Myth-buster
High-dose vitamin C before and after gallbladder surgery failed to reduce pain or opioid use in a 320-patient trial.
This well-designed, randomized trial challenges the popular notion that vitamin C helps with acute postoperative pain, but because it's among the first studies on this specific question, the picture isn't settled yet.
Researchers gave patients 3 grams of vitamin C four times daily before and after laparoscopic gallbladder removal, then tracked pain scores and pethidine (an opioid) consumption for two days. Neither measure differed significantly from the placebo group, and other outcomes like white blood cell counts, hospital stay length, and vomiting also showed no benefit.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Vitamin C for Reduced Acute Pain — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- n = 320
- 2026-04
- Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.