Positive Health Online

Abstract

SAKAI and colleagues, Department of Epidemiology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan. Baba.epi@mri.tmd.ac.jp studied the relationship between serum vitamin C concentration and blood pressure.

Background

Methodology

The authors conducted a cross-sectional study with 919 men and 1,266 women aged 40 years and over from a Japanese provincial city. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured in women, as was serum vitamin C.

Results

SBP and DBP were both inversely correlated with serum vitamin C concentration. The means of SBP or DBP were calculated for quartiles of serum vitamin C; the significant inverse relationship was observed in every sex and age group. This inverse association persisted after adjustment for possible confounders: body mass index, serum total cholesterol, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, antihypertensive medication and dietary intake of salt, calcium and potassium.

Conclusion

Serum vitamin C appears to be inversely related to both SBP and DBP in this Japanese population. Further intervention and experimental studies are required to establish the mechanisms of this association.

References

Akai N et al. An inverse relationship between serum vitamin C and blood pressure in a Japanese community. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology 44(6): 853-67. Dec 1998.

Comment

Again, vitamin C appears to be effective in reducing blood pressure. Anyone wanting to read my book Vitamin C the Master Nutrient (Keats 1991) may order it from Positive Health. See book pages 51-54 of this issue. @i:38