Beneficial effects of vitamin C on risk factors of cardiovascular diseases

The aim of this investigation is to study the hypothesis that vitamin C has beneficial effects on some risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Sixty-seven volunteers participated in this study. Thirty and thirty-seven subjects were assigned randomly to two groups. The first was given a placebo and the second was given a vitamin C, respectively. Both regimens were followed for six months. The dose of vitamin C was 500 mg/day. Double blind technique was used throughout the study. These data supported part of the beneficial effects of vitamin C on atherosclerosis process, i.e. reduce significantly body fat, systolic blood pressure, and pulse, and increase significantly high density lipoprotein. On the other hand, these data did not show favourable effects on other lipid parameters, i.e. cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, and very low density lipoprotein.