High concentrations of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, in your stomach juices may suppress the bacteria that cause peptic ulcers. Taking therapeutic doses of vitamin C along with antibiotics and acid-reducing medications may help you manage peptic ulcers by controlling bacterial infections in your stomach and upper small intestine. Vitamin C may also speed your recovery from an ulcer by supporting your immune system and promoting wound healing. Consult your doctor before taking high doses of ascorbic acid to manage your ulcer.
Causes
Bacterial infection and prolonged use of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are the most common causes of peptic ulcers, according the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Infections with H. pylori bacteria can last for long periods of time, causing chronic inflammation of your stomach lining, or gastritis. H. pylori bacteria weaken the tissues that protect your stomach and upper intestinal tract. When this protective lining breaks down, digestive acids may leave sores in the lining of your stomach or duodenum, the top portion of your small intestine. Peptic ulcers may cause burning abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting and weight loss. Open ulcers can lead to gastric bleeding, a serious health complication that may require surgical intervention.
Treatments
If a bacterial infection is causing your ulcers, your doctor may prescribe a combination of medications, including a proton pump inhibitor, which reduces your production of stomach acids, and two antibiotics. This approach, commonly known as "triple therapy," is widely used to treat H. pylori infections and prevent the complications of peptic ulcers. In combination with triple therapy, high doses of ascorbic acid may inhibit the growth of H. pylori. Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant vitamin that supports your body's ability to fight infection and plays a vital role in producing the proteins required for wound healing. Ascorbic acid may also help resolve peptic ulcers caused by overuse of anti-inflammatory medications.
Clinical Evidence
In a 1998 study published in the "European Journal of Cancer Prevention," M. Jarosz and co-authors report that high doses of ascorbic acid may suppress the growth of H. pylori in the human stomach. After four weeks of receiving high doses of vitamin C, 30 percent of study participants showed total eradication of H. pylori bacteria. A group that did not receive supplemental vitamin C showed no changes in gastric populations of H. pylori. According to the authors of this study, the high concentrations of ascorbic acid in gastric juices contribute to the eradication of these bacteria from the stomach. However, the authors could not identify exactly how vitamin C inhibits H. pylori growth.
Recommendations
As a treatment for peptic ulcers, supplemental vitamin C should be taken under your doctor's supervision. Taking 500 to 1,000mg of supplemental vitamin C daily in conjunction with conventional medical treatment may help reduce H. pylori populations, according to the UMMC. The recommended dietary allowance for healthy individuals is 90mg of vitamin C per day for men ages 19 and older, and 75mg per day for women ages 19 and older. Consult your doctor to determine the correct dose of vitamin C to manage your ulcer.
References
- "European Journal of Cancer Prevention"; Effects of High Dose Vitamin C Treatment on Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Total Vitamin C Concentration in Gastric Juice; M. Jarosz, et al; 1998
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Peptic ulcer
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C
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