Summary
The occurrence and severity of nine symptoms of the common cold were recorded daily for 35 weeks by girls and boys in four Dublin boarding schools. Half the children in each school received placebo or 200 mg tablets, or 200 mg or 500 mg tablets, of Vitamin C daily on a double blind basis. Diets or environmental conditions did not differ between the schools. A score for the severity of each symptom was obtained daily for all the subjects throughout the trial in the different treatment groups. The degree of association between pairs of symptoms was calculated. The symptoms of the common cold syndrome (the W-complex) tended to exist in two groups defined as Toxic and Catarrhal complexes (T- and C-complexes). The intensity and quality of W-complex symptoms were assessed in terms of the correlation value above which the constituent T- and C-complexes became manifest, the average correlation values of the constituent complexes, and the linkage of the symptoms in these complexes. The values for, and quality of, the complexes were dependent on the sex of the samples and the dose of Vitamin C administered. Boys tended to have more complicated W-complexes which broke down into T- and C-complexes with the lower dose of Vitamin C. These became more complicated when increasing doses of Vitamin C were administered. Girls had less complicated W-complexes, but more complicated T- and C-complexes, than boys. Increasing doses of Vitamin C made the girls' T- and C-complexes less complicated. Administration of Vitamin C appeared to benefit the common cold syndrome more in girls than in boys.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Ascorbic acid and the common cold. Editorial Nutr. Rev.25, 228–231 (1967)
Walker, G.H., Bynoe, M.L., Tyrrell, D.A.J.: Trial of ascorbic acid in prevention of colds. Brit. med. J.1967 I, 603–606
Wilson, C.W.M.: Vitamin C and the common cold. Brit. med. J.1971 I, 669
Tyrrell, D.A.J.: Common colds. London: Edward Arnold 1965
Hope-Simpson, R.E.: Discussion on the common cold. Practitioner180, 356–357 (1958)
Pauling, L.: Ascorbic acid and the common cold. Amer. J. clin. Nutr.24, 1294–1299 (1971)
Wilson, C.W.M., Loh, H.S.: Ascorbic acid and upper respiratory inflammation. Acta allerg. (Kbh.)24, 367–368 (1969)
Loh, H.S., Wilson, C.W.M.: Relationship between leucocyte and plasma ascorbic acid concentrations. Brit. med. J.1971aIII, 733–735
Loh, H.S., Wilson, C.W.M.: The effect of supplementary Vitamin C on haemopoiesis during adolescence. Internat. J. Vit. Nutr. Res.41, 445–452 (1971b)
Medical Research Council. A collaborative study of the aetiology of acute respiratory infections in Britain 1961–1964. Brit. med. J.1965 II, 319–326
Cate, T.R., Couch, R.B., Johnson, K.M.: Studies with rhinoviruses in volunteers: Production of illness, effect of naturally acquired antibody and demonstration of protective effect not associated with antibody. J. clin. Invest.43, 56 (1964)
Lidwell, O.M., Williams, R.E.O.: The epidemiology of the common cold. J. Hyg.59, 309–319 (1961)
Lidwell, O.M., Sommerville, T.: Observations on the incidence and distribution of the common cold in a rural community during 1948 and 1949. J. Hyg. (Lond.)49, 365–381 (1951)
Brimblecombe, F.S.W., Cruikshank, R., Masters, P.L., Reid, D.D., Stewart, G.T.: Family studies of respiratory infections. Brit. med. J.1958 I, 119–128
Wilson, C.W.M., Loh, H.S., Foster, F.G.: The beneficial effect of vitamin C on the common cold. Europ. J. clin. Pharmacol.6, 26–32 (1973)
Douglas, R.G., Alford, R.H., Cate, T.R., Couch, R.B.: The leukocyte response during viral respiratory illness in man. Ann. intern. med.64, 521 (1966)
Wilson, C.W.M.: The metabolic availability of vitamin C. Vitamins, Editions Roche, F. Hoffman-La Roche & Co., Basle 3, 75–97 (1973)
Loh, H.S., Wilson, C.W.M.: The relationship between leucocyte ascorbic acid and haemoglobin values at different ages. Int. J. Vit. Nutr. Res.41, 259–267 (1971)
Loh, H.S., Wilson, C.W.M.: Iron and Vitamin C. Lancet1971 II, 768
Loh, H.S., Wilson, C.W.M.: The effect of supplementary vitamin C and iron on haemopoisis in old age. Nutr. Rep. Int.4, 371–382 (1971)
Odumosu, A., Wilson, C.W.M.: Metabolic availability of vitamin C in the guinea-pig. Nature242, 519–521 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wilson, C.W.M., Loh, H.S. & Foster, F.G. Common cold symptomatology and Vitamin C. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 6, 196–202 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00558286
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00558286