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People
with low concentrations of vitamin C in their blood may be
putting themselves at a greater risk of having a stroke, according
to a study highlighted in the June issue of the journal Stroke.
In their
study of 2,419 Finnish men between the ages of 42 and 60,
researchers found that those with blood vitamin C levels of
less than 28.4 micromoles per liter (roughly the amount of
vitamin C in a half glass of orange juice a day) had a 2.1
times greater risk for stroke than men with levels of more
than 64.96 micromoles per liter.
The likelihood
of a stroke for vitamin-C deficient men was even higher if
they had hypertension or were overweight.
The researchers
said vitamin C enhances endothelial function, which inhibits
artery clogging and lowers blood pressure. However, they noted
that the link could also be because people who take vitamin
supplements or eat vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables may
be more health-conscious than those who don't. So vitamin
C alone may not be responsible for the results of the study,
said study author Dr. Sudhir Kurl, a researcher at the University
of Kuopio in Finland.
Kurl told
Medical Week that the practical message of the study is for
people to eat a well-balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables
from which they can get enough of vitamin C.
He suggested
that they go in more for fruits and vegetables that are rich
in vitamin C rather than going straight for supplements. He
also said the results of the study should apply to women as
well, while noting that a large population based study on
women is needed to confirm this assumption.
Source:
Hypertension
Week of June 9, 2002
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