Higher vitamin C levels associated with improved vascular function in type 1 diabetes

In an article published online on June 24, 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Scandinavian researchers report that young type 1 diabetic patients with higher vitamin C levels have better vascular function compared to those with lower levels of the vitamin. Vascular function and structure changes can occur early in type 1 diabetes, and are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality later in life.




Petru Liuba and Michael Odermarsky of Lund University Hospital in Sweden, along with Jens Lykkesfeldt of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, recruited 33 male and 26 female diabetic patients between the ages of 10 and 22 for the current study. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT, which measures atherosclerosis), assessments of cutaneous microvascular function, cardiac depolarization and repolarization (evaluated via electrocardiogram as QT interval corrected for heart rate, which, when prolonged, is a predictor of adverse cardiovascular prognosis), lipids, and plasma C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, vitamin C and oxidized vitamin C (dehydroascorbic acid) were assessed. Continue Reading

Vitamin C supplementation lowers C-reactive protein levels

An article scheduled to appear in the January 1, 2008 issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine reports the finding of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley that supplementing with vitamin C reduces C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Berkeley professor emeritus of epidemiology and public health nutrition Gladys Block and her associates randomized 396 nonsmokers to receive 1000 milligrams vitamin C, 800 international units vitamin E, or a placebo for two months. Serum C-reactive protein levels were measured before and after the treatment period. Although no effects for vitamin E were observable, and no effect for vitamin C was noted among those with desirable CRP levels, for participants with elevated C-reactive protein (defined as 1 milligram per liter or higher), vitamin C lowered CRP by 0.25 milligrams per liter compared to the placebo, a reduction similar to that associated with statin drug treatment. Continue Reading

Reduced serum zinc levels predict death in patients at risk of cardiovascular events

Research published online on October 24, 2008 in the British Journal of Nutrition revealed a correlation between insufficient zinc levels and a higher risk of death among patients referred for coronary angiography. To the authors’ knowledge, the study is the first to examine the relationship between zinc and mortality in men and women at an intermediate to high risk for future cardiovascular events.

Stefan Pilz, of the University of Heidelberg in Germany and the Medical University of Graz in Austria, and his associates evaluated data from 3316 participants in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health study of patients referred to coronary angiography in southwest Germany. Blood samples collected prior to angiography were analyzed for zinc, glucose and other factors. The patients were followed for a median of 7.75 years, during which 484 participants died from cardiovascular disease and 261 died of noncardiovascular causes.

For those whose zinc levels were among the lowest 25 percent of participants at less than 780 micrograms per liter there was a 44 percent greater adjusted risk of dying from all causes compared with those whose levels were among the top 25 percent, at greater than 960 mcg/L. Cardiovascular deaths were 24 percent greater among those whose zinc levels were lowest, and the risk of dying from noncardiovascular causes was more than double that of participants whose zinc levels were highest. Continue Reading

The Orthomolecular Link Between Vitamin E and the Heart

The correlation between a diet rich in Vitamin E and the heart has been analyzed and overanalyzed for decades now, and in one of the earliest incidences of using orthomolecular medicine in the treatment of a disease, the Shute brothers pioneered the idea of using doses of Vitamin E to prevent heart ailments; the vitamin, in the form of d-alpha tocopherol, is an active anti-oxidant that prevents the formation of free radicals which are known to increase the risk of cancer, cardiac ailments and other regenerative diseases.

Vitamin E prevents blood from clotting and thus improves circulation and prevents embolisms which give rise to strokes. Besides decreasing the amount of oxygen required by tissues and the amount of insulin needed to control diabetes, this vitamin also has properties that help keep prostate cancer and Alzheimer’s disease at bay.

Studies that deal with primary prevention of heart disease (in healthy adults) over the course of a few years have been known to have positive results, with most of those treated showing little or no signs of the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, the natural hardening of the arteries that begins from childhood and contributes to heart diseases and strokes. But those that deal with secondary prevention – in people who are known to have a history of heart problems – have not had conclusive results, probably because of the added effects of diabetes, smoking, and drugs being used to treat existent medical conditions.

The ideal daily dosage of Vitamin E has been proved to be between 200 IU and 400 IU, with the American Heart Association warning people against taking Vitamin E supplements in levels greater than 1,500 IU per day, especially those who are on anti-clotting drugs since it’s an anticoagulant and increases the risk of bleeding. If you’re looking for your daily requirements of this powerful antioxidant, look no further than natural foods like vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables and whole grain cereals. There’s no need to take added supplements. A word of caution though – foods rich in Vitamin E are often rich in fat as well, so make sure you consult your doctor and dietician before you make any drastic changes in the way you eat.

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This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of x-ray technician schools. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.