Unexplainable (Vox) – “Vitamin C and the Common Cold”

Date: December 17, 2025
Host: Amy Padula
Expert Guest: Daniel M. Davis (Immunologist)
Primary Focus: The legend and legacy of Linus Pauling’s crusade for vitamin C, the tangled nature of scientific progress, and the unshakable myths about vitamins and immunity.

Episode Overview

This episode explores the deeply human quest to understand immunity, focusing on Linus Pauling—a two-time Nobel laureate who became one of the world’s most famous proponents of vitamin C as a cure-all, especially for the common cold. Host Amy Padula and guest Daniel M. Davis unravel Pauling’s journey from chemically decoding the secrets of atoms to championing mega-doses of vitamin C, examining the science, the controversies, and the powerful allure of simple health solutions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fascinating Complexity of the Immune System

• Immunity as a Frontier: Daniel M. Davis describes immunology’s vastness and why even the simplest questions about the immune system inevitably become complicated.
  • Notable Quote (01:18) – “It's a really wonderful frontier of science because it's so deeply complicated... that just gets you the kind of basics.” —Daniel M. Davis
• Depth as Reward: Davis finds meaning in the ongoing, intricate study of bodily systems.
  • Notable Quote (01:54) – “The contemplation itself becomes its own reward... digging into the detail of what is happening in your body.” —Daniel M. Davis

2. The Legend of Linus Pauling

• Early Brilliance: Pauling’s childhood fascination with chemistry, rapid academic ascension, and trailblazing contributions to chemical bonding.

  • (04:49) Linus Pauling recalls his first chemical experiments.
  • Notable Quote (05:56): “He did some very important work on understanding how atoms interact with each other...” —Daniel M. Davis

• From Genius to Activist: Pauling’s involvement in WWII, shock at Hiroshima, and transformation into an anti-nuclear advocate.

  • (07:01) Pauling heard about the Hiroshima bomb, which deeply altered his worldview.
  • Notable Quote (07:23): “With this bomb, we have now added a new and revolutionary increase in destruction...” —Linus Pauling

• Institutions and Ostracism: Pauling faced scrutiny during McCarthyism, suspicion of communism, and state intervention, even while collecting Nobel prizes in Chemistry and Peace.

3. The Rise of Vitamin C

• A Shift Toward Nutrition: By the mid-1960s, Pauling was drawn to the concept of “orthomolecular medicine,” the idea that high doses of vitamins could treat disease.

  • (17:48) Discovery of niacin studies in schizophrenia sparked Pauling’s interest in vitamins far beyond minimal dosages.

• Irwin Stone’s Influence: Stone claimed vitamin C could heal and rejuvenate, which gripped Pauling’s curiosity.

  • Notable Quote (18:15): “He somehow thought that maybe there's something special about vitamins, that if you take them in a really high dose, they're still not harmful to the body.” —Daniel M. Davis

• A Bestseller is Born:

  • (19:57) Pauling’s book, Vitamin C and the Common Cold, published in 1970, shot to mass appeal, promising health and viral protection through megadoses—more than 30x the recommended daily intake.
  • Cultural Impact: The supplement industry boomed, dubbed “the Linus Pauling effect.”

4. Science vs. Anecdote: Debates and Downfalls

• Scientific Rejection: The medical community pushed back, calling Pauling’s claims speculative, and rejecting his research for lack of rigorous peer review.

  • (21:04) Pauling’s public role increased, but he lost credibility among scientists.

• Escalating Claims: With physician Ewan Cameron, Pauling asserted that vitamin C could treat cancer (22:10), leading to controversial co-authored studies.

• The Clinical Trials and Results:

  • First Mayo Clinic Trial (25:08): Double-blind, late-stage cancer patients, high-dose vitamin C—no benefit over placebo.
    • “Myrtle concluded vitamin C does not help patients with cancer.” —Daniel M. Davis (25:34)
  • Pauling’s Rebuttal: He claimed methodological flaws—the patients had been weakened by earlier chemo.
  • Second Mayo Clinic Trial (27:03): No prior treatment in patients, same result: no effect.
  • Notable Quote (27:54): “There was then and there is now no evidence that vitamin C cures cancer. Even though the matter was closed, Pauling still called for a retraction of the Myrtle study.” —Amy Padula

• Anecdote vs. Evidence:

  • Pauling clung to testimonials (“patients felt better”; “trial ended too early”) even when hard evidence refuted his hopes.

5. Vitamin C and the Common Cold: What’s the Evidence?

• Meta-Analysis (2013): Nearly 30 studies debunked the efficacy of vitamin C in preventing or curing the common cold.

  • “People who supplement themselves with vitamin C get over a cold about 8% quicker.” —Daniel M. Davis (29:00)
  • Amy Padula (29:08): “So that means on average if you suffer for a few days, you might get a little better a few hours earlier...”
  • No impact on actually catching colds (29:16)

• No Harm, No Cure-All:

  • Davis acknowledges vitamin C doesn’t hurt (for most people), but cautions against faith in simple fixes.
  • Notable Quote (29:55): “Linus Pauling did something brilliant and yet did something utterly not brilliant.” —Daniel M. Davis

6. Science, Celebrity, and the Desire for Simple Solutions

• The Seduction of Anecdote: Even scientific luminaries are susceptible to the human penchant for black-and-white thinking.

  • Notable Quote (23:48): “Even a person who's won two Nobel prizes won't get everything right. All of us are also sort of susceptible to... very black and white thinking, whereas everything is much more grayscale.” —Daniel M. Davis

• Cautionary Tale:

  • The episode closes with a musical satire originally performed for Pauling at Caltech, likening his fate to Galileo’s and reflecting science’s ongoing struggle with dogma and humility.
  • (30:13) “From history of science, there's a moral to be learned.” —Linus Pauling

• Old Habits Die Hard:

  • Even with evidence, beliefs and habits persist—summed up by Davis’s own confession.
  • Notable Quote (32:06): “Even though I know having a glass of orange juice is not going to cure my cold, I know that that does not mean that if I have a cold, I won't still have a glass of orange juice.” —Daniel M. Davis

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (by Timestamp)

• On the wonder of immunology:
  • “The more depth you go into studying the immune system... the contemplation itself becomes its own reward.” —Daniel M. Davis (01:54)
• On Linus Pauling’s drive:
  • “I like to take a very complicated subject where there is no order and think about it for a long enough period that I can find some way of introducing order to it.” —Linus Pauling (16:16, paraphrased)
• The moment of myth-busting:
  • “Will vitamin C cure the common cold? No.” —Amy Padula (28:45)
• On scientific fallibility:
  • “Even a person who's won two Nobel prizes won't get everything right.” —Daniel M. Davis (23:48)
• Cultural resonance beyond science:
  • “Today, revenue for vitamin C has surpassed over $2 billion, and it's growing.” —Amy Padula (29:33)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:18 – Daniel M. Davis introdues why immunology is so complex and fascinating
• 04:34 – Introduction to Linus Pauling’s extraordinary career
• 09:31 – Pauling’s transition to public activism and risk
• 17:48 – Pauling’s early fixation on mega-vitamins
• 19:57 – Publication of “Vitamin C and the Common Cold” and public explosion
• 21:52 – The medical community rejects Pauling’s vitamin claims
• 25:08/27:03 – The Mayo Clinic trials: scientific investigation and rebuttal
• 28:45 – Straight talk: vitamin C doesn’t cure the common cold
• 29:00 – Meta-review: small advantage, but no prevention
• 32:06 – Personal admission: “I’ll still drink orange juice with a cold”

Takeaways

• Linus Pauling’s saga illustrates the thin line between inspiration and stubbornness, science and anecdote, fame and ostracism.
• There is no credible evidence that vitamin C either prevents or truly reduces the severity of the common cold or cancer, despite decades of belief and marketing.
• This episode gently reminds listeners that even the brightest minds can be led astray by the desire for simple answers—and that’s part of being human.

(End of summary)