CHEM 181 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Low-Density Lipoprotein, Linus Pauling, Orthomolecular Medicine

• School: McGill University
• Department: Chemistry
• Course: CHEM 181
• Professor: Ariel Fenster

Document Summary

Topic two: micronutrients & vitamins lesson 2: vitamins ii. Orthomolecular medicine claims there is no such thing as a small amount and vitamins can be used for more than just to prevent deficiency diseases. They take example of vitamin c recommended dose (prevent scurvy) = 90 mg and say one should take optimum amount, approx. Basic idea is that optimum cannot be achieved merely by eating food. Idea proponent linus pauling won nobel prize in 1954, wrote book saying vitamin could cure common cold. Common cold = contagious infection of upper respiratory tract, 200 different viruses, most important being rhino viruses. No causative relationship between cold weather and colds (more prevalent because more time indoors in closer contact with others) $ billion spent on cold medicine in north america (helps only symptoms) Vitamin c has been claimed to have both no and significant effect on colds. Claim uselessness 9000 subjects worldwide (more reliable)