Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41815850›Full record

SynthesisJournal of medicine and life2026

Clinical benefits and risks of high-dose intravenous vitamin C: a systematic review.

Abdulrahman Alangari, Jamal Arif, Fahd Al Qureshah, Fahad Alkhodairy

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of medicine and life, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Abdulrahman AlangariDepartment of Research & Development, evercare, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Jamal ArifCollege of Medicine, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia.
Fahd Al QureshahBioscience Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
Fahad AlkhodairyDepartment of Research & Development, evercare, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

High-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) achieves plasma concentrations that are not attainable by oral administration and has been investigated as an adjunct in sepsis, oncology, and symptom management. To synthesize the evidence regarding the clinical benefits and risks of high-dose IVC, as well as the potential advantages of on-site infusion, a PRISMA-informed search of PubMed/PMC, Scopus, and Web of Science (2010-2025) was conducted, prioritizing randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and high-quality observational studies. Pharmacokinetic and mechanistic studies of IVC support plausible physiologic benefits through antioxidant effects, catecholamine biosynthesis, and immune modulation, with recent evidence showing down regulation of pro-inflammatory STAT1/PD-L1 pathways in experimental sepsis. Oncology phase I and II studies demonstrate safety and quality-of-life improvements; a randomized phase II pancreatic trial reported a promising survival benefit when combined with chemotherapy. Some of the major risks include oxalate nephropathy and hemolysis in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, especially with very large or repeated doses, suggesting pre-screening to avoid these risks. Furthermore, the literature on home infusion and IV therapies is limited; however, the expanding home infusion infrastructure offers an avenue for monitored IVC delivery. In conclusion, evidence does not support routine use of high-dose IVC in sepsis, and its role in oncology remains supportive and exploratory, with potential risks requiring caution. Furthermore, interest in home-based infusion services is increasing in several healthcare systems, although clinical outcome data specific to high-dose IVC in these settings remain limited.

Indexed as

Ascorbic AcidAdministration, IntravenousAntioxidantsHumansSepsisAntioxidantsAscorbic AcidARDS, acute respiratory distress syndromeG6PD, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenasehigh-dosehome infusionintravenousIVC, intravenous vitamin CMA, meta-analysisoncologyPD-L1, programmed death ligand-1RCT, randomized controlled trialsepsisSR, systematic reviewSTAT 1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1TSA, trial sequential analysisVitamin C

Identifiers

PMID41815850
PMCPMC12973930

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.