There is a moderate correlation between vitamin C intake and the amount of vitamin C circulating in the blood, says lead researcher Sudhir Kurl, M.D. The lowest quartile in this study had an intake roughly equivalent to the vitamin C in half a glass of orange juice a day.

A possible effect of vitamin C is that it enhances endothelial function, which inhibits artery clogging and lowers blood pressure. However, the link could simply be that people who take vitamin supplements or eat vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables may be more health-conscious than those who don't. So vitamin C alone may not be responsible for the results of the study, he says.

The research was compiled from a prospective follow-up study of 2,419 Finnish men between the ages of 42 and 60 and was funded in part by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

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Contact: Carole Bullock
carole.bullock@heart.org
214-706-1279
American Heart Association
6-Jun-2002