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Nutrition Hot Topics - Report linking vitamin C and atherosclerosis
Researchers
at the University of Southern California reported the surprising finding that vitamin C might contribute to atherosclerosis.
They said that people who took 500 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C as a dietary supplement had a 2.5 times faster progression
of thickening of the carotid artery, over a period of 18 months, compared to people who took no vitamin C supplement. Dr.
Jeffrey Blumberg, Chief of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Human Nutrition
Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, commented: "This is a preliminary epidemiological study and it is important
to put the reported findings in the context of all the available information. This is the first report of any negative effect
of vitamin C on the arteries in contrast to the totality of data about vitamin C and health. A number of other studies suggest
a positive effect of vitamin C on arterial health and the USC researchers offered no plausible mechanism by which vitamin
C could have the adverse effect observed in this study."Dr. Annette Dickinson, Vice President for Scientific and Regulatory
Affairs at the Washington D.C.-based Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), said that several observations are important:
First, this is an epidemiological (observational) study, not a clinical trial and there could be confounding factors that
would explain the differences observed. Second, the study involved 573 people, only 30 percent of whom took vitamin C in amounts
ranging from 30 to 1,000 mg. Most of those people at the lower end of that range were likely taking their vitamin C in the
form of a multivitamin. Dr. Dickinson noted that no information was provided regarding the number of people taking 500 mg
or more, or the variability in the rates of thickening of their artery walls. These factors could greatly affect the significance
of the findings. Also, there is no indication in the USC press release regarding the clinical significance of the observed
change in the rate of carotid wall thickening.Dr. Dickinson concluded, "Today's press release on this study uses very strong
language that appears calculated to create some fear about vitamin C supplementation, without providing sufficient information
to justify that concern. The fact is that the weight of all published scientific evidence suggests that vitamin C is beneficial
for the heart."--Source: Council for Responsible Nutrition
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