Question

A patient with a fever is prescribed by the doctor to take antibiotics along with Vitamin 'C' tablets. Why does the doctor prescribe Vitamin ‘C’ tablets?

Answer 1

Hint: Vitamin C, chemically known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate is a water-soluble vitamin. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant and plays a major role in the activation and metabolic functioning of immune cells. Therefore, doctors often prescribe vitamin C to patients with fever, as it improves the immune functions and reduces oxidative stress within the body.

Complete answer: When our body is infected and we suffer from an infection or cold, our immune cells are functioning overtime. These immune cells release certain chemicals called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). The most notable form would be nitric oxide. The ROS produced increases oxidative stress within our body and further slows down our metabolism.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which is a potent antioxidant. The antioxidant capabilities of vitamin C reduce the oxidative stress caused by the infection and overworked immune cells and improve overall base metabolic rate.
Vitamin C is also found within the immune cells, indicating they play a role in the activation of T-cells and is involved in the production of antibodies, interferons, and cytokines. Thus, supplementing vitamin C improves immune efficiency.
Vitamin C is also attributed to the proper functioning of the neuroendocrine system, mostly responsible for the production of dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These hormones improve the state of mind and impart relaxation, which is necessary when our body feels weak and feeble during an infection.
And finally, vitamin C is safe even at extremely high doses and does not interfere with any known antibiotic drugs in the market.
Thus, vitamin C is commonly prescribed along with antibiotics for their suffering from fever.

Note: Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant.
It improves immune function, by enhancing T cell activation, and the production of antibodies and cytokines.
It plays a role in the release of dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
Reduces oxidative stress within the body and is safe at exceedingly high concentrations.
Does not interfere with the activity of antibiotics nor causes any side effects.