Why Do Facilities Provide Supplements if Evidence Supporting Supplementation of Vitamin C is Lacking?
Numerous reasons explain why vitamin C supplements are prescribed for pressure ulcers despite the lack of evidence from rigorously controlled studies. First, many patients with pressure ulcers do not consume proper diets and many are under metabolic stress. Because the human body excretes an increased amount of vitamin C when stressed, a deficit actually may exist in many patients. Second, vitamin C is safe and relatively inexpensive. Third, at typical supplementation levels of 500 mg twice daily (below the tolerable upper limit of 2,000 mg per day set out in the DRI), adverse effects are unlikely. If any adverse effects occurred, they could be reversed simply by stopping the supplement. Fourth, vitamin C is water-soluble — any excess is excreted in the urine. Fifth, although the evidence for use in pressure ulcer patients may be lacking, vitamin C provides many other benefits, particularly in the area of immune function. Finally, many facilities have been involved in litigation involv
