Vitamin C (incl. high-dose) & Myelodysplastic syndromes

Written based on 13 research studies on PubMed, searched on 11 Nov 2026.

The claim

Posts online say that vitamin C (incl. high-dose) helps with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Where research stands

We found 13 published papers on vitamin C (incl. high-dose) and myelodysplastic syndromes. They were published between 1988 and 2026. 4 of them are studies in people. 1 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. None was a study in animals, and 4 were only in cells in the lab. 1 paper was retracted. 1 new study in people is running or will start soon, say the trial registers.

• 4In people1 with a comparison group
• 0In animals
• 4Only in the lab

What the studies found

We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.

Verdict

Sources

1. Oral vitamin C supplementation to patients with myeloid cancer on azacitidine treatment: Normalization of plasma vitamin C induces epigenetic changes.2019 · Clin Epigenetics · Randomised trial
2. High-dose IV ascorbic acid therapy for patients with CCUS with TET2 mutations.2024 · Blood · Study in people
3. Combination decitabine, arsenic trioxide, and ascorbic acid for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia: a phase I study.2011 · Am J Hematol · Study in people
4. Depletion of L-ascorbic acid alternating with its supplementation in the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes.2009 · Eur J Haematol · Study in people
5. [Inhibitory Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Myelodysplastic Syndrome Cells and Its Mechanism].2021 · Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi · In the lab
6. Oxidative stress mediates apoptotic effects of ascorbate and dehydroascorbate in human Myelodysplasia cells in vitro.2013 · Toxicol In Vitro · In the lab
7. In vitro growth modulation by L-ascorbic acid of colony-forming cells from bone marrow of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.1992 · Cancer Res · In the lab
8. Vitamin C in leukemia and preleukemia cell growth.1988 · Prog Clin Biol Res · In the lab
9. NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 deficiency conjoint with marginal vitamin C deficiency causes cigarette smoke induced myelodysplastic syndromes.2011 · PLoS One · RetractedRetracted
10. Retraction: NAD(P)H: Quinone oxidoreductase 1 deficiency conjoint with marginal vitamin C deficiency causes cigarette smoke induced myelodysplastic syndromes.2026 · PLoS One · Other paper
11. Arsenic trioxide and ascorbic acid interfere with the BCL2 family genes in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: an ex-vivo study.2012 · J Hematol Oncol · Other paper
12. Effect of biscoclaurine alkaloids, prednisolone and ascorbic acid on myelodysplastic syndrome with pancytopenia: a case report.2000 · Eur J Haematol · Other paper
13. Growth modulation of human leukemic, preleukemic, and myeloma progenitor cells by L-ascorbic acid.1991 · Am J Clin Nutr · Other paper