Vitamin C status and blood pressure

Area of Science:

• Nutritional science
• Cardiovascular health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Elevated blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Vitamin C is an essential nutrient with antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cross-sectional association between plasma vitamin C levels and blood pressure.
• To determine if this relationship persists after accounting for confounding factors.

Main Methods:

• A population-based, cross-sectional study involving 1870 adults aged 45-75.
• Data collected via health questionnaires and health checks, measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and plasma vitamin C levels.

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was observed between plasma vitamin C levels and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
• This association remained robust after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and alcohol intake.

Conclusions:

• Plasma vitamin C levels may serve as a biomarker for factors influencing blood pressure.
• Findings support the hypothesis that higher vitamin C intake, particularly from food sources, may offer protection against hypertension and stroke.