Q: I heard Dr. Linus Pauling lecture when his book, “Cancer and Vitamin C,” first came out in 1979. He autographed the book for me. It is one of my treasures. I am a firm believer in high doses of vitamin C.
Dr. Frederick Robert Klenner was a very early pioneer in using intravenous vitamin C in the 1930s and 1940s. I encourage people to study the history of pioneering doctors like Ewan Cameron, a Scottish surgeon, who wrote the book with Pauling.
A: Most oncologists are still very skeptical about the value of intravenous high-dose ascorbate (vitamin C). We have been fascinated, however, by research demonstrating significant benefit in patients with hard-to-treat cancers. In one study conducted at the University of Iowa, doctors treated patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. They randomly assigned some patients to either standard treatment alone or high-dose IV ascorbate along with their standard treatment (Redox Biology, November 2024). Average survival for those getting vitamin C was 16 months, compared with eight months for those on the standard treatment only.
That might not seem like such a big deal. However, at a recent oncology conference, cancer experts were enthusiastic about the results of a new drug, daraxonrasib, for pancreatic cancer. Patients on the new medicine extended their survival to 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months for chemotherapy alone (BMJ, June 4, 2026).
We interviewed the senior author of the vitamin C study for our syndicated radio show/podcast. You can listen to Dr. Joseph Cullen at peoplespharmacy.com. Search for “Show 1431: Vitamin C Studies on Colds & Cancer Vindicate Linus Pauling.”
Q: My neurologist suggested taking magnesium for restless leg syndrome since none of the prescription meds provided relief. I’ve found this supplement to be quite effective.
My question concerns the various types. Magnesium glycinate is more expensive than the others, but I’ve heard it’s more effective.
Some brands are labeled with the costly but official NSF or USP certification. Does it make sense to use only those that provide this added layer of quality?
A: Magnesium supplements come in a variety of salts, such as magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate. These affect how well they are absorbed, as well as the optimal dose and potential side effects.
One source we have found very helpful regarding dietary supplements is examine.com. In the review on that site, magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate are reasonably bioavailable and less likely than magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide to cause diarrhea.
USP (United States Pharmacopeia) and NSF are third-party certifiers of quality. We confess that we are just as likely to check the results at consumerlab.com when we are making a supplement purchasing decision. This does require a subscription.
Q: My daughter had plantar warts as a teenager. Her dermatologist tried freezing and burning them to no avail. I felt so bad for her!
I contacted our nearby university medical center, and the dermatologist there gave her a poison ivy derivative patch to wear. She had a bit of itchiness, but within 48 hours, the plantar warts were gone. They never returned!
A: Many years ago, we disparaged the idea of using poison ivy to get rid of plantar warts. Before long, we heard back from a retired dermatologist who disagreed. He said applying a drop of poison ivy extract would excite an immune response to the wart. This remedy should be left to dermatologists, however.