Vitamin C and heart disease:
Vitamin C and heart disease: Carr and Frei recommended a higher vitamin C intake of 90-100 mg per day to avoid chronic diseases. They found prospective studies which demonstrated that a low vitamin C poses a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. (43)
This analysis, was conducted on 19,496 men and women, ages 45 to 79, in the U.K. The participants’ blood was tested for ascorbic acid (a form of vitamin C) and they were placed in five groups (quintiles) according to their serum ascorbic acid levels. Men and women were tracked separately. The researchers observed how many people died of cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, cancer, and all causes in each of the blood ascorbic acid quintiles. In every case (except for women at risk of cancer), death rates were significantly lower among those with higher blood ascorbic acid levels. People with the highest ascorbic acid levels had half the risk of dying from all causes combined. Additionally, a 20 micromol/L increase in blood ascorbic acid concentration, the same as a 50 g per day increase in fruit and vegetable intake, was associated with about a 20% reduction in risk of all-cause mortality. (14)
Vitamin C has been shown to be beneficial for people with certain diseases or conditions. High intakes of vitamin C have been associated with decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, eye diseases, and neurological conditions. High dose vitamin C, with an upper tolerable level set at 2 grams per day set by the USDA has been shown to be safe. This limit was set by the USDA due to gastrointestinal side effects. Among healthy individuals, the recommended daily intake of vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. (15)
Loria and colleagues found an association between low blood ascorbate (vitamin C) levels and an increased risk of dying, overall and from cancer, among men. Compared to men with high ascorbate blood concentraions (73.8 micromol/L or greater), men with low ascorbate blood concentrations (less than 28.4 micromol/L) have a 57% increased total mortality risk and a 62% increased mortality risk from cancer. No change in risk of mortality was found among men with ascorbate blood concentrations between 28.4 to 73.8 micromol/L. No link between mortality and ascorbate levels were found among women. (16)