The dosages I have to take at times are _very_ high, admittedly, but all
my life I have lived in or near quite toxic environments, including
everything from smog, bad water, or asbestos to radioactive fallout (in the
1950s), and my health has been serverely damaged as a result.  So I need much
more C than most people.  The same is true of people who are very ill, say,
with cancer, viral meningitis,  or something equally serious -- the human
body uses up vitamin C very quickly when it is under stress, unless it takes
more in as fast as, or faster than, it is using up C.  It can't make more for
itself, unlike most mammals, so either we ingest C in our food or
supplements, or we become deficient.  Heavy smokers, people who work around
toxic chemicals, people ill with a virus, or anyone else under chronic heavy
stress who don't have what they need of vitamin C in supplements or diet need
_lots_ of C to repair the damage from the longstanding C deficiency they
incur this way, for quite a while.
     If you have enough C in your system, or what _should_ be enough C, but
the allergy is still with you, the problem may be one of assimilation.  To do
its job properly, C also needs bioflavinids present from some source, food or
supplements.  Or you may need vitamin A or E, or certain minerals.  In
addition, heavy chronic stress leaves the central nervous system depleted of
calcium, magnesium, the B vitamins, vitamin A, and some other things
necessary to health.  The result can be insomnia, "nerves," or worse -- not
to mention the posssibility of dental or bone problems from the drain of
calcium.  So you might need some of these, too.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0774]