KC chiropractor publicizing IV Vitamin C for coronavirus. Doctors say it’s ‘dangerous’
A Kansas City chiropractor is pushing Vitamin C infusions as a possible prevention or treatment of coronavirus — a practice medical experts warn is unproven and potentially dangerous.
Jay Goodbinder runs The Epigenetics Healing Center in south Kansas City. He has long offered intravenous Vitamin C treatments for patients looking for an immune system boost. But in recent weeks, he has publicized the supplement as a therapy to combat COVID-19.
The Martin City Telegraph recently highlighted Goodbinder’s treatment, saying it could “knock out COVID-19” and other infectious diseases. The Facebook page for Goodbinder’s business has said Vitamin C is “fantastic for prevention and may actually save your life.”
In an interview with The Star, Goodbinder cited anecdotal evidence that high doses of Vitamin C can help combat disease. He noted there were still many unknowns surrounding the treatment of coronavirus with medical professionals “kind of flying by the seat of their pants on this.”
“There’s a ton of anecdotal evidence out there that shows Vitamin C can be very beneficial in any viral concern,” he said.
Even if Vitamin C doesn’t help, he said it would not hurt. He said he runs a blood test to screen patients before they can receive an infusion, which he administers in doses as large as 50,000 milligrams. At the very least it provides a load of immune-boosting antioxidants, he said.
Available in many retails stores, Vitamin C supplements are commonly sold in pill and powder form and considered an essential component of human nutrition. The Mayo Clinic says “too much dietary vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful,” though megadoses can cause diarrhea, headaches, heartburn, abdominal cramps, vomiting and insomnia.
But there’s a difference between taking an over-the-counter pill and injecting a big dose, said Mary Anne Jackson, a professor and interim dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“You’re still sticking a needle in somebody’s vein and infusing a product. You’re not buying a vitamin at the grocery store,” she said. “In this particular case, if you’re asking me if there’s risk, there’s significant risk.”
Jackson, a medical doctor who studies infectious diseases and vaccines, said there was no scientific evidence to support the use of Vitamin C as a preventative or therapeutic tool for COVID-19.
Still, the idea has been tested. Some researchers have hypothesized that individuals suffering from severe infections have depleted Vitamin C levels and that more of the vitamin is necessary to prevent cellular and tissue dysfunction.
Jackson pointed to two published studies that tracked the use of the vitamin with COVID-19 patients suffering from shock and acute respiratory distress
“Neither showed clear evidence of benefit,” she said.
Those studies lacked a control group, though an ongoing Vitamin C clinical trial in China includes patients being treated with placebos — especially important for treatment of coronavirus as patients are known to sometimes spontaneously improve.
Jackson pointed to new revelations that opponents of vaccines were behind some of the misinformation surrounding Vitamin C: Business magazine Fast Company this week reported on a new study from social media research firm Yonder that found many of the same people who rail against vaccines were pushing Vitamin C as a coronavirus cure.
In February, Goodbinder testified in Topeka against immunization requirements for Kansas school children. He was quoted by the Topeka Capital-Journal as saying vaccine supporters resorted to “fearmongering” as they described the worst possible scenarios with conditions like meningitis that can cause people’s skin to slough off.
Goodbinder says his practice centers on the concept of wellness and prevention.
Though he is licensed only by the state of Missouri in chiropractic care, he said he also helps patients with a slew of chronic conditions such as diabetes, colitis and Crohn’s Disease. His business also advertises anti-aging treatment, hair restoration and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. He calls himself a “chiropractic internist,” but said he also works with a nurse practitioner and a neurologist for some patients.
He said most chronic conditions can be prevented by better lifestyle choices — diets rich in fruits and vegetables rather than fast food, for instance. Even coronavirus, he said, is a side effect of behavior, as many of the most ill have underlying conditions.
“I think people’s personal accountability would be a much bigger, quicker way out of this,” he said. “If people would take care of their health, we’d have a much smaller mortality rate and our hospitals wouldn’t be overrun.”
On Facebook videos, he has said the number of deaths from coronavirus have been overblown and criticized long-term shutdowns of the economy.
Jackson, from UMKC, said such statements contradict widespread consensus among the scientific community.
“That’s very concerning language. Obviously, there is no medical truth to what is being said there,” she said.
Older and sicker individuals often account for the most severe cases of COVID-19, she said. “But we also know that completely healthy young people are also dying from this disease. So you would not want anyone to think that by living a certain lifestyle they are immune to severe disease. That’s a dangerous statement.”
Jackson said the public should be particularly on guard against products or services with extraordinary claims during the current pandemic, whether it’s unproven treatments, unreliable tests or protective face masks that aren’t medical grade.
“It’s almost kind of buyer beware,” she said. “Unfortunately, a lot of times this preys on people who are scared and desperate. They may well embark on something that they’re going to pay for out of their own pocket that will not help them and maybe could hurt them.”
Missouri licensing boards for medical doctors and chiropractors did not respond to questions from The Star. Goodbinder has been licensed as a chiropractic physician in Missouri since October, according to the Missouri Board of Professional Registration’s website.
He previously held a chiropractor license in Kansas for years, but is listed as inactive on the Board of Healing Arts website. Goodbinder was censured by the board last year for violating the Kansas Healing Arts Act.
The board said he had run advertisements in The Star promoting a seminar on thyroid problems. He used “Dr.” before his name, but did not identify himself as a chiropractor. While he said he was not advertising chiropractic services, the board said they constituted “fraudulent or false advertisements,” and cited him for record keeping problems.
Goodbinder agreed to the censure, a fine and educational courses, according to a consent order posted online.
Dr. Betty Drees, president of the Kansas City Medical Society, said patients should examine professional licensing board websites in both Kansas and Missouri. Patients should only seek care from a health professional “with the training and licensure that qualifies them to diagnose and treat the specific condition they have.”
She noted that there are currently no proven drug therapies for treatment or prevention of COVID-19.
“People considering supplements in high doses should consult their own physician to determine the benefit and risk for them,” said Drees, a former dean of the UMKC School of Medicine.
Goodbinder defended the practice, citing anecdotal evidence of success.
“I think it’s been very beneficial,” he said. “This virus is relatively new, so there’s not going to be lot of data on alternatives.”
He said he doesn’t treat all medical conditions and still advocates seeking mainstream medicine for emergencies and serious ailments.
“We have some of the best doctors in the world,” he said. “But as far as chronic disease is concerned, our healthcare system is entirely broken.”
He said medical doctors too often rely on medication and directives from insurers. He does not prescribe medications, he said, but examines patient blood work and works to create lifestyle changes and recommend appropriate supplements.
With coronavirus, he said he was not seeking to treat seriously ill individuals.
“We haven’t had anyone come in with a 102-degree fever coughing their brains out and can’t breathe,” he said. “They need to go to the hospital.”
