| h dietary vitamin C intake significantly reduces the | | | | cholesterol increased 14.9 milligrams per deciliter in |
| risk of death from heart attacks and strokes (and | | | | women and 2.1 milligrams per deciliter in men. For |
| other causes, including cancer) in numerous population | | | | every 1 percent increase in HDL cholesterol, the risk |
| studies. | | | | for heart disease drops 4 percent. This study and |
| One of the most detailed studies analyzed the | | | | others demonstrate that the association between |
| vitamin C intake of 11,348 adults over 5 years. | | | | vitamin C and HDL levels persists even when |
| Researchers divided them into three groups: (1) less | | | | well-nourished individuals with normal levels of vitamin |
| than 50 milligrams daily dietary Vitamin C intake; (2) | | | | C in their blood supplement their diets with additional |
| greater than 50 milligrams daily dietary intake with no | | | | vitamin C. However, evidence suggests that there |
| vitamin C supplementation; and (3) greater than 50 | | | | may be a threshold for the beneficial effects of |
| milligrams daily dietary intake plus vitamin C | | | | vitamin C supplementation on total cholesterol and |
| supplementation (estimated at milligrams or more).18 | | | | HDL cholesterol in healthy subjects. This threshold |
| Analysis of standardized mortality ratio (SMR), a | | | | may be as low as 215 milligrams per day for women |
| comparison to the average death rate, was up to 48 | | | | and 345 milligrams per day in men. |
| percent lower in the high vitamin C intake group | | | | Results in double-blind clinical studies examining the |
| versus the low intake group for cardiovascular | | | | benefit of high dosage vitamin C supplementation |
| disease and overall mortality. In practical terms, these | | | | (usually 1,000 milligrams) on lowering total cholesterol |
| differences correspond to an increase in longevity of | | | | while raising HDL cholesterol levels are inconsistent. |
| 5 to 7 years for men and 1 to 3 years for women. | | | | More recent studies show that only in subjects with |
| How does vitamin C lower the risk for cardiovascular | | | | low or marginal vitamin C status does high dosage |
| disease? Apparently it does so by acting as an | | | | supplementation produce an effect. |
| antioxidant, by strengthening the collagen structures | | | | Blood Pressure |
| of the arteries, lowering total cholesterol and blood | | | | Population and clinical studies also show vitamin C |
| pressure, raising HDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting | | | | levels inversely correlate with blood pressure; i.e., the |
| platelet aggregation. | | | | higher the intake of vitamin C the lower the blood |
| Oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol plays a major | | | | pressure. Several preliminary studies show a modest |
| role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. Vitamin C is | | | | blood-pressure-lowering effect (e.g., a drop of 5 |
| extremely effective in preventing LDL cholesterol | | | | millimeters of mercury) of vitamin C supplementation |
| from being oxidized, even in smokers. In addition, | | | | in people with mild elevations of blood pressure. |
| because vitamin C regenerates oxidized vitamin E in | | | | One of the ways in which vitamin C may help keep |
| the body, it potentiates the antioxidant benefits of | | | | blood pressure in the normal range is by promoting |
| vitamin E. | | | | the excretion of lead. Chronic exposure to lead from |
| Cholesterol | | | | environmental sources, including drinking water, is |
| Dozens of observational and clinical studies show that | | | | associated with high blood pressure and increased |
| vitamin C levels correspond to total cholesterol and | | | | cardiovascular mortality. Areas with a soft water |
| HDL cholesterol levels.17'20"22 One of the | | | | supply have an increased lead concentration in |
| best-designed studies indicated that the higher the | | | | drinking water because of the acidity of the water, |
| vitamin C content of the blood, the lower the total | | | | and people living in these areas may be predisposed |
| cholesterol and triglycerides and the higher the HDL | | | | to high blood pressure. Soft water is also, of course, |
| cholesterol. The benefits on HDL were particularly | | | | low in calcium and magnesium, two minerals that |
| impressive. For each 0.5 milligrams per deciliter | | | | protect against high blood pressure. |
| increase in vitamin C content of the blood, HDL | | | | |