COVID patient with sepsis makes ‘remarkable’ recovery following megadose of vitamin C

Researchers Dr Yugeesh Lankadeva and Professor Clive May reversed sepsis in animals with a megadose of vitamin C.(ABC News: Loretta Florance)

A young Australian man who was critically ill with COVID-19 and suffering early stages of sepsis made a remarkable recovery after being given massive doses of vitamin C, according to his doctors.

Key points:
Sepsis is a common cause of death for people gravely ill with COVID-19
Researchers at the Florey Institute used megadoses of vitamin C to treat sepsis in animals
Doctors at Austin Hospital tried the technique on a critically ill patient, who then made a “remarkable” recovery
Professor Rinaldo Bellomo, director of Intensive Care at Melbourne’s Austin Health, said the 40-year-old’s health had started to deteriorate significantly from COVID-19, with the man losing kidney function, and his blood pressure plummeting.

Sepsis — a life-threatening condition which occurs when the body damages its own organs while responding to an infection — was starting to take hold of his body and time was running out.

“We were dealing with somebody who was very unwell. We felt we were in a very difficult situation, and the patient’s life was under serious threat,” he said.

Professor Bellomo knew researchers at the Florey Institute had some promising experimental findings using megadose vitamin C to treat sepsis.

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With the family’s consent, doctors gave the patient the same treatment the Florey researchers had trialled in animals.

ABC