Vitamin C, in high doses, may alleviate hypertension
While many Americans may buy dietary supplements, sold alongside over the counter medications, to improve their health, scientific studies on the value of this approach are mixed.
While many Americans may buy dietary supplements, sold alongside over the counter medications, to improve their health, scientific studies on the value of this approach are mixed. This led a team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to review the literature concerning vitamin C. They ultimately concluded that high doses of this nutrient may lower blood pressure.
About 30 percent of American adults have hypertension. If the entire country lowered its collective blood pressure by 3 millimeters of mercury, the incidence of stroke would go down, according to experts.
Experiments to determine whether vitamin C can reduce hypertension produced mixed results. In order to get a more comprehensive picture, the team of scientists reviewed 29 previous clinical trials.
Results showed that the blood pressure of individuals who consumed about 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day, which is about five times the recommended amount, fell by an average of 3.84 millimeters of mercury. This may be because the nutrient could have a diuretic effect.
Although this study demonstrated an association between high doses of vitamin C and lower blood pressure, it did not necessarily prove there was a direct relationship.
"Our research suggests a modest blood pressure lowering effect with vitamin C supplementation, but before we can recommend supplements as a treatment for high blood pressure, we really need more research to understand the implications of taking them," said researcher Edgar Miller III, MD, PhD.
The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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