Ascorbic acid and mortality – (03-18-01)

Ascorbic acid and mortality

This rather large study looked at the effects of vitamin C levels in the blood and all-cause mortality. Ascorbic acid was shown to protect against all causes of death. Quite a feat for something as simple, safe and cheap as Vit C. It’s just a shame that Linus Pauling did not get the respect he deserved for his research on Vit C while he was alive. Truly a pioneer that changed the face of preventative medicine, Dr. Pauling’s ideas are only now beginning to truly show fruit.

Lancet 2001; 357: 657-63 Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) might be protective for several chronic diseases. However, findings from prospective studies that relate ascorbic acid to cardiovascular disease or cancer are not consistent. We aimed to assess the relation between plasma ascorbic acid and subsequent mortality due to all causes, cardiovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, and cancer. We prospectively examined for 4 years the relation between plasma ascorbic acid concentrations and mortality due to all causes, and to cardiovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, and cancer in 19496 men and women aged 45-79 years. Plasma ascorbic acid concentration was inversely related to mortality from all-causes, and from cardiovascular disease, and ischaemic heart disease in men and women. Risk of mortality in the top ascorbic acid quintile was about half the risk in the lowest quintile (p<0·0001). The relation with mortality was continuous through the whole distribution of ascorbic acid concentrations. 20 µmol/L rise in plasma ascorbic acid concentration, equivalent to about 50 g per day increase in fruit and vegetable intake, was associated with about a 20% re…

James Bogash
