Archive for Vitamin C
Environmental Lead Exposure and Progressive Renal Insufficiency – (01-25-01)
Posted by: | CommentsEnvironmental Lead Exposure and Progressive Renal Insufficiency
We are seeing a common theme here regarding the damaging effects that heavy metals have on our health. Cognitive function, kidney problems, hypertension. I’m sure the list will continue to grow. And, considering that vitamin C has a tendency to reduce the absorption of lead, the lowered intake of fruits and vegetables in the US population may lead to higher and higher intakes of lead. Not a good combination.
Sulforaphane, H pylori and stomach tumors – (06-10-02)
Posted by: | CommentsSulforaphane, H pylori and stomach tumors
This study finds that a substance found in broccoli has the ability to inhibit H pylori infection as well as blocking stomach tumor formation from the H. pylori. We spend so much time in research looking for ways to kill off this bug and whether this triple-therapy regimine is better than that one and so on. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here–it is slowly appearing that H pylori is just a manifestation of poor lifestyle choices. We already know that low vitamin C in gastric juice is found in patients with H pylori. Now we see that compounds in broccoli are inhibitory for the growth of this bug. Give my theory a few years for the research to catch up and you can say casually that you knew about that years ago to all your friends…
PNAS — Abstracts: Fahey et al. 99 (11): 7610
FFA-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction Can Be Corrected by Vitamin C.-(06-10-02)
Posted by: | CommentsFFA-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction Can Be Corrected by Vitamin C
Kind of makes you wonder how we can see headlines that vitamin C does not protect against heart disease, huh? This study finds that antioxidant therapy may help to protect the lining of the blood vessels against oxidative damage from increased free fatty acids in the bloodstream. The FFA can be increased when insulin resistance lowers the ability of cells to take up the FFA from the bloodstream, so lifestyle changes to increase insulin sensitivity would go nicely with the antioxidant therapy.
JCEM — Abstracts: Pleiner et al. 87 (6): 2913
Collagen Synthesis in Cultured Fibroblasts with Varicose Veins – (07-25-02)
Posted by: | CommentsCollagen Synthesis in Cultured Fibroblasts with Varicose Veins
This experiment demonstrates that the synthesis of collagen, an essential building frame for the structure of almost all tissue in the human body, is dysregulated in patients with varicose veins. Horsechestnut and butcher’s broom are two herbs that have been used for centuries to address varicose veins. These contain bioflavanoids that are known to stabilize vessel walls. Vit C is also important for collagen synthesis and may benefit varicose veins.
Circulation — Abstracts: Sansilvestri-Morel et al. 106 (4): 479
Dietary Intake of Antioxidants and Risk of Alzheimer Disease – (07-08-02)
Posted by: | CommentsDietary Intake of Antioxidants and Risk of Alzheimer Disease
Gosh…what more can I add here? The concept that antioxidants can impact chronic disease is far, far from new. Here we see that intakes of Vitamins C and E lower risk of AD. I would strongly add that anyone at risk or concerned about AD evaluate the potential for gluten insensitivity. Transglutaminase is probably one of the better lad values used to check for this. Patients with gluten insensitivity have shown higher likelihood of plaguing on the brain as well as increased risk for AD. As a quick story, I had a patient in several weeks ago that was put on dapsone (an antibacterial drug commonly used in leprosy) a decade ago for dermatitis herpetiformis (a skin condition associated with gluten insensitivity). He was told that wheat-free diets were too difficult and that this drug was a lifetime therapy. HUH??? At what point did common sense leave the medical profession?? This poor patient was clearly allergic to gluten and was likely doing additional damage to other organ systems, but never mind that–just take the drug. After a brief conversation he was off to buy books on wheat-free living.
ROS in aspirin-induced gastric damage: protection by vitamin C – (05-17-01)
Posted by: | CommentsROS in aspirin-induced gastric damage: protection by vitamin C
Chalk up another benefit for Vit C. I would rather see patients fix whatever it is that requires the use of aspirin; barring that, I would now recommend Vit C to help protect against the damage that aspirin will cause the stomach. I personally take at least 2 grams of Vit C (1000mg X 2).
Synergy : Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 15 (5), 677-687
Vit C Inhibits Endothelial Cell Apoptosis in Congestive Heart Failure – (11-01-01)
Posted by: | CommentsVit C Inhibits Endothelial Cell Apoptosis in Congestive Heart Failure
In case you hadn’t already, make sure you add Vit C to the list of nutrients essential in managing cardiovascular disease. Personally I take 2,000 mg per day, but there are many instances when I recommend dosages about this. And remember that Vit E and C have a synergistic effect when taken together.
Circulation — Abstracts: Rössig et al. 104 (18): 2182
Stability of ascorbic acid in commercially available orange juices – (10-10-02)
Posted by: | CommentsStability of ascorbic acid in commercially available orange juices
Given how much of a fan I am of high (gram) doses of vitamin C, the idea that any type of juice could be considered a good source of vitamin C doesn’t make sense to me. This article finds that Vit C degrades rather quickly in juice as it nears its expiration date and that frozen has a higher content than pastuerized. Anyone surprised?
Combined Vit E and C Use and Risk of CVD Mortality – (12-12-02)
Posted by: | CommentsCombined Vit E and C Use and Risk of CVD Mortality
This is a letter of reply to an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine that compared Vit C, E and a combination of the two on CVD mortality and proudly announced in the conclusion that there was no benefit and there may actually be an increased risk. The nice thing about editorials are that they are generally written by clinicians and researchers entrenched in that particular topic, and the authors of the original article are invited to reply and support/rebut the letter. It really gives additional insight into an article and it’s nuances and details. This letter actually points out that Vit C and E seemed to have a pretty strong protective effect against the development of CVD. This study was done on patients with already existing CVD.
Combined Vitamin E and Vitamin C Supplement Use and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality
Vitamin C, gastric cancer cells and Helicobacter pylori – (01-17-02)
Posted by: | CommentsVitamin C, gastric cancer cells and Helicobacter pylori
This study finds that Vit C can protect against the cancerous changes that can be associated with H. pylori infection but that the typical patient does not have enough Vit C in gastric juice to achieve this effect. Maybe that’s why the bacteria is there in the first place???… Okay, since this is yet another study showing that Vit C seems to play a pivotal role in treatment of H. pylori associated gastric conditions, why are we not seeing this as an essential co-factor for treatment? Just give it a few decades…
Gut — Abstracts: Zhang et al. 50 (2): 165
