April 22, 2004

VITAMIN C STUDY – REDUCING PLASMA C-REACTIVE PROTEINS SUPPORTS HEART HEALTH

Vitamin C supplements can reduce levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and chronic disease risk in humans, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

Participants who took about 500 milligrams of vitamin C supplements per day saw a 24 percent drop in plasma C-reactive protein (c-RP) levels after two months. The study, published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, is the first time vitamin C has been shown to decrease levels of c-RP, a biomarker that has garnered increasing attention among health researchers in recent years.

"C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation, and there is a growing body of evidence that chronic inflammation is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and even Alzheimer's disease," said Gladys Block, UC Berkeley professor of epidemiology and public health nutrition and lead author of the study. "If our finding of vitamin C's ability to lower c-RP is confirmed through other trials, vitamin C could become an important public health intervention."

For more information: http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/04/12_vitc.shtml

MIKE CIELL, R.PH. ADDS TO THE STORY ON VITAMIN C

“Guido -- the results of the vitamin C study do not surprise me at all, as a matter of fact, I would be SURPRISED if the c-RP level was not lowered.”

“A very popular theory of cardiovascular disease (which I would be happy to discuss in more depth) states that when there is adequate circulating levels of vitamin C, the body will repair damaged vessels with its preferred repair medium, i.e., collagen. This
replaces the back-up repair system of lipoprotein-A (LDL cholesterol plaques) ‘patches.’”

“These plaques trap bacteria and other cellular debris, causing an inflammatory reaction and influx of macrophages. These cells try to eat the debris and become engorged turning into ‘foam cells,’ causing an even bigger blockage.”

“A raised level of c-RP seems to indicate this process is occuring, whereas a lower level could well indicate vessel disease is being corrected (see Willis GC. 1957. “The Reversibility of Atherosclerosis. Canadian Medical Association Journal of Nutrition, vol.77:pp.106-109).”

“Vitamin C is an interesting substance, in that it has a number of different functions depending on the ‘dose’ taken. At the lowest doses (100 mg or less), it has vitamin activity. At higher levels, it is a very good antioxidant. At very high doses (5,000 mg to over 100,000 mg daily, given intravenously), it is capable of donating four electrons (i.e. at this level, Vitamin C ‘gives cells energy’
enabling proper cell function).”

“All of these functions may be thought of as increasing health, so it would follow that disease processes (like inflammation) would be mitigated and c-RP levels would drop accordingly.”

“To function as a vitamin, ascorbic acid should be in a vitamin C complex, which is a very complex chemical entity, with a copper atom in the center (much like the iron in hemoglobin or the selenium in a vitamin E complex).”

“When pure ascorbic acid is taken, the liver converts it to vitamin C complex - as long as all the necessary co-factors, such as bioflavanoids, are present."

"However, if we keep taking only high dose ascorbic acid, we can 'run out' of some of the necessary co-factors, and our vitamin C activity level can then plummet. This phenomenon was discussed at length at the American Nutraceutical Association’s annual conference in California some years back.”

For the smarty-pants members out there who already know all of this, kindly pipe down! As it turns out, we have a fair number of newbies, who have been referred through friends and family of late. Welcome to all newbies, by the way, and I sincerely hope you like a little kat humor!

With that said, I saved my favorite part of Mike’s commentary for last:

“I must compliment you, Guido, for including some bioflavanoids in your new vitamin C products. Smart kitty! Keep up the good work and I'll write to you soon.”

Still purringly yours,

Guido

Guido Housemouser (The Enforcer) ^..^
Chief Kat and Community Manager
Our Health Co-op
931 Village Blvd, Suite 905-480
West Palm Beach FL 33409

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