Effect of vitamin C on endothelial function in health and disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of

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Ammar W Ashor1, Jose Lara2, John C Mathers2

  • 1Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle on Tyne NE4 5PL, UK; College of Medicine, University of Al-Mustansiriyah, Baghdad, Iraq.

Atherosclerosis
|May 6, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin C supplementation significantly improves endothelial function (EF), particularly in individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Higher doses showed a greater positive impact on EF, suggesting a beneficial role in cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Nutritional Science
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Observational studies suggest a link between higher vitamin C intake and reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
  • Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on vitamin C's effect on endothelial function (EF) have yielded inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of vitamin C supplementation on EF.
  • To explore if health status, study duration, dose, or route of administration influence vitamin C's impact on EF.

Main Methods:

  • Searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases up to May 2013.
  • Included RCTs with adult participants where vitamin C was administered alone.
  • Focused on studies quantifying EF using ultrasound, plethysmography, and pulse wave analysis.

Main Results:

  • Pooled data from 44 trials showed a significant positive effect of vitamin C on EF (SMD: 0.50).
  • Improved EF was observed in patients with atherosclerosis, diabetes, and heart failure.
  • The effect was not influenced by study design, duration, or route of administration, but higher doses correlated with greater EF improvement.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin C supplementation demonstrably improves endothelial function.
  • The benefits of vitamin C on EF are more pronounced in individuals with higher cardiovascular disease risk.
  • Findings support vitamin C's role in enhancing cardiovascular health, especially in at-risk populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
Ascorbic acidCardiovascular riskFlow-mediated dilationForearm blood flowNutritional supplements

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