As old as this is, I did wonder if some of the beneficial effects has to do with the increased oxygen binding to the red blood cells due to Vit C. In which case some sort of oxygenation might be more useful.
Also i would think, people these days tend to consume more Vit C than, say, 400 yrs ago when fresh fruit, fortified foods, etc might not always be possible- but their health hardly seems to be improving.