Title : Vitamin C Also Protects LDL
link : Vitamin C Also Protects LDL
Vitamin C Also Protects LDL
Despite the protective mechanisms
attributed to vitamin C, some research has been unable to link vitamin C intake
to protection against heart disease. These negative trials have mostly been conducted using
people who consume 90 mg of vitamin C per day or more—a level beyond which further
protection of LDL may not occur. Studies of people who eat foods containing lower
amounts of vitamin C have been able to show a link between dietary vitamin C and
protection from heart disease. Therefore, leading vitamin C researchers have begun to
suggest that vitamin C may be important in preventing heart disease, but only up to
100–200 mg of intake per day. In a double-blind trial, supplementation with 250 mg of
timed-release vitamin C twice daily for three years resulted in a 15% reduction in
the progression of atherosclerosis, compared with placebo. Many doctors suggest
that people take vitamin C—often 1 gram per day— despite the fact that research
does not yet support levels higher than 500 mg per day.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that
serves to protect LDL from oxidative damage and has been linked to prevention of
heart disease in double-blind research. Many doctors recommend 400–800 IU of vitamin E
per day to lower the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attacks. However, some
leading researchers suggest taking only 100–200 IU per day, as studies that have
explored the long-term effects of different supplemental levels suggest no further benefit beyond
that amount, and research reporting positive effects with 400–800 IU per day have not
investigated the effects of lower intakes. In a doubleblind trial, people with high
cholesterol who took 136 IU of natural vitamin E per day for three years had 10% less
progression of atherosclerosis compared with those taking placebo.
Blood levels of an amino acid
called homocysteine have been linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease in most
research, though uncertainty remains about whether elevated homocysteine actually causes
heart disease. Although some reports have found associations between homocysteine
levels and dietary factors, such as coffee and protein intakes, evidence linking
specific foods to homocysteine remains preliminary.
Higher blood levels of vitamin
B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid are associated with low levels of homocysteine and
supplementing with these vitamins lowers homocysteine levels. While several trials have
consistently shown that B6, B12, and folic acid lower homocysteine, the amounts used
vary from study to study. Many doctors recommend 50 mg of vitamin B6, 100–300 mcg of
vitamin B12, and 500–800 mcg of folic acid. Even researchers finding only
inconsistent links between homocysteine and heart disease have acknowledged that a B
vitamin might offer protection against heart disease independent of the
homocysteine-lowering effect.61 In
one trial, people with normal homocysteine levels had
demonstrable reversal of atherosclerosis when supplementing B vitamins (2.5 mg folic acid, 25
mg vitamin B6, and 250 mcg of vitamin B12 per day).
For the few cases in which
vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid fail to normalize homocysteine, adding 6 grams per
day of betaine (trimethylglycine) may be effective. Of these four supplements, folic
acid appears to be the most important. Attempts to lower homocysteine by simply changing
the diet rather than by using vitamin supplements have not been successful.
Quercetin, a flavonoid, protects
LDL cholesterol from damage. While several preliminary studies have found that eating
foods high in quercetin lowers the risk of heart disease, the research on this subject is
not always consistent, and some research finds no protective link. Quercetin is
found in apples, onions, black tea, and as a supplement. In some studies, dietary amounts
linked to protection from heart disease are as low as 35 mg per day.
Though low levels (2 grams per
day) of evening primrose oil appear to be without action, 3–4 grams per day have lowered
cholesterol in double-blind research. Lowering cholesterol levels should in turn
reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.
Preliminary research shows that
chondroitin sulphate may prevent atherosclerosis in animals and humans and may also
prevent heart attacks in people who already have atherosclerosis. However, further
research is needed to determine the value of chondroitin sulphate supplements
for preventing or treating atherosclerosis.
Preliminary studies have found
that people who drink red wine, which contains resveratrol, are at lower risk of
death from heart disease. Because of its antioxidant activity and its effect on
platelets, some researchers believe that resveratrol is the protective agent in red wine.
Resveratrol research remains very preliminary, however, and as yet there is no evidence
that the amounts found in supplements help prevent atherosclerosis in humans.
In 1992, a Finnish study found a
strong link between unnecessary exposure to iron and increased risk for heart disease.
Since then many studies have not found that link, though perhaps an equal number
have been able to confirm the outcome of the original report. One 1999 analysis of 12
studies looking at iron status and heart disease found no overall relationship, though
another 1999 analysis of published studies came to a different conclusion. While the
effect of unnecessary exposure to iron, including iron supplements, on the risk of heart
disease remains unclear, there is no benefit in supplementing iron in the absence
of a diagnosed deficiency.
The carotenoid, lycopene, has
been found to be low in the blood of people with atherosclerosis, particularly if
they are smokers. Although no association between atherosclerosis and blood level
of any other carotenoid (e.g., beta-carotene) was found, the results of this study
suggested a protective role for lycopene. Lycopene is present in high amounts in tomatoes.
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