The internet is full of devices and medicines vying for superiority over which one is the best for preventing seasickness. This study was based on the following observations: elevated histamine levels trigger seasickness; blockade on histidine decarboxylase prevents seasickness while elevating vitamin C levels in animal models; low concentration of vitamin C are seen in mastocytosis and nausea reduces after taking vitamin C. The aim of the double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study was to investigate whether vitamin C suppresses nausea in people exposed to motion at sea. The authors recruited 70 volunteers aged between 19 years and 60 years, divided into two groups. They were exposed to one-metre waves in an inflatable raft in an indoor pool for 20 minutes on two separate days. Group VP received 2g of oral vitamin C one hour before exposure on day one and placebo before exposure on day two. The reverse was done in the other Group PV. Blood levels for histamine, diamine oxidase (DAO, degrades histamine), tryptase and vitamin C were determined one hour before exposure and immediately after the 20 minute exposure. Participants rated their symptoms on 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) immediately after leaving the raft and at a 30-minute intervals for three hours. Twenty-two, 42 and six subjects reported slight, moderate and strong sensitivity to seasickness respectively. However, seven subjects (two females, five males) had no symptoms on either day. In both groups, the majority of subjects felt better and had fewer symptoms on the days they took vitamin C. In females, vitamin C was significantly associated with less symptoms than placebo. Twenty-three subjects left the raft before the 20 minute test duration but even so, those on vitamin C stayed significantly longer than those on the placebo. Histamine levels increased during exposure but DAO levels increased following intake of vitamin C. On the whole, vitamin C suppressed symptoms of seasickness but the effect was more pronounced for females than in males except in men younger than 27 years. The authors concluded that in women and in men under 27 years of age, vitamin C could effectively suppress seasickness while emphasising the quick onset of action and absence of significant side-effects in comparison to other motion sickness medication.
Vitamin C, a possible remedy for seasickness?
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