Low Vitamin C Worsens Cardiovascular Health

Research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011 shows that low vitamin C in patients with weak hearts places them at nearly double the risk of death in the following 12 months. The AHA has published numerous anti-vitamin C and anti-vitamin E articles in the past decade, with a clear motive of trying to get people to take drugs and not vitamins. The study is consistent with vitamin C’s long history of cardiovascular support. The news appears to be what might be going on at the AHA – is there a potential for actual change?

The researchers evaluated 212 patients with heart failure, average age 61. Those with low vitamin C intake had higher levels of inflammatory C-reactive protein CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. . It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs- CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. , highly sensitive CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. . , predicting increased circulatory inflammation and heart stress. These patients had higher rates of significant cardiovascular events as well as death in the one-year follow up period.

No AHA officials went on record in the press release, as is typical, when publishing a vitamin C study (which is usually negative). In other words, while the AHA allowed the positive vitamin C data to be presented to its members, it didn’t have anything positive to say about it. Nevertheless, the fact that it was presented at all is a sign of changing times – I hope.