Otherwise known as L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate, vitamin C is an essential nutrient and antioxidant. it protects the body against oxidative stress and plays a vital role in at least eight enzymatic reactions. These reactions include collagen synthesis reactions, which if missing, are capable of causing the most severe symptoms of scurvy.

Vitamin C is essential for many metabolic reactions in the body. Deficiency is detrimental to the function of the immune system but, contrary to popular belief, is not thought capable of reducing the duration or severity of the common cold in the general population. However, research has suggested that regular vitamin C intake can reduce the frequency of the common cold in an individual, and three further research analyses have shown that the duration of a common cold can be reduced by regular vitamin C intake by 8% for adults and 14% for children. Vitamin C is also a natural antihistamine. A study conducted in 1992 over a one week period found that taking 2 grams of vitamin C per day lowered blood histamine levels by 38 percent in healthy adults.

Suggested RDI varies from 45 to 95 mg/day, but is often ignored and thought outdated. This is because recommended mega-doses go well beyond that figure and recommend between 200mg-2000mg per day. This modern day approach to vitamin C concentrates on the fact that like other primates, humans cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and therefore require an intake parallel to that of their biological cousins. Modern high dosage can also be attributed to a holistic belief that the antioxidant properties of Vitamin C are capable of reducing illness, and therefore vitamin C should be considered a complimentary therapy to modern medicine.

Vitamin C is low in toxicity and therefore humans aren’t likely to accidently overdose. it would take a 150 pound human to consume 1.8 pounds of vitamin C to cause death.

Gallbladder disease is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Uday Shankar, Specialist General Surgeon, Zulekha Hospital, Dubai answers some of the frequently asked questions on the issue.

What is gall bladder and gall stone?

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that rests beneath the right side of the liver. Its main purpose is to collect and concentrate a digestive liquid (bile) produced by the liver. Bile is released from the gallbladder after eating, aiding digestion. Bile travels through narrow tubular channels (bile ducts) into the small intestine. Contrary to popular belief; Removal of the gallbladder is not associated with any impairment of digestion in most people. Gallstones do not go away on their own. some can be temporarily managed with drugs or by making dietary adjustments, such as reducing fat intake. This treatment has a low, short-term success rate. Symptoms will eventually continue unless the gallbladder is removed.

Why and how these stones are formed?

Gallstone formation occurs because certain substances in bile are present in concentrations that approach the limits of their solubility. When bile is concentrated in the gallbladder, it can become supersaturated with these substances, which then precipitate from solution as microscopic crystals. The crystals are trapped in gallbladder mucus, producing gallbladder sludge. over time, the crystals grow, aggregate, and fuse to form macroscopic stones. 

What problem these stone can cause?

The stones can block the neck of the gallbladder; the gallbladder then swells up giving pain. Infections can take hold, making the gallbladder thickened and fragile. if the stone drops back into the gallbladder the pain and swelling usually settle down but it often happens again. This can make the gallbladder very thick and stuck to other tissues (Cholecystitis). if it does not settle down the gallbladder can burst. This is very serious.

Sometimes stones pass into the bile duct and block it. This causes pain, fever and jaundice, in this case called obstructive jaundice. if a stone runs down and blocks the opening of the pancreatic duct, this can cause pancreatitis.  both these conditions can be very serious and even life threatening.

The gall bladder is removed when it has got stones or inflammation which makes it erratic in its functions. This operation is performed to prevent patient from having further attacks of pain, or complications like jaundice and pancreatitis. The operation will remove the dangers of the present stones. it will also remove the gallbladder so that new stones cannot form.

Posted December 18, 2010 12:15:00

New testing has found the first New South Wales cases of a super bug that has killed thousands of patients in European and North American hospitals.

New South Wales Health says 21 patients tested positive to a virulent strain of Clostridium difficile, not detected in Australia until earlier this year in Melbourne.

Some of the symptoms include mild to severe diarrhoea, fever and stomach pains.

Professor Lyn Gilbert, chair of the New South Wales expert advisory group on health care associated infections, says New South Wales Health are now testing regularly for the bug.

“Some cases have been identified almost by chance in northern Sydney that have occurred over the last couple of years in several different hospitals in northern Sydney,” she said.

“None of them as far as we can tell have particularly severe disease, contrary to what happened in the northern hemisphere where it often was more severe than usual.”