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In spite of the paucity of supportive clinical evidence, most people feel much better after taking Dawa. The placebo effect can explain this – people who think they are doing something effective can report a favourable result, even when none exists.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dawa is classically made from lemons (vitamin C), ginger (antiseptic) and honey (decongestant, sweetener).<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at vitamin C, specifically. I will explore honey, in detail, in another article. Vitamin C is known to support the immune system and it\u2019s rapidly depleted during an infection. Some studies have suggested that vitamin C supplementation may speed up your recovery. Others found it to be no more effective than placebo at shortening the duration of cold symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n Linus Pauling, Ph.D., a two-time recipient of the Nobel Prize, was one of the most recognisable researchers involved in the early studies. He popularised the theory that vitamin C is helpful in treating colds. He recommended mega-doses of vitamin C for a wide variety of ailments, from the common cold to heart disease and cancer. His results were often inconclusive, with studies showing benefits being countered with studies that showed no benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Scientific fact is established when the same experiment is carried out over and over again with the same results. This is the concept of reproducibility, and it is considered central to the integrity of science.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Humans are unable to synthesise (make) vitamin C. It must, therefore, be obtained from the diet. Inadequate dietary intake results in Scurvy, a potentially fatal disease. As little as 10 mg\/day of vitamin C is sufficient to prevent overt scurvy, which is roughly the amount found in the juice of half a lemon. Special groups, such as smokers, or those on dialysis as a result of kidney failure, require considerably more.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Glucose and vitamin C are closely related and have similar chemical structures. For this reason, they compete for entry into cells. This is an important observation because too much glucose in the bloodstream inhibits (prevents) the transport of vitamin C into cells, including the white blood cells that help us fight infections.<\/span><\/p>\nDawa – Kenya’s Favourite Potion<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Glucose and Vitamin C <\/strong><\/h3>\n