VITAMIN C
VITAMIN C LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE
Research has finally confirmed that vitamin C, in the large
doses that have frequently been derided by some sceptical
doctors, does lower blood pressure. In the study blood pressure
was reduced by nearly 10% in people taking at least 500mg
daily.
THE TIMES, 23rd December, 1999.
RELATIONSHIP OF ASCORBIC ACID TO BLOOD LEAD LEVELS.
Lead exposure is an important health problem. It is suspected
that millions of American children have elevated blood lead
levels and work-related lead exposure among adults is also
an area of concern. The standard treatment for lead poisoning
is calcium EDTA and other chelators. Although one animal
study suggested that orally administered ascorbic acid had
similar chelating properties to parenterally administered
EDTA, trials among humans have proved inconclusive.
Therefore, a study was carried out to examine the relationship
between serum ascorbic acid levels and prevalence of elevated
blood lead levels. 4,213 youths aged 6-16 years and 15,365
adults aged 17 years and over without a history of lead
poisoning, participated. 22 youths and 57 adults had elevated
blood lead levels. After controlling for the effects of
age, race, sex, income level, and dietary energy, fat, calcium,
iron, and zinc intake, youths in the highest serum ascorbic
acid tertile had an 89% decreased prevalence of elevated
blood lead levels compared with youths in the lowest serum
ascorbic acid tertile. Adults in the highest two serum ascorbic
acid tertiles had a 65%-68% decreased prevalence of elevated
blood lead levels compared with those in the lowest tertile.
If these associations are related causally, ascorbic acid
may have a role in the control of lead toxicity.
Simon, J.A. and Hudes, E.S.
J.A.M.A. 1999, 281 (24) 2289-2293
HALF AN HOUR IN SMOKE CAN WEAKEN THE HEART
A new study at the University of Helsinki measured the
levels of antioxidants, including vitmin C, in the blood
of 10 volunteer nonsmokers, before and after spending half
an hour in a smoke-filled room. They found that the smoke
caused a one third reduction in vitamin C levels, starting
90 minutes after exposure and lasting for at least 6 hours.
The total of the blood’s antioxidants, using a TRAP
test (total peroxyl radical trapping potential of serum),
also fell by 31%.
THE TIMES, 26th May, 1998.
VITAMINS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER COLON-CANCER RISK
A recent study has shown that supplements of of multivitamins
and vitamin E are associated with a lower risk of colon
cancer. American researchers assessed the frequency, duration,
and daily dose of individual vitamin supplements and multivitamins,
for a ten year interval ending two years before diagnosis
of cancer. After controlling for other predictors of colon-cancer
risk such as intake of dietary vitamins, alcohol, and fibre,
the risk of colon cancer was lower in men and women who
took supplements of vitamins A, C, E, folic acid, calcium,
and multivitamins. But the association was strongest for
vitamin E and multivitamins: people who used multivitamins
daily for the entire 10-year interval had half the risk
of those who had not taken multivitamins. Those who averaged
200 IU or more of vitamin E per day for the 10 years had
a 57% risk reduction compared to non-users.
Macready, N
THE LANCET 1997, 350 (9089) 1452
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