For weeks, the world has watched as one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in history continues to sweep across West Africa. So far it shows no signs of slowing, and the number of people who have become infected continues to rise—as does the death toll. All doctors and aid workers can do is treat Ebola’s symptoms, which often isn’t enough. In the age of modern medicine, it’s frightening to consider that there’s no known, proven treatment for this horrific and deadly virus.

That’s why what Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD, has to say about vitamin C is so surprising—and extremely welcome.

“It’s possible that the Ebola virus can be destroyed naturally—despite what most people believe,” says Dr. Levy, author of multiple eye-opening books. “The key to successfully combating this virus might be something that’s familiar to all of us: vitamin C.”

However, Dr. Levy specifies that taking a few over-the-counter vitamin C supplements will not be enough to enable patients to recover from Ebola.

“When I say that vitamin C may help destroy the Ebola virus, I’m talking about regular doses of 50, 100, or even many more grams of various types of vitamin C, administered through a variety of methods (most often, orally and intravenously) by a medical professional,” he clarifies. “After the initial dose, clinical evaluation is necessary to determine whether future doses, method of administration, and type of vitamin C should be adjusted.”

In his previous books, Primal Panacea and Curing the Incurable: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins, Dr. Levy, who is one of the world’s leading vitamin C experts, explores in-depth the surprising healing powers of vitamin C. In Death by Calcium, he shines a light on the reasons why vitamin C, not calcium, may be the key to preventing osteoporosis, and why it can also be instrumental in staving off cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative illnesses. (Yes, really!) 

Here, Dr. Levy takes a closer look at why vitamin C—not a vaccine or a cutting-edge medication—may be our best chance of combating Ebola and other viruses:

Vaccines themselves have inherent drawbacks
Western medicine’s focus on developing vaccines to combat viruses and infections means that many researchers and physicians don’t consider alternative treatment approaches—or the dangers inherent in vaccines themselves. Even Hollywood has done its part to perpetuate the belief that salvation comes in the form of a syringe by producing multiple films in which a “miraculous” vaccine for a deadly disease is developed just in the nick of time to assure a happy ending.

“But the truth is, this ‘find a vaccine for everything’ approach isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Dr. Levy explains. “Vaccines introduce toxins to the body, and many come with a full complement of side effects that can be severe and long-lasting. Plus, even if a vaccine inoculating individuals against Ebola was developed, it likely wouldn’t be able to help individuals who are already critically ill with an overwhelming viral count in the body.”

Vitamin C has a good track record of killing other viruses
To date, not a single virus has been tested that is not inactivated (killed) by a large enough dose of vitamin C. (That’s a track record that vaccines can’t come close to matching!) While the jury is still out on whether large doses of vitamin C can cure Ebola, you can review for yourself the incredible clinical results of Frederick Klenner, MD, who is truly the father of the clinical applications of vitamin C. Dr. Levy also points to the H1N1 patient in New Zealand who was going to be taken off of life support when vitamin C finally came to the rescue.

“Many other antioxidants have similar virucidal effects, but vitamin C appears to be of greatest potency and clinical efficacy, as its simple chemical structure allows for it to be disseminated throughout the body with little restriction,” Dr. Levy explains. “It is able to effectively address viral populations present in both intracellular and extracellular spaces, making it quite potent.

“To be balanced, it is important to note that the effects of vitamin C on chronic viral infections like chronic hepatitis, AIDS, or HIV-positive states are less profound, as the virus works its way into physical locations much less accessible by vitamin C than when the viral infections are acute,” he adds. “Nevertheless, long-term, highly dosed protocols of vitamin C often completely control and even occasionally cure these diseases.”

Here’s how the science works

A primary way in which vitamin C destroys viruses (or sets them up for destruction by the immune system) is by activating the “Fenton reaction.” The presence of vitamin C, one or more transition metal cations, and the local presence of peroxide stimulates the immediate production of hydroxyl radicals. These radicals are the most reactive oxidizing agents ever identified. As such, they radically upregulate oxidative stress and destroy whatever is in their immediate environment. And since the production of hydroxyl radicals is limited to areas where vitamin C and the virus are found together, this damaging effect occurs only in the areas where it is needed.

“This reaction can proceed inside the virus, inside cells in which viruses are replicating, and on the surfaces of the viruses themselves,” Dr. Levy comments.

Even after inflicting viral damage, vitamin C continues to “mop up” 

Even after destroying viruses, vitamin C continues to work for the patient’s good through its potent and multifaceted support of the immune system. There is no other substance that singularly does as much to promote increased and strong immune function.

“Among many other effects, vitamin C directly stimulates interferon and antibody production, while effectively supercharging the functions of the white blood cells by becoming very concentrated inside them,” Dr. Levy explains.

Vitamin C is a powerful preventative

It’s not a coincidence that Ebola tends to spread among populations with a substantially poorer nutritional status than is seen in the United States and other well-fed populations around the world. Good nutrition—of which vitamin C is an important part—is a very important consideration in determining the likelihood of the infection proceeding to severe illness or even death. (Of course, as the well-publicized cases of infected Americans show, exposure to a high enough titer of the virus can allow an infection to “take hold,” even in a well-nourished individual.)

“This underscores the importance of regularly supplementing with vitamin C,” Dr. Levy points out. “While popping a daily vitamin C pill of any size will help just about anyone, I encourage you to go a step further and work with a medical professional to reach a state of optimized health. Optimal administration of vitamin C will help stave off not only viruses, but many other degenerative diseases and health problems, too.”

“As Westerners, we’re very fortunate because we have the tools to prevent a virus like Ebola from ever setting up shop in our bodies,” Dr. Levy concludes. “But if you did contract this virus, resolution and cure could potentially be a simple process with the proper administration of vitamin C. It is my hope that this amazing substance gains more recognition from the medical community in the near future so that it can be used to treat and even cure a wide variety of medical conditions.”