Linus Pauling — "The human body can make a number of substances, but it cannot make vitamin C."
The human body can make a number of substances, but it cannot make vitamin C.
Get This Quote & Author's Image Illustrated On:
Click any product to generate a realistic preview. Up to 3 at a time.
* Initial load can take up to 90 seconds — revising the preview in another color is nearly instant.
Kitchen
Apparel
Other
More from Linus Pauling
"The greatest discoveries of science have always been made by those who were not afraid to challenge the existing paradigms."
"I think that the most important thing is to be honest with yourself and with others."
"I think that the future of medicine is in prevention, not in treatment."
"I might well have become egotistical as a result [of the Langmuir Prize].... But... I think that I just said I shouldn't let this go to my head. I shouldn't think I'm really better than other people e…"
"I think that we should make the world safe for differences."
Verification
Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: grok
1 source checked
Understanding this quote
What it means
The quote states a biological fact: unlike most animals, humans lack the enzyme needed to synthesize vitamin C internally and must obtain it entirely from food. It highlights a fundamental nutritional dependency — if dietary intake fails, the body cannot compensate. This makes vitamin C an essential nutrient in the strict sense, meaning deficiency (scurvy) is unavoidable without external sources, distinguishing it from compounds the body can manufacture on its own.
Relevance to Linus Pauling
Pauling became orthomolecular medicine's most prominent champion after his two Nobel Prizes, taking massive personal vitamin C doses daily and co-writing landmark books arguing megadoses could prevent colds and cancer. This quote reflects his conviction that recognizing vitamin C's biological indispensability was foundational — if the body cannot make it, ensuring adequate and perhaps optimal intake becomes a medical priority. His advocacy, though scientifically contested, drove decades of sustained research into antioxidant nutrition.
The era
Pauling's vitamin C crusade peaked in the 1970s, a decade of surging interest in nutritional medicine, antioxidants, and alternatives to pharmaceutical treatment. Growing public distrust of drug companies fueled enthusiasm for natural remedies. Scurvy had been eradicated in wealthy nations, but Pauling argued conventional recommended doses were dangerously low. His claims sparked fierce scientific debate, defining a pivotal cultural moment in how nutrition science communicates risk, supplementation, and the line between evidence and advocacy.
AI-generated insights based on extensive research and information for context. Factual errors? Email [email protected].