vitamins. So the result of those studies can IMHO not be the proof of a negative impact of sodium. Furthermore, IFAIK only Nacl is involved with fluid regulation, not the other sodium salts like bicarbonat or ascorbat.