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DOES TAKING VITAMIN C ALLOW YOU TO LIVE LONGER
(May 2004)

A very good nutrition group has reviewed the data and concludes that the answer is yes. That conclusion is based, in part, on an intriguing article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November 2003. Investigators in England followed 1,214 persons ages 75 to 84 years for more than four years. They measured vitamin C (ascorbic acid) blood levels at enrollment, divided the subjects into five groups (quintiles) according to ascorbic acid levels, and found that those in the top quintile had about one-half the likelihood of dying as those with the lowest ascorbic acid levels (the lowest quintile). When the investigators analyzed deaths from heart disease and stroke, the same approximately 50 percent reduction in risk was found for those in the top two quintiles of blood ascorbic acid levels.

BUT,

There was no evidence that taking supplements reduced likelihood of death.

AND

Similarly, there was no relationship between daily intake of vitamin C in the diet and either deaths from any cause or from heart disease and stroke.

There was also no evidence of any benefit in reduction in deaths related to blood levels or dietary intake of vitamin E, vitamin A, or Beta carotene.

So, there is a mixed message.

Healthful Life has reviewed twelve relevant studies. Here is our interpretation of the somewhat confusing results:

- The majority of studies do NOT support the benefits of vitamin C supplements. That is perplexing. After all, if higher blood levels of vitamin C reduce risk of death and supplements increase blood levels of C, they should be beneficial. That suggests it is foods that contain vitamin C, but the benefit is due to other constituents in the fruits and vegetables, not the vitamin C.

- It is not clear that alleged benefits from dietary vitamin C apply equally to men and women. That may be because there are too few studies that analyze men and women separately. The two studies that show reduction in deaths for men, but no benefit for women are actually done on the same population (one study on dietary intake, one on blood levels).

- Several studies on reduction in deaths or in occurrence of heart attacks or strokes show fruits and vegetables reduce risk, but the benefit does not appear to be specifically related to the vitamin C content of those fruits and vegetables.

What then can we conclude?

1. Fruits and vegetables reduce, to some extent, all cause deaths and deaths specifically from heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Those fruits and vegetables may contain vitamin C, but the benefit is probably not related specifically to the vitamin C.
2. It is unhealthy to have abnormally low levels of vitamin C. By age 70, 20 percent of people are likely to have abnormally low blood ascorbic acid levels; by age 85, that percentage increases to almost half. That is more reason for those over age 65 to take a conventional one-a-day vitamin supplement containing folic acid, B12, vitamin D, and vitamin C.

CLICK HERE for foods and beverages high in vitamin C; note that cereals range in vitamin C content from zero to the entire daily recommended dose (read the labels).

It is also well to note that an 8-ounce glass of orange juice each day will supply the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

In sum, the argument is good for the health benefits of a good intake of fruits and vegetables (preferably at least four servings a day of fruits and vegetables combined - five or six servings is even better).

The case for vitamin C by itself reducing deaths from all causes, or specifically occurrence of or deaths from heart disease, stroke, or cancer is still unproved.